New Releases by Ann Rinaldi

Sixteen-year-old Jem struggles to maintain the status quo at home in Trenton, New Jersey, when the family men join the war for independence. There are signs of rebellion in the Emerson household several years before the actual American Revolution hits in 1776! Brought up in a relatively liberal household, Jemima Emerson is quite a challenge for her tutor, John Reid, who is known as a Tory with strong ties to England. How could Jem''s parents be friends with a man who opposes American freedom? Jem longs for freedom on every level, in the home and her homeland--and John represents the forces that restrict her. Jem and her family soon find themselves fighting for freedom in whatever ways they can in the Revolutionary War. Before long, Jem discovers that there is much more to Mr. Reid than she ever imagined. Her feelings about him change when Jem realizes that John shares her love of freedom--and will risk his life to defend it.

This novel of a girl and her family in Gettysburg as the infamous Civil War battle begins “brings a piece of history to life” (School Library Journal). As Confederate and Union soldiers take over their town, the residents of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, can do little more than hunker down in their homes while cannon and gunfire explode around them. But the battles are not only fought between soldiers. At home, fourteen-year-old Tacy worries about the safety of her African-American friend and locks horns with her disabled brother, David, as he yearns to go to war, frustrated and angry about sitting by while others do the fighting. But circumstances will soon bring both David and Tacy into the aftermath of this great and terrible battle—whose soldiers will not be the last to make the ultimate sacrifice… “A beautiful blend of hope and tragedy…this novel once again shows the author’s skill at giving historical events flesh and heart.”—Booklist

“An 11-year-old girl’s inadvertent role in the infamous Nat Turner slave uprising of 1831 dramatically alters her life” in this heartrending novel (Kirkus Reviews). Harriet Whitehead is an outsider in her own family. She feels accepted and important only when she is entrusted to write letters for her blind stepmother. Then Nat Turner, a slave preacher, arrives on her family’s plantation and Harriet befriends him, entranced by his gentle manner and eloquent sermons about an all-forgiving God. When Nat asks Harriet for a map of the county to help him spread the word, she draws it for him, wanting to be part of something important. But the map turns out to be the missing piece that sets Nat’s secret plan in motion—and makes Harriet an unwitting accomplice to the bloodiest slave uprising in U.S. history. In The Letter Writer, award-winning historical novelist Ann Rinaldi has created a bold portrait of antebellum Virginia and of an ordinary young girl thrust into a situation beyond her control, and must make peace with herself in the wake of tragedy.

Cornelia Greene is fed up with gossip about her mother. Caty Littlefield Greene was once a beautiful young bride who lifted the troops’ spirits at Valley Forge, but Cornelia knows that rumors of Caty’s past indiscretions hurt Nathanael Greene, Cornelia’s adored father. Yet Caty claims that she’s just a flirt, and that flirting is a female necessity—a woman’s only means of power. Cornelia’s concern with her mother’s reputation abruptly fades to the background when she learns that Nathanael Greene may not be her father. As she searches for the truth, she makes unexpected discoveries that lead her to a new understanding of love and family.

Based on an extraordinary true story, this young adult novel follows of one young enslaved woman’s struggle to take what is rightfully hers. When I was four and my daddy left, I cried, but I understood. He had become part of the Gone. Oney Judge is a slave. But on the plantation of Mount Vernon, the beautiful home of George and Martha Washington, she is not called a slave. She is referred to as a servant, and a house servant at that—a position of influence and respect. When she rises to the position of personal servant to Martha Washington, her status among the household staff—black or white—is second to none. She is Lady Washington’s closest confidante and for all intents and purposes, a member of the family…or so she thinks. Slowly, Oney’s perception of her life with the Washingtons begins to crack as she realizes the truth: No matter what it’s called, it’s still slavery and she’s still enslaved. Oney must make a choice. Does she stay where she is, comfortable, with this family that has loved her and nourished her and owned her since the day she was born? Or does she take her liberty—her life—into her own hands, and like her father, become one of the Gone?

