Even though I truly enjoyed this story, I'm going to start off with a bummer. David Shannon, what were you thinking with the cover art? Homer looks like a young girly, doofy Severus Snape. Not a fan.

Moving on, there are many things to love about Homer P. Figg. He's an orphan from Maine (and a world class fibber) who worships his older brother and caretaker Harold. So when Harold is forced to join the army and fight in the Civil War, Homer sets off to rescue him.

In his travels Homer comes across two evil slave catchers, a rich Quaker named Mr. Brewster who houses a station for the Underground Railroad, a couple of scheming con artists, a group of medicine show performers, a hot air balloon captain, and lots of young soldiers. He's driven by his love for his brother and it leads him all the way to the Battle of Gettysburg.

This books moves fast. It has both humor and horror, plus a lot of rich historical detail. Super highly recommended. ( )

EducatingParents.org rating: Approved
Historical Fiction: 1863

Louisa Knight's review on Goodreads.com -
This book kind of reminded me of the Whipping Boy, and how the main character keeps falling in with the wrong crowd in his attempt to rescue his brother. On that count, and due to the people he falls in with in this book, I'd say this is for a slightly older crowd perhaps, though it's still not exactly "mature" content...

It's definitely action packed and told somewhat light-heartedly. And with the given title, you know the story is supposed to sound just a little far-fetched.

Ages: 12+

Cleanliness: Blacks are called "darkies" and the boy is reprimanded for using that term. The book talks about slavery - the details are not too mature. There is drinking and smoking. There are liars, thieves and scoundrels in this story - none of them are shown in a positive light, except maybe Homer who is a good liar and tells lies to escape. There is a woman covered in tattoos.

This historical novel brings the Civil War alive, from rural Maine to the Battle of Gettysburg, with an engaging story of two brothers

This was a good historical novel of the Civil War. Told from the perspective o a child chasing his wrongly enlisted brother, it covers the war from a number of angles as Homer, the main character, falls in with factions from both sides of the war on his way to locate is unfortunate brother, a farced enlistee in the famous 20th Maine regiment of the Union Army. It's a very extensive story, one full of adventure and suspense. Reading this book will really give a child an education about the true experience of the Civil War, one of horror, confusion, strong beliefs, and sacrifice. It's really difficult to grasp what happened, but this book does a good job of trying. Well done. The narrator was a little irritating since he chose slightly silly voice for Homer. I felt like the story was more serious than the voice he offered, but I still enjoyed it. ( )

After Homer’s brother is illegally sold to the Union army, he sets off on a journey to find and rescue him. Along the way, Homer realizes that he is capable of much more than he ever thought possible. This is a story of family bonds and bravery. It has some difficult content that may be disturbing to younger readers. ( )