This is a story of love and support, based on true events from Clara Barton’s childhood. The interactions between Clara and her brother Davie illustrate the compassion that Clara, founder of the American Red Cross, was known for. Author’s Note.

The prolific Patricia Polacco, author and illustrator of many poignant picture-books whose stories are drawn from her family history, once again mines her ancestors' tales for Clara and Davie. This time however, the tale concerns a person of historical significance - Clara Barton, a pioneering nurse and the founder of the American Red Cross - to whom Polacco is related through marriage.

Opening with the Clara's birth, the story follows its subject through her younger childhood, as she develops her love for animals and for healing, and as she struggles to overcome her social timidity and her speech impediment, in the form of a lisp. The central role of her brother Davie, in encouraging and protecting her, is explored throughout, and when Davie falls and is terribly hurt, the loving Clara does everything she can to nurse him back to health...

As is so often the case with Polacco's titles, I enjoyed Clara and Davie immensely, and finished it with a lump in my throat. Perhaps because the person whose story is being told is a well-known one, Polacco here provides a more detailed afterword, giving some more information about Barton, and about how her family is connected to Barton's. I particularly appreciated this, as I often wonder with Polacco's titles, just what is fact and what is fiction. This one is definitely fact-based, and is an excellent picture-book biography about the youth of one of America's most famous medical practitioners. I also found that I greatly enjoyed the artwork here, something that is not always with case with Polacco, whose illustrations always work well with her stories, but sometimes don't appeal to me in their own right. The depiction of Clara's childhood home in winter is particularly well done! I did wonder a bit at the dust-jacket claim that Polacco is the illustrator of nearly one hundred picture-books, as her count (as far as I know) currently stands at seventy, but leaving aside that quibble, this is an outstanding book, one I would wholeheartedly recommend, both to fans of the creator, and to young children interested in Clara Barton and/or stories about people who have overcome a speech impediment. ( )

"Clara and Davie" was a refreshing read about the childhood of a woman who helped shape history. From the start Clara Barton had an exceptional way with animals and people. Her kind soul was noted by her older brother Davie and he did everything in his power to make sure nothing got in the way of Clara embracing her special gifts. Nothing held Clara back from reaching her true potential, not even the lisp in which she was continuously ridiculed for. In the author's note it shows that Clara Barton grew up to be considered 'Angel of the Battlefield.' and founded the American Red Cross. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about one of the greatest healers/medical practitioners. ( )

This book is about the young Clara Barton, who was the founder of the Red Cross. Clara was best friends with her brother, Davie. Clara's mother died during childbirth. She had a lisp which made her peers at school make fun of her. One day Clara's brother convinced their father let her be home schooled. One day something happened to her brother and Clara knew exactly what to do to care for him. This is the day she found her calling. I would use this book as an example of what pioneering women did, how the Red Cross was formed, and to show how people can overcome adversity. ( )

This was a true story of young Clara Barton who later went on to be founder of the american red cross. Clara's mother became sick shortly after giving birth and passed away. Clara always had a way with animals, she could ride a horse before she could walk. She had trouble making friends because of her lisp, so she was homeschooled. One day three boys knocked on her door and said they misssed her at school and wanted her to go sledin' with them. Some days later her brother Davie who she was extremley close with fell and broke both of his legs. The doctor set them but didn't think he'd live but Clara refused to give up on Davie and stayed by his side until he got better. Clara encouraged Davie to walk and after a while he finally did and he owed it all to Clara. Clara Barton was an ancestor of the author Patricia Polacco so this story was passed down from generation to generation. ( )