All my life I have done what my family wanted. I have performed and made them happy. Until now. Now I have broken out on my own Sarah Tracy has spent her entire life under constant supervision, always under the thumb of one older sibling or another. Now, at eighteen it''s time for her to get married, so she is sent to dinner parties, plays, teas, soirees, talks, and chaperoned walks -- always accompanied, always watched. Sarah''s tired of it -- tired of being shipped around, tired of being reminded that it''s time to find a suitable husband. She knows that a husband is definitely not what she wants. But the year is 1861 and it''s not proper for girls of Sarah''s age to be single or independent. Then Sarah sees an advertisement looking for a young woman to oversee Mount Vernon, the beloved, though now dilapidated, family home of George Washington. Intent on securing the position, she lies to her family and her potential employer, and she becomes mistress of this decaying symbol of American freedom. And then comes the American Civil War. As battles rage around her, Sarah is determined to create a haven of peace at Mount Vernon. With consummate skills, feminine wiles, and a true sense of diplomacy, Sarah single-handedly manages to keep Mount Vernon out of the war. But while she is able to influence generals, soldiers, and even the president, she learns she doesn''t hold such sway over her own heart -- as she also discovers true love. Based on a true story, this is the amazing tale of one girl''s path to womanhood.

War is turning Juliet Bradshaw''s world upside down. Her brother, Seth, rides with William Quantrill''s renegade Confederate army, but he''s helpless when the Yankees arrest Juliet along with the wives and sisters of Quantrill''s soldiers as spies. Imprisoned in a dilapidated old house in Kansas City, Juliet is one of a handful of survivors after the building collapses, killing most of the young girls inside. When she''s reunited with her brother, Juliet finds the life she had previously known is gone. Surrounded by secrets, lies, murder, and chaos, she must determine just how far she will go to protect the people and things she holds dear.

Kidnapped from her home in Senegal and sold as a slave in 1761, Phillis Wheatley -- as she comes to be known -- stuns her adopted country by becoming America''s first published black poet.

In 1851, thirteen-year-old Cecilia has her eyes opened to the horrors of slavery when she accompanies her ornithologist uncle on an expedition in search of the rare "Scarlet Ibis," and watches as he shows slaves the way to the Underground Railroad.

Claire Louise Corbett and her Confederate family flee their home as Union soldiers shell their town of Vicksburg, Mississippi. They venture out from the safety of a cave only three times a day, when the Union army takes their meals at eight in the morning, noon, and eight at night. Although many of the townspeople suffer from a lack of food, the Corbetts receive extra rations from Claire Louise''s brother, Landon, a doctor with the Union army. When Claire Louise discovers her brother tendingto a Confederate soldier who is responsible for Robert E. Lee''s "lost order" (causing the South to lose the Battle of Antietam), she is forced to make a difficult choice between family and friends. Award-winning historical novelist Ann Rinaldi paints a story of family, courage, and secrets during the forty-seven-day siege of Vicksburg, a battle that has sometimes been ignored in history because it ended the same day as the Battle of Gettysburg.

When the Yankees arrive in Roswell, Georgia, Leigh Ann Conners places a French flag upon the family''s mill. She hopes the Yankees will then spare the mill from destruction, but her actions have disastrous results.

Rinaldi delves into the childhood friendship between Mary Todd Lincoln and black seamstress Elizabeth Keckley--two fascinating women who became devoted friends and confidantes amid the turbulent times of the Lincoln administration.

Fourteen-year-old Luli and her family face tragedy after failing to tell their slaves that President Lincoln''s Emancipation Proclamation made them free.

Set in 1741 New York City, this hypnotic tale, drawn from an obscure slice ofAmerican history, delves into topical issues, where a culture of fear createsa hunger for a scapegoat, and a mob mentality results in the tragic deaths ofinnocents.

In this novel set at the beginning of the twentieth century, a fifteen-year-old Southern girl marries and moves to the unfamiliar world of Brooklyn. It’s 1900, the dawn of a new century, and fifteen-year-old Rose Frampton is beginning a new life. She’s left her family in South Carolina to live with her handsome and wealthy husband in Brooklyn, New York—a move that is both scary and exciting. As mistress of the large Victorian estate on Dorchester Road, she must learn to make decisions, establish her independence, and run an efficient household. These tasks are difficult enough without the added complication of barely knowing her husband. As romance blossoms and Rose begins to find her place, she discovers that strength of character does not come easily—but is essential for happiness. Writing in diary form, Ann Rinaldi paints a sensual picture of time and place—and gives readers an intimate glimpse into the heart of a child as she becomes a woman. “Rinaldi describes the teen’s first year of marriage with grace, tact, and sensitivity.” —School Library Journal “Fans of romance will be swept up in the subtleties of her courtship by Rene, and readers will likely identify with Rose as she balances the natural impulses of a teenager with her new role as mistress of the house.” —Publishers Weekly A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

The Civil War is at an end, but for thirteen-year-old Eulinda, it is no time to rejoice. Her younger brother Zeke was sold away, her older brother Neddy joined the Northern war effort, and her master will not acknowledge that Eulinda is his daughter. Her mettle is additionally tested when she realizes her brother Neddy might be buried in the now-closed Andersonville Prison where soldiers were kept in torturous conditions. With the help of Clara Barton, the eventual founder of the Red Cross, Eulinda must find a way to let go of the skeletons from her past.

