Bull Run by Paul Fleischman

Fleischman, P. (1993). Bull run. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.

Bull Run by Paul Fleischman is a historical fiction novel about the First Battle of Bull Run during the American Civil War. Told from the perspective of 16 different people, Bull Run offers a glimpse of the battle both on the battlefield and behind the scenes. The sixteen characters are comprised of Northerners, Southerners, whites, African Americans, men, and women each giving their own account of the battle.

Bull Run could be used in a social studies lesson about the American Civil War. Students could read the story and then “adopt” one of the characters. Students would write a monologue for their character based on what they read in the book and create an appropriate costume as well. Then students would present their monologues to the class.

Reading about the battle from different perspectives is eye-opening! Generally, much of what we learn in history is told from one perspective which offers a limited of view of events. However, in Bull Run you come to understand the plight of people that come from all walks of life during that time period. The author’s writing is clear and succinct, but still creates a believable story. I would highly recommend this book to upper elementary and middle school aged children.

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