Take a look at the real Neenah at ages 6, 18 and as an elderly lady. I think its fascinating that she looks most comfortable, by far, as an elderly lady! She was apparently very fond of that car which was the first one in Baldwinsville, NY.
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View from Pagoda Hill — Recommended by School Library Connection
Author Michaela Maccoll tells the tale of her great-great-grandmother Neenah’s harrowing journey as an immigrant in the 1870s. Readers are given a bird’s-eye view of the sheltered lives of Chinese upper-class women during this time period. Maccoll introduces Neenah as a 12-year-old who questions why she doesn’t have her feet bound like her mother and why she is viewed so differently from everyone else. Neenah’s parents fell in love in Shanghai and married at a time when interracial relationships were taboo. Perhaps seeking a better life for Neenah, her mother sends her to live in New York with her American father, whom she has never met. Maccoll does not mince words about the distrust and outright racism Neenah and other Chinese immigrants experienced in the United States. While it was interesting reading about Neenah’s life before immigrating to New York, there were many aspects of Chinese culture and customs that could have been clarified further. Even though there is an author’s note explaining some historical context and a list of resources to learn more, the inclusion of maps and a glossary mentioning Chinese customs would have been helpful. This text could be used in history lessons to support discussions about immigrant experiences in the late 1800s. Laura Dooley-Taylor, Librarian, Lake Zurich Middle School North, Hawthorn Woods , IL
Recommended
On this Day – Shirley Chisholm Makes her Bid for President
On this day in 1972, Shirley Chisholm becomes first African-American candidate for a major party’s nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Last week we watched Vice President Kamala Harris take the oath. History takes too long — 49 years between Shirley Chisholm and Kamala Harris is ridiculous — but eventually I think we head in the right direction.
emily dickinson – redux
Please please check out this piece in the New Yorker: Emily Dickinson: Freelancer by Emma Brewer. It’s hysterical. Here’s a sample:
There’s a certain Slant of light,
Deadline Afternoons—
That exposes all the Dust
Just—let me get the broom—
TeenReads gives a Great Review for Secrets in the Snow
I’m blushing at this lovely review from TeenReads:
“MacColl presents a fascinating and engaging fictionalized account of Jane Austen’s youth….drawing upon her experience writing historical fiction to make Austen’s life come alive to her readers.”
The Blog Tour Moves on to Quillable!
Fab Book Reviews discusses Jane Austen and Secrets in the Snow
Check out the Fab Book Reviews take on Secrets in the Snow
Blog Tour: Secrets in the Snow by Michaela MacColl
Booklist Loves The Lost Ones
Booklist Online Exclusive: September 29, 2016
The Lost Ones.
Casita and her family thought their village of Lipan Apache, in Mexico, would be safe from U.S. Cavalry raids. But one fateful day in 1877 proves how wrong they are. Casita witnesses the brutal murder of her mother and the destruction of their village before she is forcibly relocated to Fort Clark in Texas with her younger brother and other survivors. While most survivors are exiled to reservations, Casita and her brother, Jack, are looked after by a kindhearted military family until they are wrenched away again, this time to the Carlisle Industrial Indian School in Pennsylvania. Haunted by the past yet still looking for a future, spirited, sensitive Casita navigates the confusing white world while still holding to her Apache identity. Readers will cheer her determined spirit in the face of shattering loss. Highly engaging historical fiction and based on actual people, MacColl’s Hidden Histories series tale is powerful storytelling and an excellent prompt for classroom discussion of Indian policy.
— Anne O’Malley
The Blog Tour stops at Bloglovin’
My favorite line from this review:
“Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a real delight to read! I highly recommend it to fans of Jane Austen, but also those who are not quite familiar with her history because this book allows you to understand a bit more about one of the greatest literary writers ever. MacColl has also included an author’s note (which I really appreciated), about the differences from her book and history & she’s included a bibliography (yay!).”
“A Charming Historical Mystery” SLJ Loves Secrets in the Snow
I am in love with this review of Secrets in the Snow — so rarely does a reviewer get exactly what you were trying to do:
Secrets in the Snow
School Library Journal
October 1, 2016
“A charming historical mystery.”—School Library Journal
Nineteen-year-old Jane Austen—yes, that Jane Austen—finds herself entwined in some serious intrigue when the War Office suggests that her cousin, whose French aristocrat husband lost his head to the guillotine, might be engaged in traitorous activity against England. Jane is determined to get to the bottom of the situation, even if it means veering into unladylike territory. Adding to the drama, a gentleman studying the law has entered Jane’s social circle—and all of her family members are eager to encourage a marriage match regardless of his condescending first impression. MacColl’s fidelity to Austen’s biography and family, with a bit of creative license woven in, results in a charming historical mystery. Her playfulness with Austen’s voice is a delight, and she peppers the story with hints at characters and plot points from the author’s oeuvre—nothing that distracts from the narrative, but tidbits that serve as inside jokes to readers who have already dived into her works. These elements more than make up for a somewhat rushed conclusion. Readers whose interest in Austen is piqued will enjoy the biographical back matter. VERDICT A solid addition for fans of cozy mysteries and literary reimaginings.