LEARNING ABOUT ANN RINALDI

Compiled by: D. Ilana Dessau & Jenna Galley with Professor Kay E. Vandergrift in Young Adult Literature


BIOGRAPHY

"Real life, as I know it, as I've learned it to be from my newspaper experience and own past, goes into my books."

--Ann Rinaldi

 

Ann Rinaldi was born in New York City on August 27, 1934 to Michael and Marcella (Dumarest) Feis. Marcella died soon after Ann was born, so, Ann went to live with her aunt and uncle in Brooklyn. She recalls the time spent in their home with her doting teenage cousins as "the only happy part of my childhood." (SATA, vol. 78, p.170) But it was short lived. For, as Ann explains, her father "abruptly" (SATA, vol. 78. p.170) came and took her to live in New Jersey with him, her four siblings and a stepmother.

Though Ann's father was a newspaper manager, she states he "did everything he could to prevent me from becoming a writer."(SATA, vol.78, p.170) Her father would not allow Ann to attend college, and her previous school years were discouraging. She says, "at school they attempted to take out of me what spirit had eluded my stepmother."(SATA, vol.78, p.170) So, as Ann explains, following graduation from high school, she went into the business world and became a secretary.

In 1960, Ann married Ron Rinaldi. She explains, "Ron was middle-class and sane. I wanted sanity after my crazy upbringing."(SATA, vol 51, p150) After marrying, Ann left the business world and, after having two children, decided she wanted to be a novelist. Ann wrote four novels; however, she quickly determined that were "terrible." (SATA, vol. 78, p170) But, in 1969, she asked for and was given a weekly column in the Somerset Messenger Gazette. She exults, "I earned seven dollars a week, but I was writing!"(SATA, vol.51, p.150) Then, in 1970, Ann was hired to write two columns a week for the Trentonian daily. She explains, "Within a couple of years I was writing features and soft news as well as columns, and learning the newspaper business."(SATA, vol. 51, p.150)

In 1979, Ann finally finished a short story she had been laboring over for years. She explains, "My experience in the newspaper business and as a parent gave me so much more to bring to my fiction."(SATA, vol. 78, p.170) That short story, entitled Term Paper became her first published novel. Term Paper. Ann explains that she did not write her story for young adults and that only after finishing it did she realize that what she had written could be marketed as a young adult novel. Term Paper was bought by the first publisher who read it and was soon followed by its sequel, Promises are for Keeping.

The rest is history. Ann was drawn into the study of American history when her son, Ron, became involved in Revolutionary War reenactments while he was in high school. After visiting historical sites, participating in reenactments, and ". . .see[ing] the history. . .as it was, from the bottom up, hands on, instead of out of a history book," (SATA, vol. 51, p.151) Ann was addicted. In October 1981, when covering for the Trentonian the reenactment of the day Trenton learned of the Yorktown victory, "I realized I was going to write a young adult novel on the American Revolution. A good one. Not one utilizing all the myths and the famous figures."(SATA, vol. 51, p.151) That realization quickly became reality. Within a year's time the research for and the writing of Time Enough for Drums was completed. However, it had to pass through the hands often publishers before one agreed to publish this historical novel for young adults.

A year after Time Enough for Drums was published, Ann declared, "Time Enough for Drums is close to my heart, my favorite -- the one everyone told me not to write! I went against the grain of what everybody told me, but then, that's what I did in my lifetime, too." (SATA, vol. 51, p.151) Maybe that is why young adults find her work so easy to identify with.

Ann explains, "These people [the founding fathers of the United States] helped form [my son, Ron's] foundation for life which, when tested, held strong. It is for this reason that I write historical fiction for young people. If I can 'turn them on' to our country's past, and seize their imaginations as Ron's was seized, then I may succeed in doing something really worthwhile." (SATA, vol. 78, p.170).

Sources Cited: Commire, Anne, ed. Something About the Author: Facts and Pictures About Authors and Illustrators of Books for Young People, Vol. 51. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc., 1988. p.149-151.
Hile, Kevin S., ed. Something About the Author: Facts and Pictures About Authors and Illustrators of Books for Young People, Vol. 78. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc., 1994. p.169-172.


