Writing for Freedom: A Story about Lydia Maria Child

Lydia Maria Child grew up in the 1800s reading countless books. She defied the idea that girls weren't supposed to fill their minds with ideas and stories. They weren't supposed to write their own books, either, but that is exactly what Lydia Maria did. Although she gained remarkable success as a writer for children and adults, she sacrificed everything when she took up her pen against slavery. Lydia Maria believed that slavery was wrong--and she wasn't afraid to say so. As a result, her courageous words changed her life and helped change the course of American history.

Gr 3-5-These biographies emphasize the writings of two notable women. Since duty frequently called her husband away throughout their marriage, Adams often wrote to her spouse not only about family matters, but also about her political views. Child, an insatiable reader as a youngster, grew up to become a successful writer. Known for her poem "Over the River and through the Woods," she devoted her later years to working for the abolitionist movement and risked censorship. Both books draw on primary sources and support the view that these two women influenced history through their writings and beliefs. Some details about the times and places flesh out the life stories. These titles should interest students not yet ready to handle more in-depth treatments. One adequate, full-page, black-and-white illustration appears within each chapter.-Jean Gaffney, Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Miamisburg, OH

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