The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre (Great Episodes (Pb)) [Hardcover]

Ann Rinaldi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2004 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Great Episodes (Pb)

“Carefully researched and lovingly written, Rinaldi’s latest presents a girl indentured to John and Abigail Adams during the tense period surrounding the 1770 Massacre. . . . Fortuitously timed, a novel that illuminates a moment from our past that has strong parallels to recent events. Bibliography.”--Kirkus Reviews

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Historical events aren't as neat and tidy as they appear in history books, nor are they dissimilar from modern happenings (i.e., the Rodney King case), as Rinaldi ( A Break with Charity ) ably demonstrates in this painstakingly researched tale told by a young servant in colonial Boston. Rachel is 14, bound as a nursemaid to the children of John and Abigail Adams, at whose house she sees many of the town's "movers and shakers" (one of the book's few faults is its jarringly anachronistic language). When British troops are sent to Boston to keep order, Rachel--despite her increasingly anti-Royalist sentiments--takes pity on Matthew Kilroy, the young sentry posted at the Adamses' door. Their relationship gradually blossoms, but Rachel, who has embarked on an ambitious program to educate herself and who rightly fears "getting into circumstances," refuses to demonstrate her affection in more than verbal terms. Lonely, frustrated, underpaid and reviled by the citizenry he was sent to protect, Matthew explodes during a riot on March 5, 1770, after which he and his fellows are tried for murder and manslaughter in the deaths of five colonialists. How Rachel acts according to her newly awakened social conscience and sense of self-worth makes for engrossing and educational reading. However, readers may object to Rachel's sense of guilt over Matthew's sexual frustration, and to her pronouncements on "good breeding." Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9-Through the eyes of Rachel Marsh, an indentured servant in the household of John Adams, Rinaldi shows readers the events leading up to the Boston Massacre. Rachel is an orphan in search of a "place," and in the course of her duties as nursemaid to the Adams's children, she comes in contact with many of the movers and shakers of colonial Boston. She also meets a young British soldier who ultimately will stand trial for his life as a participant in the massacre. The story moves along briskly, and details of life in 18th-century Boston are woven into the narrative. The political unrest, the differing views of the patriots and loyalists, and the constant threat of mob violence are also well portrayed. An author's note provides an interesting glimpse of the way a historical novel is constructed. However, Rachel's reaction to being disowned by her thoroughly nasty Uncle Eb is difficult to credit, given her earlier decision to cut him out of her life. Equally murky is her relationship with Private Kilroy; readers will readily understand his frustration. In the end, readers may be carried along more by the drama of the historical events than by the vacillations of the heroine. Entertaining, but not compelling.
Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, MA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 333 pages
• Publisher: Perfection Learning (March 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0780752732
• ISBN-13: 978-0780752733
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,293,296 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

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BULLSEYE!! GREAT BOOK!!, August 19, 2003

By 

brooke "brooke" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre (Paperback)

Read this, and you'll feel sooo smart...trust me! I was TEACHING MY HISTORY teacher about the Boston Massacre after I was done! This was my very first Rinaldi book, and for a while it was my favorite book in the world! This entriguing story got me hooked on reading. I got up to 10,000 pages in 4 months. Yep, it'll get you started! But anyways, Rachel Marsh is a humble nanny to the children of John and Abigail Adams. Everything in her life is comfortable...the home is nice, the children are wonderful, and she is treated by her emploers much better than a simple servant. Then, they come. One day, fleets of British troops invade Boston, and that's where Rachel meets and befriends Private Mathew Kilroy. After the Boston Massacre happens, Rachel must make a descision...break off her friendship with Mathew and remain with the Adams, or continue to be his friend and be fired! This story is so real, it almost depresses you in the sad parts. I really loved this book, and would HIGHLY RECCOMEND it to anyone!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty darn good for historical fiction, March 25, 2002

By 

Kate (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre (Hardcover)

Because I was reading another of Ann Rinaldi's books in English class (Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons), I decided to give some of her other books a try. The first one I picked up was The Fifth of March, a story of the Boston Massacre.

The Fifth of March follows the story of young Rachel Marsh, a teenage indentured servant in the home of John and Abigail Adams. Rachel is a loyal servant, but what she wants most in the world is to have a Place, like the women she admired have. Living in Boston, a rebellious city, during the years preceding the Revolution, Rachel had a lot of oppurtunities to make opinions about political situations. Many of her friends are Patriots, but Rachel also befriends Matthew Kilroy, a private in the British army. Rachel is forced to make many life-changing decisions throughout the course of the novel, and that is what makes the book so interesting. It's not all facts that I could recite straight out of my history textbook, but it has an interesting plot that keeps you interested in the story.

Don't get me wrong, as far as I could tell, the events in this book match up perfectly with history (and believe me, I know enough about the American Revolution to last a lifetime). Rachel Marsh herself was a real person, according to the author's note. And another thing that says wonders about the author: I am currently reading another of her novels, taking place in the same time period, and the stories are completely different. Ann Rinaldi has an extrodinary gift for writing about history in an interesting way, and I reccommend this novel to all!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good Revolutionary War romance, July 18, 2000

By 

Robert James (Culver City, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre (Paperback)

Ann Rinaldi is coming to dominate the historical romance field for young adults. Her novels always find the heart of the matter, regardless of the period. "The Fifth of March" is no exception, as it places young Rachel Marsh in the middle, between the Patriots like her employer John Adams, and her young love, the British soldier Matthew. The outcome is taut with excitement. My only complaint, and that is as a teacher and not a reader, is that the history isn't quite detailed enough. The issues driving the Boston Massacre aren't laid out as clearly as I would like them to be, but the story is good enough for me to ignore that complaint. A good, romantic read for young lovers of history.