ON HER WRITING

Award winning writer, Ann Rinaldi, most known for her historical fiction, has authored over a dozen young adult novels. Ann first became interested in studying American history when her son became active in Revolutionary War re-enactments when he was in high school. Writing historical fiction has since then become a passion for Ann Rinaldi. She spends a great deal of time researching the historical periods in which her novels take place to insure the accuracy of the settings and draws from her own life experiences to develop the realism of her characters. The conflicts which her protagonists face reflect concerns common to young adults, past and present.

Ann Rinaldi explains, "I write young adult novels because I like writing them. But, as with my first book, I don't write for young people. I just write. Real life, as I know it, as I've learned it to be from my newspaper experience and own past, goes into my books. I draw all my characters fully, give my adults as many problems and as much dimension as the young protaganist. I give my readers good writing, literary writing. My books have been praised for the strength of my characters and my dialogue. I believe there are only about four good writers of young adult novels on the market. I am the fifth."

(SATA, vol. 51, 1988)


Interview with Ann Rinaldi: To read interview completed in the Spring of 1996.

Notes by Ann Rinaldi were written at Professor Vandergrift's request in response to the recent DNA evidence that Thomas Jefferson fathered some of Sally Hemings' children, and cries of "hypocrite" leveled against him..


BIBLIOGRAPHY OF YOUNG ADULT NOVELS

Rinaldi, Ann. A Break with Charity: A Story About the Salem Witch Trials. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1992.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Blue Door.New York: Scholastic, 1996.
Rinaldi, Ann. Broken Days.New York: Scholastic, 1995.
Rinaldi, Ann. But in the Fall I'm Leaving. New York: Holiday House, 1985.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Fifth of March: The Story of the Boston Massacre. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1993.
Rinaldi, Ann. Finishing Becca: A Story of Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1994.
Rinaldi, Ann. In My Father's House. New York: Scholastic, 1993.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Good Side of My Heart. New York: Holiday House, 1987.
Rinaldi, Ann. Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, 1996.
Rinaldi, Ann. Keep Smiling Through. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, 1996.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Last Silk Dress. New York: Holiday House, 1988.
Rinaldi, Ann. Promises Are for Keeping. New York: Walker, 1982.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Second Bend in the River. New York: Scholastic, 1997.
Rinaldi, Ann. A Ride into Morning: The Story of Tempe Wick. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1991.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Secret of Sarah Revere. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1995.
Rinaldi, Ann. A Stitch in Time. New York: Scholastic, 1994.
Rinaldi, Ann. Term Paper, New York: Walker,1980.
Rinaldi, Ann. Time Enough for Drums. New York: Holiday House, 1986.
Rinaldi, Ann. Wolf by the Ears. New York: Scholastic, 1991.


SOURCES ABOUT ANN RINALDI

Blythe Jones, Dolores, ed. Children's Literature Awards and Winners: A Directory of Prizes, Authors and Illustrators. 2nd ed., Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc., 1988.
Booklist (June 15, 1988) vol. 84.
Book Review Index, DIALOG File 137.
Books In Print, DIALOG File 470.
Commire, Anne, ed. Something About the Author: Facts and Pictures About Authors and Illustrators of Books for Young People. Vol. 50. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc., 1988.
Commire, Anne, ed. Something About the Author: Facts and Pictures About Authors and Illustrators of Books for Young People. Vol. 51. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc., 1988.
Helbig, Alethea K. and Agnes Regan Perkins. This Land Is Our Land: A Guide to Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994.
Hile, Kevin S., ed. Something About the Author: Facts and Pictures About Authors and Illustrators of Books for Young People. Vol. 78. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc., 1994.
. Kirkus Review. Vol. 56 (Feb. 15, 1988) Vol. 59(Mar. 1, 1991).
Stanek, L.W. A Teaching Guide to Wolf by the Ears and In My Father's House by Ann Rinaldi. New York : Scholastic, 1995. (Pamphlet)
VOYA Vol. 11 (Dec. 1988) Vol.14 (June 1991).


