Ann Rinaldi
Ann Rinaldi writes historical fiction for young adults and has won numerous awards for her efforts. "Most mothers go to soccer or football games," said Rinaldi, "but I went to wars". Her family was involved in the renactment of wars and events such as Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware. Rinaldi went all out and even dressed in period costume for the events. Eventually, she became intrigued and enticed. History was coming alive, and she wanted to get young people interested. Her first historical novel Time Enough for Drums was turned down by ten publishers; they all claimed that children wouldn't read history. Finally the book was published by Holiday House and went on to become an ALA Best Book. Since then Rinaldi has written only historical novels.
She began her career a a newspaper reporter and learned quickly to know a good story when she "saw" one. The newspaper business taught her to undertake research, develop clip files, conduct interviews, how to ask the right questions, to take notes, and to produce on a deadline. A diciplined writer, Rinaldi produces two books a year by writing a chapter a day. She constanly rewrites, but at a certain point she notes "the characters finally take over and the book is complete".
She looks for a good story and one unifying element, something that will provide instant recognition. In My Father's House (1993, Scholastic, Ages 12 up, $14.95 and $4.99), the event is the first shot of the Civil War and the fleeing of a family to Appomattox where the War concluded. The Blue Door, the final book in the "Quilt Trilogy" (1996, Scholastic, Ages 12 up, $15.95), brings readers full circle in the intergenerational lives of the Chelmsford family. Her newest books are: The Second Bend in the River (1997, Scholastic, Ages 9 up, $15.95) which tells the love story of Shawnee Chief Tecumseh and Rebecca Galloway; Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley (1996, Harcourt, Ages 12 up, $12.00 and $6.00) that recounts the life of a slave who became America's first published black poet; and Keep Smiling Throughis the motto and the theme of this book about daily life in New Jersey during World War II.
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Reviews
An Acquaintance with Darkness
Ann Rinaldi
It seems to fourteen-year-old Emily Pigbush that her whole world has been torn apart. President Lincoln has been assassinated, and her mother has died of consumption. Her friend's family, who was going to take her in, has been accused of aiding John Wilkes Booth. Emily has no choice but to live with her Uncle Valentine, the uncle her mother never seemed to trust. She doesn't know what to make of his off-limits laboratory or his secret meetings. Who is her uncle, really, and what sort of business is he engaged in? Ann Rinaldi deftly weaves together the factual details of Washington, DC in the days following Lincoln's assassination and the fictional story of her orphaned young narrator. The author's note provides information about the historical context of the tale. A bibliography provides information about non-fiction texts dealing with Washington DC, Civil War medicine, and Lincoln's assassination. 1999 (orig. 1997), Gulliver/Harcourt Brace, Ages 12 up, $16.00 and $6.00. Reviewer: Heidi Green
ISBN: 0-15-201294-X
ISBN: 0-15-202197-3
Amelia's War
Ann Rinaldi
In this incredibly compelling work of historical fiction, readers experience the Civil War in Hagerstown, Maryland through the eyes of Amelia. Amelia is a young woman coming of age, grappling with complicated issues with courage, dignity, and an ambitious feminism that is inspiring. Rinaldi's historical characters are interwoven with all the important people and events of the war, bringing the time period and tragedy to life. In no way a romanticized portrayal, this story of a young woman and her town leaves the reader with a much deeper understanding of a war that gripped our country, left no one untouched, and left the face of our nation permanently changed. 1999, Scholastic Press, Ages 13 up, $15.95. Reviewer: Jessica Becker
ISBN: 0-590-11744-0
The Blue Door
Ann Rinaldi
