By: Elizabeth Raum
Format: Available in Paperback, ePub, and MOBI
Genre: Historical Fiction
Boy With a Fife
Ebenezer Fletcher’s War of Independence
For Liberty!
As a young lad, Ebenezer Fletcher played war games with other boys in New Ipswich, New Hampshire. In April 1775, his life changed forever when British soldiers attacked the towns of Lexington and Concord. Shots were fired. Men died.
War was no longer a child’s game.
When the New Ipswich militia responded to the attack, thirteen-year-old Ebenezer joined them, playing his fife on the long march to Boston and beyond. During the next few years, Eb faced dangers and hardships in battle and at home. Courage and determination never deserted him. Through it all, he remained focused on his goal—Liberty.
This is his story.
Based on the autobiography of Ebenezer Fletcher.
Meet Elizabeth Raum,
the author of Boy With a Fife
Victoria Christensen –
I loved learning about fifers during the Revolution. The music of the fifes were used for many different things (waking up soldiers, calling them for dinner, marching). Elizabeth Raum has an ability to weave the facts into a heartwarming story.
womangenius –
I thoroughly enjoyed Elizabeth’s book. Her depiction of this boy who had a very important job during the Revolutionary War will take readers on an adventure. It reveals how young people were involved in our country’s independence.
Missy Jackson –
This is a great story of life during the Revolutionary War. I can feel the pain and confusion and frustration that Ebenezer felt. Elizabeth brings life into the history of our country and a young boy. Great job!
inthevine7 –
This is such a unique story told from the perspective of a young fife player and his role during the Revolutionary War. The authentic voice and details of the story took me back in time. A very enjoyable way to learn history!
Deborah Tukua –
Young Ebenezer Fletcher, eager to join military efforts to win independence for our nation also struggles with winning personal independence. More than anything he wants to play his fife for the troops and carry his musket. Every time he makes a decision to do so, someone in authority in his life redirects his course. While he does get to join the fight for freedom and prove his determination and resolve, Eb learns patience, gains skills that are of great benefit to the cause and acquires much more than liberty in the process. ~Deborah Stafford Tukua
dasanders.is –
Boy With a Fife is a great story based on real people and events during the Revolutionary War. It follows events in the life of young Ebenezer (Eb) Fletcher, a real colonist, who experienced the war from it’s early beginnings to the United States gaining independence from Britain. I liked the way Elizabeth Raum balanced Eb’ s patriotism and desire for freedom for his country and his desire for personal freedom and being able to make decisions for himself as he grew.
There was great information about fifers and drummers and their role and importance in the army. So much so that even now the tradition of fifers and drummers is continued present day in the US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corp.
There is adventure, hardship, danger, sacrifice, and love of family, friends, and country in this book. Raum also includes excellent documentation, notes, and a timeline.
ellen.paul –
For fans of Sign of the Beaver this is a book which not only tells you what happened 250 years ago, but lets you experience it. Set in the northern theater of the Revolutionary War, The Boy With a Fife immerses the reader in the ordinary and extraordinary occurences of a colonial family. Taken from the genealogy of the author’s own family, the story follows a boy and later a young man whose skill with a fife places him in, perhaps, the most pivotal event in American history. A great coming of age story filled with humor, peril and adventure.
Talitha J Hart –
Kids will love learning the true story of a boy their own age who was able to stand up and fight for what he believed in and be a part of the first generation of the American Dream. Ebenezer Fletcher’s experiences are woven into a coherent narrative that deals with the realities of war in a serious—but age-appropriate—manner that celebrates the courage of those who fought and the greater value of what it was they were fighting for.
Cynthia Mason –
When learning about the Revolutionary War, the role of the fife player in battle is rarely at the forefront. In this unique telling of the true story of Ebenezer Fletcher, history comes alive as we learn not only about the significance of the fifer with his meaningful repertoire of songs, we’re also provided a window into the emotions and issues that led to the war, the horrors that resulted, and the complicated nature of it all. Author Elizabeth Raum has packed her story with historical facts, names, and locations, which entertains but also subtly invites the reader to grab a map to follow the action, and a history book to learn more about the major players. Middle grade readers will relate to Ebenezer’s frustration at being considered too young to help the cause for liberty and will appreciate his determination and fortitude. This is a great story to help young readers understand the vital qualities of freedom and liberty, and is especially timely as the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War approaches.
June Dordal –
Boy With A Fife is a great story about Ebenezer Fletcher, a young man who receives a fife as a gift when he’s eleven. He learns to play all the musical commands that let soldiers know when to march, turn, retreat, etc. as he wants to be ready for when the war comes. The book follows him and his family as they navigate the times before and during the Revolutionary War. Ebenezer’s story is fraught with danger, injuries, and loss of loved ones during this defining time in America’s history. Elizabeth Raum weaves a compelling story that is based in part on the memoir of the real Ebenezer Fletcher. I highly recommend this story to anyone who wants to learn about a part of history we rarely hear about.
angelamcalabrese –
In her novel Boy With A Fife, Elizabeth Raum invites us to tag along with Ebenezer Fletcher, a thirteen year old boy who, more than anything, wants to fight for freedom during the Revolutionary War. He is gifted a fife and hopes to play it as a soldier. But there are setbacks and disappointments and Ebenezer must learn how to cope with them all as he develops a stronger resolve with every passing day. When he’s finally on the battlefield, young Ebenezer experiences the horrors of war and narrowly escapes death. It’s only through his bravery and fortitude that he survives.
Raum’s incredible use of sensory details allows the reader to hear the booming cannons, feel the burning sensation of a bullet piercing into Ebenezer’s back, and smell the savory aroma of his Gran’s stew.
Kids will be captivated by this brave boy’s story and learn about vital historic events in the process. I couldn’t help but feel gratitude toward the countless young people like Ebenezer who were willing to risk their lives for liberty 250 years ago.
Heidi DeStefano –
I appreciated the age-appropriate way Raum presented this story set during the Revolutionary War. I also appreciated the interesting historical details, which I haven’t seen in other stories. I didn’t realize how much was involved in becoming a fifer, or how important the role was. Excellent story!