AWARDS PRESENTED TO ANN RINALDI


REVIEWS AND COMMENTARIES

A Break with Charity

"In her 1992 release, A Break with Charity: A Story of the Salem Witch Trials, Rinaldi remains in the historical vein, trading the Revolutionary War for the witch trials of 1692. As usual, Rinaldi uses historical fact for the basis of her story and fills in the gaps with her own imagination. The author again uses a teenage girl as the protagonist: Susanna English. An acquaintance of the girls accused of instigating the witch trials, Susanna narrates the story from the perspective of fourteen years after the event. Early on, she is told by one of the girls that they are only making their accusations as a means of seeking freedom from the harsh Puritan code of conduct. However, she watches as the girls become so wrapped up in the situation that they actually begin to believe their own lies and, ultimately, even threaten Susanna with accusations of involvement in the occult if she betrays them. ". . . Carolyn Noah, writing in School Library Journal, praises Rinaldi's historical accurateness as well as her well-constructed plot. 'The plot is rich with details and names that will be familiar to those who have read about the trials,' Noah writes. While she faults the characters a 'rigid', she concludes that A Break with Charity 'portrays an excruciating era in American history from a unique perspective.' Similar praise for the work was echoed by other critics. Voice of Youth Advocates contributor Sally Kotarsky declares that Rinaldi has 'once again chosen a historical character who quickly draws the reader into the story.' And a critic for Kirkus Reviews asserts that Rinaldi has created 'an enthralling, authentic story that makes the results of compounding malicious lies with false confessions of terrified victims tragically believable.'"

From: SATA, vol. 78, p.172

Reviewed in:

Language Arts. Vol. 70 (December 1993): 683.
Journal of Reading. Vol. 37 (September 1993): 70+.
Horn Book Guide. Vol. 4 (Spring 1993): 83.
Booklist. Vol. 89 (March 15, 1993): 1343.
VOYA. Vol. 15 (December 1992): 285.
Horn Book Magazine. Vol. 68 (November 1992): 730.
Children's Bookwatch. Vol. 2 (November 1992): 6.
Children's Book Review Service. Vol. 21 (October, 1992): 23.
Book Report. Vol. 11 (January, 1993): 48+.
Booklist. Vol. 89 (October 1, 1992): 323.
School Library Journal. Vol. 38 (September 1992): 279.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 239 (August 3, 1992): 72.
Kirkus Reviews. Vol. 60 (July 15, 1992): 924.
Center for Children's Books Bulletin. Vol. 46 (September 1992): 22.

But in the Fall I'm Leaving

Reviewed in:

Social Education. Vol.50 (April 1986): 301.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 229 (June 27,1986): 98.
School Library Journal. Vol. 31 (August,1985):
Best Sellers. Vol. 45 (September, 1985): 240.
Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 8 (August, 1985): 189.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 227 (June 7, 1985): 81.
Children's Book Review Service. Vol. 13 (Spring 1985): 133.

The Fifth of March

Reviewed in:

Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 18 (June, 1995): 90.
Wilson Library Bulletin. Vol. 68 (May 1994): 100+.
Horn Book Guide. Vol. 5 (Spring, 1994): 90.
Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol.16 (February, 1994): 372.
Kliatt Young Adult Paperback Book Guide. Vol. 28 (March, 1994): 12.
Children's Bookwatch. Vol. 4 (March, 1994): 3.
Book Report. Vol. 12 (March, 1994): 38.
Booklist. Vol. 90 (January 15, 1994): 925.
School Library Journal. Vol. 40 (January, 1994): 132+.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 240 (November 8, 1993): 78.
Kirkus Reviews. Vol. 61 (December 1, 1993): 1528.
Center for Children's Books Bulletin. Vol. 47 (December, 1993): 132.

Finishing Becca

Reviewed in:

Kirkus Reviews. Vol. 63 (December 15, 1994): 1575.
Horn Book Guide. Vol. 6 (Spring, 1995): 90.
Book Report. Vol. 14 (May, 1995): 41+.
Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 17 (February, 1995): 340+.
Kliatt Young Adult Paperback Book Guide. Vol. 29 (March, 1995): 12.
School Library Journal. Vol. 40 (December, 1994): 130.
Booklist. Vol. 91 (November 15, 1994): 590+.

In My Father's House

". . . The author skillfully weaves history into her story. . . a sweeping, dramatic overview of the [Civil] War, authentic and compelling."

