When you ask me for my top 10 favorite books (because there’s never just one), Harold Keith’s 1957 novel Rifles for Watie is on this list. It has been for years, assisted by the project I did on it for my Adolescent Literature class in college. (Best class ever.)

Besides the descriptive prose and the wholesome humor, not to mention the authentic depictions of one of our nation’s most shaping—and harrowing—times, what draws me back to this Newbery Medal book again and again are the strong, old-fashioned morals embodied in the main character as he undergoes a coming-of-age journey from naïve wannabe Union soldier to experienced Union and Confederate veteran.

Sixteen-year-old Jeff Bussey wants to join the war to defend his home in its new state of Kansas from the threat of lawless Missouri bushwhackers, and to protect his family’s stance against slavery. He hates the Confederate side and dreams of firing his gun at them in his first battle. When that first battle comes, however, Jeff quickly realizes war is no picnic. (The long marches, hard training, poor food, and power-hungry officers have already begun to strip the idealism from his perspective.)

Yet Jeff soldiers on, loyal to his cause, his country, and his comrades, facing challenges and losses that quickly grow him from boy to man—helped a little too by a pretty half-Cherokee girl named Lucy, who happens to be a staunch Confederate. After he’s appointed to scout behind Confederate lines for information, then left on his own surrounded by supposed enemies, Jeff’s perspective shifts yet again as he sees how the men—and their lives—really are on the other side. He forms new friendships, learns new skills, and gains new values during a subtle investigation that stretches from weeks to months.

When Jeff finally learns the information he needs to return to the Union, the discovery places him in the sights of an old enemy who will stop at nothing to see Jeff silenced for good. In a final war against himself as much as against frightening odds, Jeff chooses his loyalties and gives his all to see the nation and the people he loves safe for good.

This reflection at the end of the story sums up Jeff’s journey better than I could:

Jeff thought about how he had joined up at sixteen, wanting to be a soldier, to see battle and savor adventure.
Well, he had got what he wanted and more. Although he was barely twenty he had served the Union as an infantryman, cavalryman and scout, with two hours as an impromptu artilleryman at the Battle of Prairie Grove thrown in. And during his service with the South, he had been both a cavalryman and a teamster. He had lain ill several months in a Rebel home, narrowly escaped a rebel firing squad, had nearly starved to death, been trailed one hundred miles by a bloodhound and fallen head over heels in love. Few men in either army had lived the war so fully.

Chapter 25, “Linn County, Kansas, 1865”

As I mentioned, one of my favorite elements of this book is its depiction of the Civil War, from both sides. We don’t get a just-Union or just-Confederate view of this war, but rather a tour of the armies, individuals, values, and conflicts of both the North and the South. While the overall plot and some minor elements are fictional, the key battles, officers, and locations of this story are not. Keith drew from extensive research—books, letters, visits, and interviews, some interviews with veterans who had served under Watie—to craft an authentic portrayal of this time. As he wrote in his Author’s Note, “Few Americans know how savagely the Civil War raged or how strange and varied were its issues in what is now Oklahoma and the neighboring states of Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas. Rifles for Watie was faithfully written against the historical backdrop of the conflict in this seldom-publicized, Far-Western theater.” This unique setting of the Civil War, along with its truly faithful depiction, make Rifles for Watie a must-read.

My other top favorite element of Rifles for Watie is the hero. Jeff Bussey isn’t perfect, but his consistent, moral choices make him a worthy role model of kindness, respect, loyalty, dedication, humor, and hard work for all readers. Boys especially, while empathizing with his desire for action and his conflicted emotions about Lucy, will be encouraged to treat others with the same honesty and integrity, from superiors and older women to comrades and love interests. Moreover, Jeff’s staunch commitment to his beliefs will inspire readers to know not just what they believe but also why, as well as how these beliefs play out in our daily lives. (My generation especially needs more examples like this!) The descriptions and events may teach readers about the Civil War, but it’s the heart of young Jeff Bussey that will teach readers about life.

I hope you’ll pick up a copy of this Newbery Medal book for yourself. Whether you’re interested in American history, everyman heroes, light romance, adventure and humor, coming-of-age, or just good stories with heart, you’ll enjoy Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith–and maybe it will become a top 10 book for you too.