Upper Peninsula & the Great Lakes[ To the top of this page ] | [ To SPC Homepage ]
This is an unusual historical fiction book about a subject
for which readers will have little prior knowledge. According to the
Author’s Note, Platt Rogers Spencer was a famous master “penman” from the
mid 19th century who lived in Ashtabula, Ohio and was called “The Father of
American Penmanship.” Spencer taught penmanship in his seminary to young
men who intended to be clerks or copiers in a day when all business entries had
to be made by hand with pen and quill. Matty was harassed by the male
pupils and her only friend was Phineas who disappointed her at the 4th of July
dance by drinking. This bothered Matty because her father was an alcoholic
and Mr. Spencer was a reformed alcoholic and active temperance member who did
not allow drink on his farm and would dismiss any student who did so.
If Matty does not tell Phineas’ secret he won’t reveal hers.
When fourteen-year-old Matilda, Matty, received her
eighth-grade diploma, her mother wanted her to get married because she now had
more education than most girls of that time. However, Matty was not
interested in marrying the widower with seven children whom her mother was
pushing on her. With a written recommendation from her teacher and help
from her brother, Matty ran away from their Michigan farm and went to Mr.
Spencer’s seminary. During her stay at the seminary, Matty was afraid
her mother will find her and make her come home. When Matty received a
letter from her brother, Abe, asking her to come home for an emergency, Marry
has a decision to make. Will Matty give up her dreams?
Donaldson creates an authentic setting for her story and the
physical book is adorned with penmanship examples of Latin mottoes complete with
designs. There is a bibliography. Sometimes the old world tone
of this book may not appeal to all readers but those who enjoy it will learn
more about those times. The author lives in Fennville, MI and the main
character was from Manlius, Michigan so the book fits into Michigan collections.
Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center
32 years of experience as a school library/media
specialist
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Fourteen-year-old Sarah runs away from a Michigan farm in
1861 because her father abuses her and plans to marry her to a crude neighbor
who wants her to raise his children and work on his farm. Sarah goes to
her widowed aunt’s home in Flint, disguises herself as a boy, and enlisted in
the 2nd Michigan Regiment as Neddy Compton. While disguised as a
man, Sarah nurses the wounded, kills a confederate officer during a battle, and
engages in a musical program for the entertainment of the soldiers.
Because of her successful mimicry of Topsy in UNCLE TOM’S CABIN, Sarah is
invited to Washington to join detective Allan Pinkerton’s spy network.
Sarah’s job posing as a female assistant to Rose Greenhow, a famous Southern
spy, brings a romantic twist to the story. Although her time spying on
Greenhow and her relationship with Capt. Sheldon, who is also on the case, are
at times confusing, the story is interesting. Although readers agree with
Sarah’s choice at the end of the book, the ending has dismaying elements.
As usual, the author’s note tells about the historical characters who appear
in the book and includes a bibliography. Rinaldi placed Sarah in the
2nd Michigan Infantry because that was the regiment where the famous Debrah
Sampson fought disguised as a man and was also the regiment where two other
women went along with the army. Fans of Rinaldi will devour
this book and teachers and librarians will happily add this book to
bibliographies of the civil war period.
Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center
32 years of experience as a school library/media
specialist
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The authors have arranged this look at
buildings in one of the largest cities in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
according to activities and then by the places where those activities took
place. The authors have provided colorful names for categories which
include the following: harbor; livelihood; homes;
churches; civic (including schools); and recreation. Cemeteries and a
categories called "Murder & Mayhem and "Games and Gaieties"
are especially interesting. A glossary of architectural terms is included.
This book, intended for adults, should be purchased for adult collections around
the Upper Peninsula and in other areas of the state concerned with architecture
and key Michigan cities. The heavier paper, which helps to give the
photographs their high quality, drags on the glued binding and librarians will
have trouble binding the book as a hardcover because the inner margins are not
large enough for rebinding. Although intended for adults, the book has a side
benefit. The excellent lay-out, including lots of white spaces and
sidebars with blue backgrounds that appear on every page and the organization by
type of activity, makes this book an excellent manual for fourth grade teachers
of Michigan History throughout the state. Upper Peninsula
children will find it even more interesting because they may have visited
Marquette. Using this book as a guide, teachers can send out teams of
students with instamatics, digital or video cameras to photograph areas of their
own town. The end product can either be a book of photos with captions,
web page, or video production. Even if a classroom investigated types of
establishments listed in one chapter a year, the project would be extensive.
Other educational uses are by home schoolers or for multigrade projects.
These projects would be suitable for junior and senior high school students
also. Fourth graders are especially mentioned here because that is where
Michigan History is placed in the state curriculum. Longtine and
Chappell have included photos of buildings "then and now" which can
serve as models to help students when interviewing current owners of
buildings and making trips to research facilities to find photos of buildings
from the past for their own communities. This photographic essay of a
historic Michigan community deserves shelf space in personal and library
collections.
Mary Ann Paulin; Director,
Superiorland Preview Center
32 years of experience as a school
library-media specialist.
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Lighthouses -- FictionO'Hara, Megan. LIGHTHOUSE: LIVING IN A GREAT LAKES LIGHTHOUSE,
1910 TO 1940. Mankato, MN: Blue Earth/Capstone, 1998.
32p. 1-56065-725-1;
lib.bdg., $21.00 97-31875
Gr. 4-9+ 387.1
Anyone interested in lighthouses, regardless of age,
will be interested in learning about daily life at the Split Rock Light Station
on Lake Superior near Two Harbors, MN between 1910 and 1940. Teachers
whose classes study states, especially the Great Lake states, will also be
interested in sharing this book with students. The introduction tells why
lighthouses were important on Lake Superior, the most dangerous lake in the
world. Information for the book comes from letters sent to the Minnesota
Historical Society by children who grew up in lighthouses. Period photos,
originally black and white, have been tinted. Sidebars provide
projects children can do or additional information. Readers learn how a
lighthouse functioned, how the prism lens turned, how supplies came twice a
summer, inspection, family activities, and children's fun. Of special
interest is a glossary, list of three books for kids, three WWW sites, and 21
places to write and visit in the U.S. and Canada. One of the three
lighthouses from Michigan is located in Big Bay in the Upper Peninsula.
One address from each of the other great lakes states includes Illinois, New
York, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The last page is on the featured lighthouse in
Minnesota and an address and Internet site as well as facts about the light are
given. The page layout is appealing and the photos are explanatory and
unavailable from any other sources. This is an essential purchase for
libraries in Great Lake states.
Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center,
Marquette, MI
32 years of experience as a school library media specialist
