THE FAMILY GREENE

Author (last name first):
Rinaldi, Ann

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

6th and Up

Classification:  Fiction 

The author Ann Rinaldi writes a gripping story of the struggle the Greene family goes though in the voices of Catharine(Caty) Littlefield Greene and her daughter Cornelia Greene. In the beginning the narrative is told though Catherine's viewpoint. In May of 1764 Catharine Littlefield is pulled away from the very foundation her parents brought her up on. At the age of 10 she was sent to live with her aunt and names sake Catharine and her uncle Greene because Caty's father wanted to give her a proper upbringing every young lady deserved. When she moved into the house, she realized her aunt Catharine had secrets of her own. Soon Caty learned the ways of the world and married Nathanael Greene  who soon became second in command to General George Washington. She had several children with Nathanael Greene and lived a full and somewhat happy life. The story changes the point of view in part two called Cornelia. Cornelia is Caty's second daughter. Cornelia is a strong and willful child and in 1786 she learns a hard lesson in the struggles of life on the frontier. When her baby sister dies because her mom falls down, Cornelia carries the guilt like a jacket of shame on her shoulders. Her older and spiteful sister Martha Greene weaves a dangerous tale of deception about their mother to hurt Cornelia and plants the doubt in her head that Nathaniel Greene is not her legitimate father. 

It is a wonderful historical fiction story. At the end of the story there is a author's note stating that the characters in her story truly existed but that the story it's self is fictional.  

Reviewer:Lila Davis