Celebrating the life of Clara Barton (ages 6-10)

Clara Barton bravely tended to soldiers during the Civil War, and became known as the Angel of the Battlefield. After the war, she founded the American Red Cross, an organization that continues essential relief during emergencies. Patricia Polacco, one of my favorite authors, has just written a book about Clara Barton's childhood. It provides a lovely introduction to this remarkable woman.

Clara and Davie
by Patricia Polacco
Scholastic, 2014
your local library
Amazon
ages 6-10

Like Polacco herself, Clara was painfully shy as a child and often teased. She found safety and comfort in animals on her farm, often treating them when they were hurt. When her beloved brother Davie was dreadfully hurt falling off the barn roof, Clara tended to him day after day, determined to help him heal, seeing to his wounds and providing comfort and encouragement. My students were fascinated by the historical context of this story, especially how much medical treatment has changed since the 19th century.

Want to find out more? Head over to Kidlit Celebrates Women's History Month. Louise Capizzo, a children's librarian from Maine, and I are writing about how to help children learn more about Barton's life. We think that Polacco's book will inspire children to learn more about this remarkable woman.

The review copy was kindly sent by the publishers, Scholastic Books. The illustrations are copyright ©2014 Patricia Polacco, shared with permission of the publishers. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books