The Thieves of Tyburn Square: Elizabeth Fry (Trailblazer Books #17) [Paperback]

Dave and Neta Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

Betsey and Loren Maxwell's only hope is the compassionate prison reformer, Elizabeth Fry. Ages 8-12.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 3^-6. The latest subject in the Trailblazer Books series is Elizabeth Fry, a Quaker who lived in the early 1800s and fought for prison reform. As in the previous series books, the authors dramatize a historical subject by adding fictionalized children to the cast of characters. After their mother is deported, Betsey and Loren Maxwell are left to their own devices and eventually turn to picking pockets to support themselves. When they are caught and jailed, Elizabeth Fry enters the picture, intervening on their behalf. The characters are flat, with Levy the most convincing, but the book does lend insight into the Quaker faith and its commitment to social causes, and an appended fact section will give kids additional details about Fry's struggles to obtain more humane treatment for prisoners. A bibliography is also included. Shelley Townsend-Hudson

About the Author

Dave and Neta Jackson are full-time writers and editors whose talented work on the TRAILBLAZER BOOKS has earned them numerous awards and worldwide acclaim. They are the parents of two adult children and make their home in Illinois.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556614705
• ISBN-13: 978-1556614705
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,237,715 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Prison Reform, April 19, 2001

By 

L. A. Welch (Port Townsend,, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Thieves of Tyburn Square: Elizabeth Fry (Trailblazer Books #17) (Paperback)

This book is a simple biography of a late 19th century prison reformer, Elizabeth Fry. Elizabeth's work among female prison inmates is told via the experiences of a young girl who, along with her brother, lives through the trials of life in London in Victorian England when poor and uneducated. Elizabeth Fry is a Quaker, and shares her religion and Scriptures with the prison inmates, but the book (and Mrs Fry) refrain quite nicely from being "preachy" while doing so. The book is definitively Christian, unquestionably moralistic, and could lead to discussions with youthful readers regarding the purpose of prisons and how justice, punishments, and what is considered criminal behavior have changed over time.