A "what if?" story about Mary Christian, half-Tahitian daughter of Fletcher Christian, second in command and leader of the mutiny on the British ship Bounty.

Kidnapped from her home in Senegal and sold as a slave in 1761, a young girl is purchased by the wealthy Wheatley family in Boston. Phillis Wheatley—as she comes to be known—has an eager mind and it leads her on an unusual path for a slave—she becomes America’s first published black poet. “Strong characterization and perceptive realism mark this thoughtful portrayal.”—Booklist

A surprising Revolutionary War tale of a family beset by a mother’s mental illness: “Often gripping…the portrayal of Patrick Henry is unusually complex.”—Publishers Weekly Patrick Henry, the famous statesman of the American Revolution, has a secret: He keeps his wife in the cellar. It’s the only alternative to an asylum, for, slowly losing her mind, Sarah Henry has become a serious danger to herself and her children. Narrated by the Henrys’ two daughters, Patsy and Anne, who must take on new responsibilities, this compassionate novel explores the possibility that Patrick Henry’s immortal cry of “Give me liberty or give me death” may have first been spoken by his wife as she pled for her freedom—and “delivers another intriguing spin on history” from the popular author of young adult fiction (Kirkus Reviews). Includes a reader''s guide

Like all her brothers and sisters, Millicent has received a special gift from her magical family, but she quickly learns that a gift can also be a burden.

The final handcrafted installment by award-winning author Ann Rinaldi. "Whether they''ve covered the previous books or not, readers will enjoy this rip-roaring tale of adventure and suspense."-Kirkus Amanda Videau had no idea what adventures she''d find on the journey North. But she never expected this… After witnessing a crime, she goes into hiding, disguising herself as a worker in her great-grandfather''s textile mill. For the first time in her life, Amanda must work to survive. And that means experiencing the horrible working conditions of the mill firsthand. Now, as Amanda fights for her newfound rights, she must also try to heal generations of deep Chelmsford family wounds. And that means facing the man behind the blue door--the man who tore apart the family quilt so many years ago.

How could Lizzy Enders''s father abandon her at a girls school run by nuns? She''s surrounded by Catholics--but she''s Methodist! Shunned by the other boarders, Lizzy befriends a wandering carpenter named José, who with just three tools--and unflagging faith--builds an elaborate spiral staircase in the new chapel in mere weeks. When he disappears without a trace, Lizzy realizes that the way she sees things is not always the way they are. Inspired by the legend of the "miraculous" staircase in the Chapel of Loretto in Santa Fe, Ann Rinaldi skillfully blends the mystery surrounding the staircase''s builder with the daily trials of a spunky thirteen-year-old girl growing up in the 1870s.

A riveting middle-grade Civil War drama by acclaimed author, Ann Rinaldi. Based on a true incident. As the Civil War rages, Amelia''s Maryland town is beset by divisions. Even she and her best friend Josh disagree. Amelia vows not to take sides, until the Confederate troops march into town...led by Josh''s uncle.

As a teen, Sarah Wheelock has vowed never to let a man control her. With this conviction, she leaves her life on a Michigan farm, disguises herself as a boy, and fights in the Civil War.

A young girl living in South Carolina during the American Revolution discovers the duplicity within herself and others.

In 1832, Prudence Crandall begins admitting black girls to her exclusive Connecticut school, scandalizing white society and eventually causing her arrest and the closing of her school.

As an orphan, young Jonathan looks forward to starting life anew and so journeys across the sea on the Mayflower to look for his great opportunity in the new world.

High-spirited, beautiful Susan Chilmark, fourteen, vows to do something meaningful to support the Confederacy during the Civil War. Despite the wishes of her mother, Susan and her best friend, Connie, collect silk dresses from all the ladies of Richmond to make a balloon that will be used to spy on the Yankees. But the issues behind the war aren''t as obvious as Susan thinks. When she meets her dashing, scandalous older brother and discovers why he was banished from the family, Susan unlocks a Pandora''s box of secrets that forces her to rethink and challenge the very system she was born into. Does she have the courage to do what is right even though it may hurt the ones she loves?

In the diary account of her life, the government relocates Sarah Nita and her family.

For two sisters growing up surrounded by the Civil War, there is conflict both outside and inside their house.