Soldier's Heart

Gary Paulsen's depiction of Charley's trauma feels so raw and believable. I'm curious what inspired this focus on mental health during war.

The narrative isn’t fast-paced, and I wonder if that was intentional to mirror how trauma takes time to process and heal.

Seeing the Civil War through the eyes of a boy added a poignant layer to the history. I wonder what led to this storytelling choice.