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Do you read more ‘by author’ or ‘by genre?’ I have bounced all around in my reading life; sometimes I have an author that I simply can’t get enough of, other times I get stuck in a certain genre and can’t get enough of it and I pay no attention to the author. However, I have had a long standing favorite author since I became more of an avid reader around the age of 12. That author is Ann Rinaldi.
I have deeply enjoyed every book I have ever read from this noted historical fiction author, predominately for young adults, but I remembered Ms. Rinaldi’s books having a certain depth to them that adults would benefit from reading too. I wondered if I would love them now as an adult, or were they more juvenile than I had been aware of at the time. I was missing a few of the stories as well as desiring a refresher of the history that is portrayed in them, so I went back to reread a few. I still loved them! It is my opinion that these historical fiction books have a depth of concept to them that few young adult books contain today. In fact, I would only label these books young adult in that the main characters tend to be young women. The writing and themes are still very enjoyable for adults as well!
I have been in love with Ann Rinaldi’s books now for well over a decade and I decided it was time to share a few of my favorites with you.
Time Enough for Drums
So far this book still ranks as my very favorite. This is a story of 15 year old Jemmima, during the American Revolution. She is a staunch Whig, and she can’t believe that her father would employ John, a Tory, as her tutor . . . until she begins to put the pieces together that John may not be exactly what she thought and may, in fact, be a spy. . . . Ann Rinaldi weaves together all of my favorite classic elements in this book: revolutionary war history, spies, romance, and tough decisions which makes for a very intriguing read.
A Break With Charity
A Break With Charity is a story of the Salem Witch Trials with which I have always had a fascination. This is a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. What was behind the girls who were acting out in Salem Village all those years ago? Were they demon possessed? Had they eaten infected wheat that caused them to hallucinate? Or was something even more sinister going on among the townspeople? Susanna English knows something about this circle of girls—they aren’t what they say they are—but how could she possibly come forward to expose them when it could endanger herself and possibly her family too? Will she endanger the people she loves more by staying silent?
An Acquaintance with Darkness
One of my other favorite history topics is the history of medicine. I find it fascinating how far we have come in the past 150 years. This book takes place in the wake of Lincoln’s assassination. Emily has just lost her mother and her father is already gone and she has been sent to live with her uncle, a predominant physician in Washington D.C. Emily is unaware of the full extent of her uncle’s medical duties. The country is in tumult in the wake of Lincoln’s assignation. Not only is the country and city filled with strife over the end of the Civil War, but now the president has been shot. One night when she goes to visit her mother’s grave she happens upon two grave robbers—robbers that she scares off and who jumps out from behind a nearby grave? . . . Emily’s uncle! Emily is very confused, to say the least! What reason could her uncle have for being there?
Come Juneteenth
Many people are not even aware of what Juneteenth was—the date of June 19th when those held in slavery in Texas finally heard of the Emancipation Proclamation which had set them free over 6 months earlier. This books takes a very close look at slavery through the lens of how a young enslaved girl, Sis Goose as she is known, views herself and her self-worth, especially when compared with her friend, the plantation owner’s daughter. This book packs a bit of a punch and for that reason I am not sure I would recommend it for young readers. It is a rather heavy story and I remember it really sticking with me after I finished reading it. I still remember parts of the book in detail over a decade later—what does that say about it??
Wolf by the Ears
Wolf by the Ears is perhaps Rinaldi’s best known work. This is a story of Harriet Hemings, one of Thomas Jefferson’s slaves, long supposed to have been one of the children between Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings. Harriet wrestles with the desire to know whether she is really a daughter of this man, a man who is opposed to slavery in theory, but who feels that “Slavery in America is like taking a wolf by the ears, you can neither hold it, nor safely let it go.” One thing young Harriet knows though, is that her skin is light, very light—light enough that she could pass for white. If she was offered this chance of freedom would she take it? To take it would mean a life of freedom, but it would also mean turning her back on her heritage and her culture, not to mention never seeing her family again. Could she take this leap? Should she?
Ann Rinaldi is a prolific author and there are so many books that I could recommend but I hope this gives you a jumping off point to check out some of her books and see for yourself if you are a fan!
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