When Maria's father dies, her mother carries on his work writing and publishing the Virginia Gazette newspaper. Instead of working at the press, nine-year-old Maria has to look after her three little brothers. Then the newspaper is criticized for its political reporting and the Rinds may lose the printing press. Can Maria find a way to help her family?
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Gr 3-6-A story based on the life of Maria Rind, who lived in Williamsburg during the 1770s. On the eve of the War for Independence, the child is mourning the death of her father, official printer to the House of Burgesses. Of necessity, her mother takes over the printing business, and the nine-year-old must take over the household tasks and the care of her three younger brothers. She is frustrated and jealous when her older and somewhat lazy brother becomes an apprentice to their mother, but her poor reading and writing skills, as well as her gender, prevent her from being elevated to more important work. During the months before the official printer is to be named, their mother holds the business together and even dares to print news of Colonial dissent. With the help of Thomas Jefferson and other men of power, she is awarded the position. The plot moves swiftly, and the characters are well developed. The story is much more realistic and personal than books in the "Dear America" series (Scholastic) since it is based on an actual person. A prologue in which modern-day children are visiting Colonial Williamsburg helps to set the scene. A concluding author's note briefly reviews Maria Rind's life, followed by information about Williamsburg, printing in the 18th century, and childhood during Colonial times. For young readers who enjoy historical fiction, this is an excellent choice as it offers information and insight and focuses on a memorable character.-Carolyn Janssen, Children's Learning Center of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 3-6. Like the other books in the Young Americans Colonial Williamsburg series, this begins and ends with a modern framework story: children are gathered around a colonial Williamsburg interpreter to hear a story about Maria Rind, who lived in the town long ago. The fictional Rinds, based on a Williamsburg family, find themselves in a difficult position. Maria's recently widowed mother publishes The Virginia Gazette, an unbiased newspaper to be read by a populace increasingly divided by political tensions. When Maria overhears Loyalists criticizing the paper, she worries that her mother will lose the government contract for printing and with it their printing press and their home. Readers will find Maria a sympathetic heroine; they will learn about the issues and events of 1773, such as the Boston Tea Party. Back matter includes an excellent author's note about the people the characters represent and extensive, illustrated notes on Williamsburg, printing, and childhood in eighteenth-century Virginia. A rewarding addition to the series. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I great Historical story.,
By MAB (USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Maria's Story: 1773 (Colonial Williamsburg(R)) (Hardcover)
"Maria's Story 1773" is perfect for young readers, but can reinforce Colonial history to older readers, as well. The story will keep your attention and is a quick read. This book is too young for me, but I still enjoyed it. I really felt torn between the mother's feeling of telling the news and freedom of speech, but also felt for Maria, who felt that if her mother published articles that the community wouldn't like, they wouldn't get the newspaper contract again, which would lead to losing everything. What is great about the "Colonial Willamsburg" series is that readers are learning about ordinary people who really existed. Without this series, I doubt these people, like Maria, would get acknowledge for their hard working lives. After finding out Maria's life in the epilogue, I felt sorry for her and her losses. I recommend.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The fifth historical story from the Young Americans series.,
This review is from: Maria's Story: 1773 (Colonial Williamsburg(R)) (Hardcover)
The year is 1773, and nine-year-old Maria Rind is growing up in Williamsburg, Virginia, with her four brothers. When her father dies, the family's life changes forever. Instead of spending her days with her children, Maria's mother must take on her late husband's job of printing the Virginia Gazette. While her older brother, William, gets to help his mother and her cousin, John, print the paper, Maria is left to the tiresome task of caring for her three younger brothers. She is unable to help with the paper because of her poor reading and writing, a result of there being little time for her parents to teach her. With the loyalties of everyone in the Colonies increasingly divided as war looms on the horizon, Maria is worried that her mother's anti-British articles will cause her to lose the government printing contract. This book brought to life the years before the Revolutionary War. Maria was a real child who grew up in Colonial Williamsburg, and the author has done a wonderful job of telling her story.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining and Educational,
This review is from: Maria's Story, 1773 (Hardcover)
Afraid that her opinionated mother may lose--over politics--a newspaper/printing business her late father worked so hard to create, Maria is determined to help. However, she finds that her mother has other ideas for how Maria should "help" out her struggling family, and those ideas do not include helping with their newspaper.
Unlike some of the more popular books for children taking place in historical times, these books are based on the lives of real people. I felt like I genuinely got to know Maria. Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of this book is that it includes information about what happened to the real Maria Rind. _Maria's Story_ truly brings the past alive, and should be enjoyed by any child, or even adult, who is interested in the history of publishing.
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