1. She was born in Manchester, England in 1849, but after the death of her father, her family moved to Tennessee. She began writing short stories to help support her family, and then she began writing full length romanic novels. Some of these were quite successful, but she is remembered nowadays for her children’s fiction, three books in particular: Little Lord Fauntleroy, Sara Crewe(A Little Princess), and The Secret Garden. My favorite of the three is The Secret Garden, although it is spurned by some because it includes elements of the author’s faith in spiritualism. I just skip over the part where the children are chanting to “the spirits” and concentrate on the captivating idea of a secret garden where wounds both of the spirit and of the body can be healed. Wouldn’t everybody love to have a secret garden?
2. Carlo Lorenzini (b. 1826, d. 1890) was the real name of a Florentine journalist who wrote the fantasy story of a wooden puppet who, after many misadventures, finally became a real boy. Do you know the author’s pen name and the name of his famous book?
3. This science fiction author was born in 1933. She wrote two YA novels about a girl who was training to observe cultures on other planets as they evolved into advanced cultures capable of joining the World Federation of Planets (or some such name). The rule (prime directive) is that observers are not allowed to interfere in the evolution of the culture being studied unless the planet is in danger of being destroyed or destroying itself. Of course, Elana, the young observer-in training, finds herself in a situation that calls for her to violate her oath and interfere in a way that may have unexpected and tragic consequences.
These two books were favorites of mine in junior high, and I still think they’re not bad, although a little dated. The evolution of cultures theme doesn’t really ring true to me, but the idea of having to make a choice that may be wrong either way (damned if you do, and damned if you don’t) does make both books thought provoking.

Today is the 96th birthday of this author of children’s books, four children’s books to be exact, each one a classic. We just finished reading out loud in our homeschool two of Speare’s books, The Sign of the Beaver and The Witch of Blackbird Pond, a Newbery Award winner. Calico Captive was her first book about sisters who were captured by Indians, and she also won the Newbery Medal for The Bronze Bow, a beautiful book about forgiveness and healing set in Palestine in the time of Jesus. My nine-year old loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond, especially because she had figured out exactly who was going to marry whom about halfway through the book. (It’s a chick thing!) I think Karate Kid enjoyed Sign of the Beaver more since it was about manly man stuff like hunting and trapping and making your own bow and arrows and Indians and stuff like that. When I read Sign of the Beaver to my older children several years ago, they always asked me to read just one more chapter. I finally answered them, “I’ll read only one more chapter. But at the end of that chapter, even if Attean is hanging off the edge of a cliff by his fingernails, we’re stopping for today.” So now it’s a common phrase around our house, “We’re quitting here—even if Attean is hanging off the edge of the cliff by his fingernails!”

George Washington’s Breakfast, George Washington’s Mother, Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln, And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?, Can’t You Make Them Behave, King George?, Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution, What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?, Where Do You Think You’re Going, Christopher Columbus?, Who’s That Stepping on Plymouth Rock?, Will You Sign Here, John Hancock?, You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton?, The Double Life of Pocahontas, Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt, The Great Little Madison, Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Beecher Preachers, Make Way for Sam Houston, Stonewall, Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold, Why Not, Lafayette?.
The titles of Jean Fritz’s historical non-fiction books are self-explanatory. Fritz is an invaluable treasure for students and teachers of U.S. history. In fact, I have some of Fritz’s books on the reading list for my AP US history students, even though the books were written for elementary age students. Jean Fritz makes history so interesting; she writes about people and finds the most intriguing episodes in their lives.
Did you know?
Lincoln didn’t scribble the Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope.
Samuel Adams didn’t ride horseback.
Stonewall Jackson liked to suck lemons.
James Madison was really short.
George III collected clocks.
Benedict Arnold loved shoes.

Jean Fritz was born on November 16, 1915 in Hankow, China. She was the only child of missionary parents.

Born November 10, 1728. You can read She Stoops to Conquer online. The Vicar of Wakefield, Goldsmith’s novel, is also available here. Said novel starts with this line:

I was ever of opinion that the honest man who married and brought up a large family did more service than he who continued single and only talked of population.

This was written back when populating the world was still considered a service. The book goes on to tell the story of Dr. Primrose, the vicar of Wakefield, and his family and his many troubles. Samuel Johnson said of Goldsmith: “Goldsmith, however, was a man, who, whatever he wrote did it better than any other man could do.” High praise, indeed.
Goldsmith, however, said of Samuel Johnson: “There is no arguing with Johnson; for when his pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it. “