Reviews for Numbering All the Bones

The average rating for Numbering All the Bones based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2018-11-23 00:00:00 Kathleen Peist Reading this reminded me how much I enjoy Rinaldi's well-researched books. The setting in the one was the Civil War. Poignantly told from the perspective of Eulinda, a 13 year old slave girl working in the house of the master of the plantation who also happens to be her father. As much as he tries to help her and show some favors, he never really claims her as his. Thus, when the long years of Civil War come to an end, Eulinda must fend for herself. Searching for her beloved brother Neddy, she learns that he died in Andersonville Prison. Notoriously this prison kept soldiers in barbarous, torturous conditions. When Clara Barton arrives at the prison, she assists in working with her to name the soldiers who died and to bury the bodies and mark the graves. 3/5 Stars.

Review # 2 was written on 2011-07-02 00:00:00 George Rhodes This book is the story of Eulinda, a house slave in the Big House of her father's plantation in Georgia, who struggles with trying to figure out who she during the final year of the Civil War . If you are interested in reading a good story, than this book is definitely for you. It is a fast read (only 164 pages) so I was able to finish it in an afternoon. The characters seem very real and I can easily relate with Eulinda's struggle of not really belonging in any pre-made societal grouping (slave v. free, White v. Black, Union v. Confederate) even though I myself am privileged enough to not have to worry about such things during my lifetime. However, as a Social Studies teacher, I wish there were more details given regarding the events that happened such as the prison at Andersonville and/or the work of Clara Barton. Instead of using this story as a way to learn about history, Rinaldi chose to use history as a backdrop for her story. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and like I've said before this is an excellent story, I just wish there were more Historical Fiction novels for Young Adults that aren't afraid to get messy and show things as they truly are instead of packaged in a nice, tidy box tied with a ribbon.