As Grandmother Abigail sends Amanda north to Massachusetts to repair family ties, neither of them imagine the dangerous, treacherous journey that awaits her. After witnessing a crime, this southern belle is forced to change her identity, go into hiding, and support herself by working in the clothing mills. She learns that silence is sometimes more powerful than words, that she can chart her own course and take care of herself, and that there does come a time when you must take a stand. This final volume of Rinaldi's quilt trilogy will engage readers, whether or not they have read the previous two volumes. 1996, Scholastic, Ages 9 to 14, $15.95. Reviewer: Mary Sue Preissner
ISBN: 0-590-46051-X
A Break with Charity: A Story about the Salem Witch Trials
Ann Rinaldi
Historical fiction readers, both adult and young adult, will be fascinated by this tale of the Salem Witch Trials. Rinaldi has an uncanny talent for slipping into the skin of her characters. In this novel, her viewpoint comes from Susanna English, the daughter of a rich merchant. Susanna's money and station place her outside the circle of girls at the center of the hysteria, but not outside their sphere of influence. Susanna knows that the accusations are being put forth by young adolescents driven by revenge-and by a wish to escape the boredom of church and Bible reading. Fearing for her family, she refuses to share this knowledge. As the fervor builds, so does Susanna's guilt and sorrow until finally she is rescued from "going down a dark road" by a loving friend and her own moral code. Rinaldi's research is flawless and her period familiarity striking, but her strongest power is as a storyteller. 1992, Harcourt, Ages 12 up, $17.00 and $6.00. Reviewer: Susie Wilde
ISBN: 0-15-200353-3
ISBN: 0-15-200101-8
Cast Two Shadows: The American Revolution in the South
Ann Rinaldi
Fourteen-year-old Caroline has seen her family devastated by war. Her father has been imprisoned as a rebel, and her brother has gone to fight for the British. Her sister has become the companion of the pompous British officer occupying their family home, and her mother has been forced to wait on him. Yet the War also provides an opportunity for Caroline to be closer to her family. Caroline is actually the daughter of her father and a slave she's never known; in this time of war, racial barriers are relaxed, and the girl becomes close to her grandmother, Miz Melindy. As the two travel to rescue her wounded brother, Caroline learns more about her past-and her self-than she's ever known. Rinaldi's narrative is fluid and captivating. The author's note addresses the historical context of the tale. The bibliography identifies nonfiction texts that deal with these issues. 1998, Harcourt Brace/Gulliver, Ages 12 up, $16.00. Reviewer: Heidi Green
ISBN: 0-15-200881-0
The Coffin Quilt
Ann Rinaldi
When Roseanna McCoy runs away with Johnse Hatfield on Election Day 1880, the hate that's been festering between the Hatfields and the McCoys since the Civil War erupts into a bloody and tragic feud. Fanny, the youngest McCoy, chronicles the conflict that shatters her family. It's a tale of blame and retaliation, pride and misdirected loyalties, narrow mindedness and suffering, strength and survival. Set in the rugged mountains of the Kentucky-West Virginia border more than a century ago, it's a story about the devastating impact of violence. It's not difficult to find parallels in contemporary society. This fictional history is steeped in fact. Rich detail and superb storytelling make this a fascinating read, one that packs an emotional punch. 1999, Gulliver Books/Harcourt Brace and Company, Ages 12 up, $16.00. Reviewer: Ellen R. Braaf
ISBN: 0-15-202015-2
The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre
Ann Rinaldi
Several years ago Ann Rinaldi became my favorite historical fiction writer because of her devotion to exploring the depths of female emotion while viewing history through the quandaries obscured by time. In The Fifth of March, she writes about fourteen-year-old Rachel Marsh, John Adam's indentured servant in Boston in the 1770s. Rachel becomes friends with a British soldier and she's caught between loyalty to America and to friendship. Everything comes to a head on March 5th at the Boston Massacre when Rachel's friend shoots a Bostonian. She is torn apart by her loyalties to the Adams family, her burgeoning sense of Americanism, and her bonds of true friendship. The book is part of the "Great Episodes" series. 1993, Harcourt Brace, Ages 11 up, $12.00 and $6.00. Reviewer: Susie Wilde
ISBN: 0-15-200343-6
ISBN: 0-15-227517-7
Finishing Becca
Ann Rinaldi
