Patricia Bauer

I am what is often referred to as a “veteran” teacher, which means that I’ve been around for a very long time!! My passions include history, music, art and literature, and I try to share those with my students by dressing in costume, singing songs, reading picture books, sharing art, showing videos of me in costume shooting a musket...and anything else that I can think of to catch their interest. I have never yet had a student say, “Can we read Chapter Ten again?” but I frequently hear, “When can we sing that song again?” or, “Are you going to read to us today?”

I grew up in a loving family on the shores of Lake Waubesa near Madison, Wisconsin, the eldest of eight children. The early 1970s was an exciting time to be at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I was fortunate to take some of the first women’s history courses. Minnesota has been my home for most of my adult life and where I raised my two daughters, Eva and Allie. 1994 was a pivotal year in my life because I completed my Master’s Degree in Liberal Studies from Hamline University, helped open a new middle school and began working as a seasonal costumed interpreter at Historic Fort Snelling. This is where I became fascinated with Minnesota history, as well as living history, and met the love of my life, artist David Geister, whom I married in 2002 in Civil War costume at Fort Snelling. I enjoy portraying nineteenth century characters such as Mary (Mrs. Seth) Eastman, Clara (Mrs. George) Catlin, Mary (Mrs. William) LeDuc and Abigail (Mrs. Josiah) Snelling, usually accompanied by my dear husband. I am also an adjunct instructor for Hamline University, where we teach a course on Minnesota history, and I have given many workshops on using picture books to teach American history.

Though I have written for many years, B is for Battle Cry: A Civil War Alphabet is my first published children’s book. To be able to work with my husband on this book was a dream come true, and we hope to do more in the future. I feel very fortunate to be able to combine my love of history with teaching, hobbies, my friends and family.

B is for Battle Cry: A Civil War Alphabet
illustrated by David Geister
Sleeping Bear Press, 2009
ISBN 978-1585363568

B is for Battle Cry: A Civil War Alphabet is a beautifully illustrated book that takes readers on a journey into the Civil War, which was one of the bloodiest, most divisive events to take place in America's history. For four years our young country's sense of self and citizenry was shaken to the core as North and South battled each other.

Each letter has a read-aloud poem accessible to younger children. The author wrote each poem to fit into Stephen Foster’s popular 19th century song “Hard Times Come Again No More." This song, as well as a Civil War parody and each poem set to the music can be downloaded from the illustrator’s website: davidgeister.com. The text that accompanies each letter is written at a higher level, and older children and adults will enjoy learning more about the historic battles, renowned leaders, inventions, and inspiring events and documents of the Civil War.