by Ann Rinaldi
I would have done a Spotlight on An Author for Rinaldi but decided I wanted to specifically highlight this book.
It's the beginning of the Revolutionary War and Jemima lives in Trenton, New Jersey and is a passionate Patriot. Her older brother is in the army under Washington himself and her other brother is yearning to go to war. Jemima's parents are also supporters of the Revolution.
But Jemima is headstrong, spoiled, and very open about her views. She is constantly being reprimanded by everyone around her to keep from insulting those known as Tories. The reason being that her sister Rebecca married a British soldier and Jemima's tutor John Reid is a Tory.
John is a stern teacher and he and Jemima engage in many quarrels about her education and behavior. When John leaves on business Jemima is left to her own devices, which means she engages herself in the Patriot cause and sends her brother off to war. When John returns they both find that they missed each other more than they initially realized. Then, Jemima finds out that John is not doing exactly what he says he is and that he is in fact a Patriot spy!
The reality of this hits home when the Hessian and British soldiers settle in Trenton and Washington makes his famous crossing of the Delaware River. Caught between two armies, worried about her brother and friends, and of course John Reid, Jemima must learn to survive in this new, turbulent world.
This book is one of my favorites, I've read it over and over and still love it! While Jemima is not an exemplary character initially, it's still possible to understand her point of view and angst. Learning to live in a revolution is not an easy task but Jemima handles it well. Ann Rinaldi has written many other books dealing with American history, all of them highly enjoyable.