From: Kirkus Reviews as quoted in A Teaching Guide to Wolf by the Ears and In My Father's House

Reviewed in:

Kliatt Young Adult Paperback Book Guide. Vol. 29 (March, 1995): 12.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 241 (November 21, 1994): 79.
Wilson Library Bulletin. Vol. 68 (May, 1994): 100+.
English Journal. Vol. 83 (January, 1994): 80.
Booklist. Vol. 90 (March 15, 1994): 1359.
Horn Book Guide. Vol. 4 (Fall, 1993): 312.
Book Report. Vol. 12 (September 1993): 48.
Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 16 (June, 1993): 94.
School Library Journal. Vol. 39 (March, 1993): 224.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 240 (April 26, 1993): 80.
Kirkus Reviews. Vol. 61 (April 1, 1993): 463.
Center for Children's Books. Bulletin. Vol. 46 (March, 1993): 223.
Booklist. Vol. 89 (March 1, 1993): 1223+.
Booklist. Vol. 89 (February 15, 1993): 1054+.

The Good Side of My Heart

". . . Rinaldi wrote her fifth young adult novel, The Good Side of My Heart, in which she returns to a contemporary setting. The work is consistent with Rinaldi's earlier efforts, however, in that the protagonist is a teenage girl, this time name Brie, who previously appeared in But in the Fall I'm Leaving. The story follows Brie's ups and downs as she dates and falls in love with Josh, a handsome but somewhat troubled youth. As in Rinaldi's other novels. . . the protagonist is able to overcome a grave dilemma. In this case, she must deal with a shocking secret that Josh carries with him. Though learning Josh's secret at first devastates Brie, she is finally able to find the strength to deal with and ultimately overcome the trauma that results from learning Josh's secret." (SATA, vol 78, p.171) The Good Side of My Heart presents the story of Brieanne McQuade, a teenager who struggles with peer- pressure, conflicting loyalties, and finally the difficult news that the boy she has fallen in love with is a homosexual. The Good Side of My Heart is enjoyable, fast reading. The characters are clearly and realistically depicted. Brieanne's experiences and reactions are believable and provide points of identification for readers. Ann Rinaldi does a really nice job of creating conflicts for her adult characters that parallel those of her teenage characters. As Brieanne struggles with the challenges that face her, her father and brother grapple with their own troubles. Rinaldi portrays a family who learns and gains strength from each other through open communication. However, the story does not reflect a perfect world. Drugs, intolerance, homosexuality, broken homes, peer pressure, lying and broken vows, are all concerns of the story. Yet, in the end one is left with the feeling that love conquers all and that all will be well. The Good Side of My Heart is a well written, positive, feel good story, in which readers are made to recognize the importance of dedication after disillusionment," as all the members of the McQuade family embrace that philosophy.

Reviewed in:

Journal of Reading. Vol. 33 (November, 1989): 115.
English Journal. Vol. 78 (April, 1989): 88.
Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 10 (August, 1987): 122.
School Library Journal. Vol. 33 (August, 1987): 98.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 231 (May 8, 1987): 72.
Center for Children's Books. Bulletin. Vol. 40 (June, 1987): 195.

The Last Silk Dress

"An excellent historic novel based on a little known incident said to have occurred during the Civil War."

From: VOYA, December 1988.

Summary

 

The Last Silk Dress by Ann Rinaldi is a historical novel taking place in Virginia during the time of the Civil War. Although the characters and situations are fictitious, Rinaldi bases the story on a letter which appeared in Century Magazine in 1886. The letter, which was written by a General in the Confederate Army, states that "While we were longing for the balloon that poverty denied us, a genius arose for the occasion and suggested that we send out and gather silk dresses in the Confederacy and make a balloon." (Rinaldi, The Last Silk Dress, preface) It is from these words that Anne Rinaldi has created the story of how this balloon may have come about.

This story centers around Susan Chilmark, a 14 year old girl who strongly believes in the Confederate cause. Susan and her best friend Connie do their part by gathering ladies silk dresses to use in making a balloon that will be used to spy on the Yankees. Meanwhile, Susan is torn between her mother, who is loyal to the Confederacy, and her older independent brother, who is sympathetic with the North. Over the months that this story takes place, Susan is forced to deal with a series of events which cause her to open her eyes; the destruction of war, revealed family secrets, her mother's illness, and most devastating, her father's death.

 

Marking her passage into womanhood, Susan decides to follow the treasured advice once given by her father; sometimes you have to do what feel is right, even if it hurts someone you love.

