The Civil War: An Interactive History Adventure

by Matt Doeden

"It's 1863, and the Civil War has torn apart the United States. For two years, the Confederacy and the Union have battled over slavery and states' rights. Will Fight for the Union at the Battle of Gettysburg? OR Serve with Stonewall Jackson as a Confederate soldier at the Battle of Chancellorsville? OR Try to survive the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, as a civilian?"

Genres: History, Childrens, Civil War, Nonfiction, Choose Your Own Adventure, Middle Grade, War

112 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2009

About the author

Matt Doeden was born in southern Minnesota and lived parts of his childhood in Golden Valley, Minnesota, and Madison, Minnesota. He studied journalism at Mankato State University, where he worked at the college newspaper for three years. In his senior year, he served as the paper's Sports Editor, which put him in charge of the entire sports section, the sports writers, and the photographers. He covered mostly college sports, but also the Minnesota Vikings, who held training camp at MSU.

His work allowed him to meet and interview people like Dennis Green, Cris Carter, Robert Smith, and more. Matt went on to work as a sports writer for the Mankato paper, and then he got a job as an editor with a small children's publisher called Capstone Press, and in 2003 he decided to start his own business as a freelance writer and editor.

Since then, Matt has written and edited hundreds of books. Lots of them are on high-interest topics like cars, sports, and airplanes. He also writes and edits on geography, science, and even math.

Reviews

[Mary Overton]

This book is a huge hit with my 4th graders - ages 9 &10.

"You are living in the United States in 1863. A civil war between the North and South has divided the nation. Which side will you support? What decisions will you have to make?
"In this book, you'll explore how the choices people made meant the difference between life and death. The events you'll experience happened to real people.
"Chapter One sets the scene. Then you choose which path to read. Follow the directions at the bottom of each page. The choices you make will change your outcome. After you finish one path, go back and read the others for new perspectives and more adventures.
"YOU CHOOSE the path you take through history." pg. 5

"To join the Confederate army at Chancellorsville, turn to page 13.
"To join the Union army at Gettysburg, turn to page 43.
"To live as a civilian during the Union siege of Vicksburg, turn to page 71." pg. 11

[Tarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an intriguing idea; reading a book about the Civil War, being able to choose which side you're on, and selecting which path take when opportunities arise.

Great insight into the war. I believe that subconsciously I learned a bit more history than what I had known before.

[Corinne Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story, after some background, let's you decide how you are spend the American Civil War: will you fight for the Confederacy, the Union, or will you be at home as a Confederate civilian, trying to survive the siege of Vickburg?

I read this outloud to my six year old and he was ALL in. We followed each of the three storylines, in two of them we made it to the end of the war, but in one we died as a soldier - which was, obviously, a little upsetting but it was totally well done and I liked that it was an accurate (without being graphic) depiction of war and the tricky decisions you'd have to make. After one choice we went back and looked at how things would've shaken down if we'd made a DIFFERENT choice and it was startling to see how different the consequences could be!

Not the most literary writing ever but it's perfect what what it's doing.

[Darlena Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was an interesting way to read a book with three different reading paths to take. The different points of view give you a good glimpse of the Civil War from the eyes of those who lived or died through it. This book is an easy read.

[Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its great these interactive history books are very fun

[Bethany Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty cool. How it gives you the options to choose your own paths through the story

[Saskia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never survive these, but they are fun to read! Great and engaging for those who like to choose their own path in a book. :)

[Maureen Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good way to introduce the Civil War to my 11 year old daughter. Boys would probably enjoy this one more than girls, but it still served our purpose.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

a choose-your-own-adventure through the civil war. great idea. much too short on actual civil war detail. i would not use this book in a classroom.

[Wade Leer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all of the stories like when the confederate officer took a risk of going after the union general

[Gabrielle G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

could've been longer

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

On July 1, 1863 union men have been marching for days in the Maryland and Pennsylvania heat in your tattered Union army uniform thats soaked in sweat and dirt. Colonel Joshua Chamberlain is marching the army to a town called Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. You've this will be a large battle because General George Mead, the Union commander, will try to go against Robert E. Lee. If we fail the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C. Will be at risk of being captured. July 2 heavy fighting brakes out, and your place at the end of Union defending a wooded hill. You and your friend George go to flank the enemy, as you take your place for the flank you see Confederate soldiers pour out of the woods you start shooting at the Confederates. In the middle of the battle you see a Confederate officer you know he's important but the shot will be very difficult, but you take aim and squeeze trigger Boom! The whizzes right by the office

[Sasha C]

1/17/13

I finished the book “The Civil War” yesterday. I didn’t really enjoy the topic of the book. But, I enjoyed the layout of the book that aloud to choose what happened. For example, if you finished page 53 then you will see that at the bottom of the page there will be a note that says “To try to take the soldier prisoner, turn to page 56”
“To let him go, turn to page 57” I think I took the pathway of letting him go. I thought it is awesome that you can choose to take whatever pathway you want instead of just going with whatever the book says. There are many more books just like the “Civil War”
The book also included many pictures with captions so we can all see what it looked like when they were there. I thought it was interesting looking at the pictures.
I think that if I picked a more interesting topic, for me, then I would have liked the book a little more.

[Shania Jones]

There is really no way for me to explain this book it has three story paths forty-seven choices and twenty different endings. That's right this book is about the Civil War and what was it like. Depending on the choices they give you at the bottom of every other page you read you either die and end the book early or live for victory! They give you a description on how was it back then during the mid-1800's living in a time of slavery and segregation. You learn a lot of facts based on what side you choose. The first questions they give you is Would you join the Confederates, Union, or to live as a civilian in the Union of Siege of Vicksburg? Depending on which story path you choose you will go somewhere new and fight some interesting battles. You control History now! Read the book to determine your faith on what happens in the Civil War.

[Aidan Armas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book.This book is a war book which made me read it but it turned out to be better then the average war book.This book is a different type of book where you get to choose what you would like to do in situations that happened in the civil war.You could choose to be 3 different people in the war a union soldier,confederate soldier,or a civillian.Since you choose your path it makes me love the book.It also has many details.Lastly, the the battles that take place in the book are accurate battles that actually happened.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love history but most of the books that are written about history are very dry read. This book makes you use your imagination to make the choice on the ending you want. How they figured out to write a book like this is puzzling. The students in my classroom love this book and find it fascinating.

Published: 2010
Genre: Historical, Chapter Book

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very adventurous book. It lets you choose as if you were fighting the Civil War. It shows the results of choices. One of the things I learned is about how slave catchers set traps. I couldn't set this book down once I got started!

[Rachel Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical Fiction
2010
This book is action packed and informational about the Civil War. My only complaint is it seems like the middle of the book is trying to be so action filled that it looses some of the information on the battles. There was a useful timeline and Glossary in the back too.

[Powers Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben enjoyed learning about the Civil War. The book prompted him to ask some good questions. I don't think the interactive/branching story format was so great. Ben just read through it.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Civil War Unit

[Jeri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving this choose-your-own-adventure history series!!!

[Lexie Klatt · Rating 2 out of 5]

double credit

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book that shows different ways a book can end

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

i liked it

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Guess I don't like I CHOOSE BOOKS.