2 little boys who are next door neighbors are best friends. Both of their houses are being newly built, but the land that it is being built on has a lot of history that goes along with it. One of the little boy's dad tells them all about the history of the land they are standing on. He tells them all about the war and the battles that were fought between men in the same country. The boys and the dad both want to honor the land that was fought on by so many men. This book is a great way to teach students about the civil war because it is a current story that alludes back to the past. This could be a great opportunity to begin research with students on civil war locations in the past, and what they look like today. ( )

“The Blue and The Gray,” is a pretty educational book about the civil war. The story is about how two young friends learn about the war from one of the boy’s father. The father and son are planning to move into the house soon, and as they explore the father explains to his son and his son’s friend JJ about how the land they are moving onto was an important part of the civil war. By learning about the war the two friends learn that if it were still around, they may not have been friends anymore. But the two refuse to think that they would not be friends, because they are best friends! I think this was a good story about two friends learning about the history of their land. Teachers can use this as a good learning opportunity for a social studies class. I think the illustrator did a good job at making things look realistic, but kid friendly. It was a very good read. ( )

About history, remembering. The boy juxtaposes the past & present of a former Civil War battlefield that will soon be his property in the same way that we all do when we stand at the site of some historically significant moment. Poetic, sentimental, but I didn't appreciate the father's observation that the Civil War was the "worst kind" of war because it was "us against us." Brother against brother. I disagree, but getting the kids to think that people who were once "friends" could end up so extremely on different sides of a war or an issue is valuable to an extent. I'll have my son read it, but it's not a "must read." I'm anxious to see his reaction. ( )

The story is set in poetry form and is about two best friends, one black and one white, who are wandering around a piece of historic land that one of the friend's father is building two new houses on. As the boys are walking, the dad explains that the land was where the Civil War took place. The boys also learn why the war was fought and how the results of the war abolished slavery. The Blue and The Gray is a book that I would use to illustrate he importance of friendship without being based on the color of our skin as well as learning about the Civil War. ( )

A young boy and his family are moving to a new house. As construction of the house takes place, the boy's father tells him that the land on which the house is being built is historic because that is where the Civil War took place. The dad describes how different races fought each other. The boys learn to respect the land and they make a vow never to fight. For grades 1-3 ( )