Reviewed in:

Social Studies. Vol. 85 224.
Journal of Reading. Vol. 34 (November, 1990): 206.
Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 11 (December, 1988): 241.
Center for Children's Books. Bulletin. Vol. 41 (July, 1988): 237.
School Library Journal. Vol. 34 (May, 1988): 112.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 233 (May 20, 1988): 93.
New York Times Book Review. Vol. 93 (April 10, 1988): 38.
Booklist. Vol. 84 (June 15, 1988): 1731.
Kirkus Reviews. Vol. 56 (February 15, 1988): 283.

Promises are for Keeping (Sequel to Term Paper)

Nicki learns responsibility and begins to understand the complexities of relationships. 'Rinaldi is extremely skilled at depicting a much more typical kid than many in teen novels,' noted Voice of Youth Advocates."

From: SATA, vol. 50, p.167.

"It details the hospital volunteer service she [Nicki] performs as a way to make up for some childish pranks. The book stands well on its own, M.K. Chelton writes in Voice of Youth Advocates, and 'Nicki sounds like a real kid, not an imitation.'"

From: SATA, vol. 78, p.170.

Reviewed in:

Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 5 (August, 1982): 36.
Center for Children's Books. Bulletin. Vol. 35 (June, 1982): 196.
Children's Book Review Service. Vol. 10 (Spring, 1982): 119.
School Library Journal. Vol. 28 (April, 1982): 84.

A Ride into Morning

"Rinaldi's second work published in 1991 was A Ride Into Morning. Also focusing on the Revolutionary War, this novel follows the tale of Tempe Wick who, along with her cousin, Mary Cooper, must run her farm despite the ravages of the war going on all around them."

From: SATA, vol. 78, p.172.

Reviewed in:

Horn Book Guide. Vol. 2 (Fall 1991): 278.
Book Report. Vol. 10 (November, 1991): 48.
Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 14 (June, 1991): 101.
Booklist. Vol. 87 (August, 1991): 2141.
School Library Journal. Vol. 37 (May, 1991): 113.
Kirkus Reviews. Vol. 59 (April 1, 1991): 475.
Center for Children's Books. Bulletin. Vol. 44 (May 1991): 225.

A Stitch in Time

Reviewed in:

Horn Book Guide. Vol. 5 (Fall 1994): 323+.
Wilson Library Bulletin. Vol. 68 (May, 1994): 100+.
Journal of Reading. Vol. 38 (September, 1994): 71.
Book Report. Vol. 13 (September, 1994): 44+.
Book Report. Vol. 13 (September, 1994): 29.
Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 17 (April, 1994): 30.
School Library Journal. Vol. 40 (May, 1994): 132.
Kirkus Reviews. Vol. 62 (March 1, 1994): 309.
Center for Children's Books. Bulletin. Vol. 47 (April, 1994): 269.
Children's Book Review Service. Vol. 22 (May, 1994): 119.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 241 (January 24, 1994): 56.
Booklist. Vol. 90 (March 1, 1994): 1253.

Term Paper

"Term Paper is about an orphaned teen-ager, Nicki DeBonis, and her confrontations with her older brother who is also her guardian."

From: SATA, vol. 50, p.167.

"The term paper of the title is written by Nicki as an attempt to articulate her feelings about her father's death; the assignment was given to her by a substitute English teacher who just happens to be Nicki's much-older brother. through her efforts to finish the paper, Nicki matures and learns to understand how events have affected other members of the family. The result, according to School Library Journal contributor A. B. Hart, is a work that "declares strongly for family obligations of love and forgiveness."

From: SATA, vol. 78, p.170.

"The characterization and dialogue are strong, the writing style and plot development consistently structured and paced." From: Excerpt from a Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books review of Ann Rinaldi's Term Paper.

as quoted in SATA, vol. 50, p.167.

Ann Rinaldi explains, " I wrote it because the characters had been part of me for years. Most of the motivation came from my own life. Family relationships, especially the tremendous influence older siblings have over younger ones, have always intrigued me. The overall theme of the novel is love and forgiveness. I think I have answered, for young Nicki in my book, some of the questions I have not been able to answer yet for myself in my own life"

From: Quote from Library Journal, October, 1980, requoted in SATA, vol. 51.

