The Education of Mary: A Little Miss of Color, 1832 [Hardcover]

Ann Rinaldi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000 | Grade Level: 5 and up

In 1832, Prudence Crandall begins admitting black girls to her exclusive Connecticut school, scandalizing white society and eventually causing her arrest and the closing of her school.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8-In 1832, Prudence Crandall, a Quaker educator in Connecticut, closed her Canterbury Female Seminary and reopened it as a school for young black women. This novel revolves around the formation of that school and the storm of controversy it created in town. Many historical forces come into play here: the abolitionist movement, endemic prejudice against free blacks, and the brutality of the early factory system. However, the major focus is a behind-the-scenes look at the girls in the school, as related by 13-year-old Mary Harris. She believes that her sister Sarah and her friends, also students there, act out of some romantic notion of becoming martyrs for the causes of freedom and justice. As the white townsmen try everything to close down the institution, Mary becomes quietly and courageously involved in helping with the local Underground Railroad movement. Mary, Sarah, and a few of the other girls are interesting, fairly well-developed characters. Prudence Crandall is less well understood. Was she a courageous advocate of equality or a pawn in the hands of abolitionists who used her to their advantage? Was she a strong, independent woman or was she dependent on the support of her family, especially her father? It's never made clear. In the end, she marries an opportunistic man with questionable motives and appears to have traded her dreams in order to have a husband. While there are numerous exciting moments in the story, overall the plot moves slowly. This novel will have the most appeal for Rinaldi's dedicated fans.
Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 254 pages
• Publisher: Jump At The Sun; 1st Advance Reading Copy 261 pages edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786805323
• ISBN-13: 978-0786805327
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #920,975 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ANN RINALDI is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. A self-made writer and newspaper columnist for twenty-one years, Ms. Rinaldi attributes her interest in history to her son, who enlisted her to take part in historical reenactments up and down the East Coast. She lives with her husband in central New Jersey.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Education of Mary, A Little Miss of Color, 1832..., January 11, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Education of Mary: A Little Miss of Color, 1832 (Hardcover)

Canterbury, Connecticut 1832-
Thirteen-year old Mary Harris is growing up in a time period of the beginnings of the underground railroad and the start of the friction between blacks and whites before the Civil War. When Mary's sister, Sarah, becomes the first African-American girl to be admitted to an exclusive Canterbury female seminary, controversy arrises which provokes Miss Carandall, the head of the seminary,to turn the Paine Mansion into an all female colored school. As the situation escalates and gains national publicity, Mary is fighting for a cause she beleives to be true. The turmoil on the outside of the seminary is nothing compared to the tension and dividing that is taking place within. Based on the true story of the first school for black girls in Connecticut, if you like good, raw historical fiction you'll love this book! Although somewhat slow in parts Ann Rinaldi improvises, depicting this brief period of history-the personalities, and the passion behind causes. I gave this book four stars because the topic was extremely interesting and entertaining, but not like some of Rinaldi's other edge-of-your- seat, page-turning, thrillers. The book was still incredibly well-written and thought provoking.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deep, August 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Education of Mary: A Little Miss of Color, 1832 (Hardcover)

This book is deep.I don't know any other way to describe it. I almost cried while I was reading it, I wanted to scream with, anger, and most of all I felt sorry for Mary, to have a father that doesn't believe in controversy, and to be surronded people who don't understand her. Her father I think was just uhhhh, he was as blind as a mouse. And really to have your own father believe a rumor against his own daughters word! I agree with Mary I to would live with Charles and Mariah, then work at the mills to get money. Now Julia and Mary have experience the same pain but I thinkMary's was more excruciating, because to have you own father issuing the pain. I liked this book, and like I said it was deep.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ue, September 27, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Education of Mary: A Little Miss of Color, 1832 (Hardcover)

I thought that this book was an excellent novel. First, I love Ann Rinaldi's books so i guess i would need to say that i am a bit partial to her work. Secondly, all of Ann Rinaldi's work has been excellent so when i say that she displays the historical background well and in an enthralling way that is true of not only this but all her novels. One bit of advice...never read the back author's note first! happy reading!