Mary on Horseback: Three Mountain Stories (School & Library Binding)

by Rosemary Wells (Author) "IN 1923, AMERICANS DRIVE CARS, talk on the telephone, and use electric toasters..." (more)
Key Phrases: Mary Breckinridge, Beech Fork, Frontier Nursing Service

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Three well-honed first-person narratives add up to an outstanding biography of one remarkable woman: Mary Breckinridge, founder of the still-extant Frontier Nursing Service in the Appalachian Mountains. After being widowed twice and having lost two children, Breckenridge enrolled in nursing school, determined to help other youngsters live. Wells takes up Breckenridge's story upon her arrival in 1923 Kentucky, through the perspectives of three people whose lives were greatly affected by her mission. John Hawkins, the young son of a "river man" injured while riding newly cut logs down the rapids, tells how Mary fortuitously arrived at their doorstep before the "horse doctor with a bone saw" came to saw his father's leg off. An 18-year-old nurse who travels from her native Scotland to work with Mary describes her battle to convince the mountain residents (who are terrified of needles) to let the nurses vaccinate them against rampant diphtheria. In the finalAand most stirringAof the accounts, Pearl refuses to talk after witnessing her mother's death from childbirth. Through drafting the girl into her cause, Mary moves Pearl to speak again. Wells's careful attention to the details and hardships of mountain living authenticates these achingly real accounts, as she spells out both the enormity of Breckenridge's challenge and the triumph of even the smallest victories. McCarty's finely crafted drawings, based on actual photographs, add to the historical accuracy and elegance of the volume. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-5-The practice of modern medicine was practically nonexistent in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky in the 1920s. Diphtheria, typhoid, and small pox ravaged the mountain dwellers' lives. Mary Breckinridge, herself a widow whose children had also died, decided to change things. This pioneering nurse-midwife who founded the Frontier Nursing Service is introduced through the eyes of three fictional characters whose lives are irrevocably changed by their encounters with her. Young John nearly faints at his first sight of a needle and syringe that are used to treat his injured father. Miss Ireland, an 18-year-old nurse from Scotland, braves the mountain wilderness at night to inoculate a young child. Pearl, her mamma's "ownliest sugarplum" retreats into a world of silence upon her mother's death until she is loved out of it by Mary and her nurses. Though each story is brief, Wells's realistic yet poetic prose perfectly captures the dichotomy of the majestic beauty of Appalachia and the harsh realities of mountain life. McCarty's evocative illustrations, based on photographs taken for the Frontier Nursing Service, are an ideal complement to the text. An afterword provides a brief biography of Breckinridge and information on the Frontier Nursing Service. This one's a gem.
Peggy Morgan, The Library Network, Southgate, MI
Copyright 1998 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 9-12
  
• School & Library Binding
• Publisher: San Val (October 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0613337115
• ISBN-13: 978-0613337113
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,700,159 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bequtifully crafted vignettes of a quiet heroine., January 10, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Bethany, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary on Horseback (Hardcover)

I was lucky to visit the Frontier Nursing Service and prepare oral histories of some of the people whose lives were touched by Mary Breckinridge and others heroines of the FNS. Wells captures the ridges and hollers and the communities of this side of Kentucky in simple, moving vignettes.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worthy of Praise, February 24, 2004

By	Kathy Draughn (Kentucky, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary On Horseback: Three Mountain Stories (Paperback)

MARY ON HORSEBACK by Rosemary Wells is a beautifully written account of how Mary Breckinridge devoted her life to helping people of rural Appalachia during the 1920's and 30's. In an area where there were no hospitals or doctors, Mary established a nursing service and saved the lives of many people. The story of her devotion and unselfishness is unique and worthy of praise, as is the author's style of writing. Wells does an outstanding job of capturing the dialect, emotions and soul of the mountain people of Kentucky. Black and white illustrations by Peter McCarty add to the beauty and authenticity of the book. People of all ages will enjoy this book. Younger children would love having it read to them. Middle school students can learn valuable lessons from reading it themselves, and it's complex enough to hold the attention of adults.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Little Known Hero An Inspiration For All, October 3, 2001

By	Lissa Stephen (Vacaville, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary On Horseback: Three Mountain Stories (Paperback)

Mary Breckinridge (20th century nurse, leader, & visionary) set the standard for rural healthcare. Rosemary Wells' book takes 3 stories from the exciting life & times of a great American woman and brings them to children. This book is for all ages-young & old. I did a college-level biography on Ms. Breckinridge as I found her life and life's work so interesting (her autobiography is excellent & available through Amazon) This would be an excellent classroom reader grades 3-5 and a great read for anyone interested in history, great women, and Americans.