Becca Syng's mother believes her daughter will 'pick up' the pieces of her education by working as a personal maid to Peggy Shippen. Set in Philadelphia in 1778, Becca learns more than she bargained for. Soon she is disenchanted with the excesses and frivolousness of Peggy and her friends while the soldiers at Valley Forge are starving, amongst them Becca's brother. The complex issues of the day unfold in this fascinating look at the relationship of Peggy and Benedict Arnold. Patriotism, treachery, deceit and moral integrity provide readers food for thought while this historic period springs to life. 1994, Harcourt, Ages 12 up, $11.00 and $6.00. Reviewer: Jan Lieberman
ISBN: 0-15-200880-2
ISBN: 0-15-200879-9
Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley
Ann Rinaldi
Readers will find this fictionalized account of the young African-American poetess, Phillis Wheatley, to be a slow read. While concerned with earning her freedom, it seems more of Phillis' thoughts are about her crush on her young master. While it can be said that there were slave owners who treated their slaves well, it appears to be a stretch to believe that life was as rosy as this portrayal. 1996, Harcourt Brace, Ages 10 to 14, $12.00 and $6.00. Reviewer: Mary Sue Preissner
ISBN: 0-15-200876-4
ISBN: 0-15-200877-2
Keep Smiling Through
Ann Rinaldi
The title is the motto and the theme of this book about daily life in New Jersey during World War II. Given as a piece of advice from her departing housekeeper, young Kay Hennings uses this phrase as a source of encouragement as she struggles to make sense of her own life in a time of turmoil. Her country is at war; her family is overshadowed by the unrelenting demands of her pregnant stepmother, and her brothers are sure the German residents of their town are Nazi spies. Rinaldi provides so many minute and intriguing details that she makes it seem as though the Nazi phobia, rationing, and the heightened patriotism of the radio programs of this period could be a part of any reader's life. Kay wants to break free of her stepmother's control. She's given the opportunity when she must decide between telling the truth and doing as she's told, when her German grandfather becomes inadvertently involved in anti-patriotic activities. 1996, Harcourt, Ages 8 up, $11.00 and $5.00. Reviewer: Alexandria LaFaye
ISBN: 0-15-200768-7
ISBN: 0-15-201072-6
The Second Bend in the River
Ann Rinaldi
Rinaldi's latest work of historical fiction takes us into the life of Rebecca Galloway, a young settler on her family's property in the Ohio Territory in the late 1700s. Rebecca is just a little girl when she meets Tecumsah, the powerful Shawnee chief. As Rebecca grows up and helps her mother with numerous household chores, she more and more anticipates Tecumseh's visits. Not only does she tutor the famous warrior in English grammar but she also discusses significant issues including the importance of peace between settlers and native peoples. The two fall in love; when Tecumseh proposes marriage, Rebecca must choose between life as a settler and life as a warrior's wife. This fascinating novel melds the difficult lives of American settlers with a love story between two incredible people. 1997, Scholastic Press, Ages 10 up, $15.95. Reviewer: Rebecca Joseph
ISBN: 0-590-74258-2
The Secret of Sarah Revere
Ann Rinaldi
Part of the "Great Episodes" series of historical fiction, Sarah Revere is set primarily in Boston during the tumultuous period between 1773 and 1775 when American Whigs begin their campaign against British tyranny. Sarah is the daughter of silversmith and patriot, Paul Revere. The fictional view of Revere's large and bustling household is welcome, as are little known details of Revere's political actions prior to his most famous midnight ride to Lexington. Thirteen-year-old Sarah's "secret" does, however, strain credulity. 1995, Gulliver/Harcourt Brace, Ages 12 up, $11.00 and $5.00. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr
ISBN: 0-15-200393-2
ISBN: 0-15-200392-4
A Stitch in Time
Ann Rinaldi
Rinaldi writes great books about different times in American history. In A Stitch in Time, Rinaldi writes about the period of time after the War of Independence when Hannah Chelmsford discovers problems in her very respected family. The book is one of the "Quilt Trilogy." 1994, Scholastic, Ages 11 up, $13.95 and $3.99. Reviewer: Susie Wilde
ISBN: 0-590-46055-2
ISBN: 0-590-46056-0
Added 12/27/02
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