Reviews:

Top of the News. Vol. 42 (Summer 1986): 381.
Kliatt Paperback Book Guide. Vol. 17 (Spring, 1983): 12.
Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 3 (February, 1981): 32.
School Library Journal. Vol. 27 (January, 1981): 72.
Children's Book Review Service. Vol. 9 (Winter 1991): 49.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 218 (October 31, 1980): 86.
Center for Children's Books. Bulletin. Vol. 34 (October, 1980): 39.

Time Enough for Drums

[Ann Rinaldi:]"'I did it, the research and all, in a year. I stole off to the library at noon or before work. I used my historical re-enactments as a constant research and stimulation for my work. I found out there was a thriving community in Trenton at the time. Using fictional characters, I created a story about a family that came through the war and the Hessian occupation of the town, but all the people I researched from the era I also used in my book. I finished my book in little over a year. Before it was published it was rejected by ten publishers who wouldn't touch it because it was history. And it is a known fact in the young adult world that you don't give children history'"

From: SATA, v51,p.151.

Reviewed in:

Childhood Education. Vol. 64 (October, 1987): 42.
Children's Book Review Service. Vol. 14 (August, 1986): 157.
School Library Journal. Vol. 32 (May, 1986): 108.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 229 (May 30, 1986): 69.
Kirkus Reviews. Vol. 54 (April 1, 1986): 552.
Center for Children's Books.Bulletin. Vol. 39 (May, 1986): 177.
Booklist. Vol. 82 (May 1, 1986): 1304.

Wolf By the Ears

Summary

Wolf by the Ears is the story of Harriet Hemings, a slave at Monticello and the supposed daughter of Thomas Jefferson. It tells of her search for identity and her difficult choice to accept freedom.

"'The theme of alienation always appealed to me', she [Rinaldi] notes. 'My own mother had died when I was born. I never knew her family or even saw a picture of her until I was married. So there was always a part of me I could not acknowledge, a part of me I yearned to understand.' As a result, she continues, 'when looking for a real figure in American history to write about in connection with alienation, I recalled Harriet Hemings and her brothers.'


"While Rinaldi did a great deal of research about Hemings and Thomas Jefferson, she ultimately had to fill in those historic gaps by creating many of the details of her character's life. 'Using every fact I could find about Monticello, Thomas Jefferson and the Hemings family, I put my story together.' she writes. 'My research however only told me bits and pieces of Harriet Hemings. And, so within a framework of fact, I invented my own Harriet'"

From: SATA, vol.78, p.171.

"Wolf By the Ears is meditative at times, yet filled with swift and steady action . . .The high quality of the author's preparation is evident throughout the book: setting, characters, dialogue, clothing and actions are all true to the time of Thomas Jefferson. This is a tantalizing book. It is history brought to life by a skillful and imaginative author."

From: VOYA, June 1991.

"Rinaldi writes moving historical fiction, getting inside her characters, both black and white, and showing how slavery distorted their perceptions of themselves and each other."

From: Booklist, as quoted in A Teaching Guide to Wolf By the Ears and In My Father's House

Reviewed in:

Book Report. Vol 13 (November, 1994): 23.
Booklist. Vol. 91 (October 15, 1994): 415.
MultiCultural Review. Vol. 2 (June, 1993): 36.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 240 (January 4, 1993): 74.
School Library Journal. Vol. 38 (June, 1992) 51+.
Booklist. Vol. 88 (March 15, 1992): 1365.
Wilson Library Bulletin. Vol. 66 (November, 1991): 515.
Horn Book Guide. Vol. 2 (Fall 1991): 278.
Voice of Youth Advocates. Vol. 14 (June, 1991): 101.
Children's Bookwatch Vol. 1 (May, 1991): 4.
Center for Children's Books Bulletin. Vol. 44 (June, 1991): 247.
Children's Book Review Service. Vol. 19 (Spring, 1991): 142.
Book Report. Vol. 10 (September, 1991): 52.
School Library Journal. Vol. 37 (April, 1991): 142.
Publishers Weekly. Vol. 238 (April 5, 1991): 146.
Kirkus Reviews. Vol. 59 (March 1, 1991): 321.
Booklist. Vol. 87 (February 1, 1991): 1125.


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Created March 25, 1996, Last updated January 17, 1999