Anne Hutchinson's Way [Hardcover]

Jeannine Atkins (Author), Michael Dooling (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

In 1634, young Susanna Hutchinson sailed from England with her family to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where they hoped to practice their religion freely. But when Susanna’s mother, Anne, began to hold her own Scripture meetings at which she contradicted the minister’s teaching that God is stern and punitive, she was told to stop. Although threatened with banishment for disturbing the peace of the colony, Anne Hutchinson refused to be silenced, no matter the consequences.
 
The inspiring true story of one of our country’s first heroines is brought stunningly to life in oil paintings rich with historical detail.

 

Anne Hutchinson's Way is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* At first blush, the subject of this oversize picture book might seem to have little interest for primary readers. Anne Hutchinson arrives with her family in Massachusetts colony in 1634 and begins preaching scripture from her home after finding herself in disagreement with the minister's beliefs. Yet Atkins is able to take the issue of religious freedom and make it personal by telling the story through the eyes of Hutchinson's young daughter, Susanna. The tale begins with the Puritan Hutchinson family aboard a rocking ship, heading for a new country to escape persecution by the Church of England. Susanna is the youngest of 10, and readers become familiar with the land through the things she sees, smells, hears. One of the sounds is the loud voice of the minister, who objects to the way Anne has gathered first women and then both sexes to listen to her talk about a forgiving God. Others in the community whisper that women should not preach at all. In time, a court banishes her, and eventually the family must find a new home. A sense of sturdiness is everywhere here: in the story of Anne and her husband's unwavering courage to stand strong for their beliefs and in Dooling's impressive artwork, plain in color but rugged in its portrayal of the demands of colony life. Illustrated in a photo-realistic style that makes the long-ago events seem close, this offers something solid for children, especially those studying early American history Cooper, Ilene

Review

"Atkins is able to take the issue of religious freedom and make it personal . . . Executed in a photo-realistic style that makes long-ago events seem close."—Starred, Booklist

"Beautifully produced and constructed . . . Atkins tells a complex story of faith and freedom with clarity and strength."—Kirkus Reviews

"A useful addition for women’s history or early Colonial studies."—School Library Journal

"Dooling's big illustrations full of historic detail are wonderful." —The Recorder, Greenfield, MA

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1st edition (July 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374303657
• ISBN-13: 978-0374303655
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,679,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jeannine Atkins writes books for children and teens. Her most recent book is Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, Marie Curie and their Daughters. She teaches Children's Literature in the English Department at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. You can learn more on her website at www.Jeannineatkins.com or read her blog, View from a Window Seat, at http://jeannineatkins.livejournal.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable portrait, November 6, 2007

By 

Sarah Lamstein (Newton, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anne Hutchinson's Way (Hardcover)

Jeannine Atkins names Anne Hutchinson only once - in the first line of the book. After that, she is "Mother," as viewed through the eyes of Anne's youngest daughter Susannah. True to her designation, Anne is shown as a protector and comforter, sheltering Susannah from rough seas on the journey from England and shielding the other settlers from the rough voices and punitive notions of the community's leaders. Anne is Mother in its most beneficent sense, not only to her own eleven children and midwife to the children of others, but to the entire community, rallying and guiding spirits by offering her own voice, a voice unafraid, one of warmth, strength, and wisdom.

Jeannine Atkins' portrait - subtle and rich - matches the quiet strength of her subject. Her sentences are a marvel, gracefully combining emotion and information. The illustrations are quite something, as well - the entire work skillful and inviting on all counts.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful child-appropriate historical fiction, January 12, 2011

By 

xerxes - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anne Hutchinson's Way (Hardcover)

Beautiful art and very well-written in a language appropriate for children. This is a very nice read-aloud book for even very young children, and an independent reader for readers over 3rd grade. This brings in elements of faith in a cultural perspective, and gently depicts the 'not so pleasant' parts of puritan life, from their views toward women and toward the Native Americans, both shown in a negative light with Anne Hutchinson overcoming and standing up for the rights of the persecuted. This puts a first-hand human face on a time in our history that is so much more than the 'first thanksgiving' story. This is based on the woman for whom the Hutchinson River was named for. This is a MUST read for parents and teachers, especially those with children learning about America pre-1776.