Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak: The Outbreak of the Boston Tea Party Told from Multiple Points-of-View!

by Kay Winters, Larry Day (Illustrator)

Overview

Follow an errand boy through colonial Boston as he spreads word of rebellion.

It's December 16, 1773, and Boston is about to explode! King George has decided to tax the colonists' tea. The Patriots have had enough. Ethan, the printer's errand boy, is running through town to deliver a message about an important meeting. As he stops along his route at the bakery, the schoolhouse, the tavern, and more readers learn about the occupations of colonial workers and their differing opinions about living under Britain's rule. This fascinating book is like a field trip to a living history village.

* "Winter’s strong, moving text is supported by a thoughtful design that incorporates the look of historical papers, and rich paintings capture the individuals and their circumstances as well as what’s at stake."—Booklist, starred review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780147511621
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	03/10/2015
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	56,533
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	640L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kay Winters lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Larry Day lives in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Editorial Reviews

* "Winter’s strong, moving text is supported by a thoughtful design that incorporates the look of historical papers, and rich paintings capture the individuals and their circumstances as well as what’s at stake."—Booklist, starred review

"A unique presentation for all libraries."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Gr 3-6- Colonial Bostonians introduce themselves through free-verse vignettes that describe their work and their feelings about the current political situation. As errand boy Ethan moves about the city, he links the people together. From the printer, who distributes the news of a gathering to be held, to the baker, the school mistress, the shoemaker, the milliner, and so on, he covers a territory that ends up at the Old South Meeting House. There, the Sons of Liberty decide to protest the governor's decision regarding some shipments of British tea. Winters's poems flow well, but they employ somewhat complex vocabulary and syntax. A glossary is included to help children with terms such as "fripperies," "journeyman," "limner," "hackle," and "wag-on-the-wall." Historical notes go into more detail about each person's job and compare similar positions in the northern and southern colonies. Both men and women are portrayed; while most characters are white, a Native American woman and a male African slave are also featured. The political sentiments described include Patriots, Loyalists, and some in-between. The watercolor and ink illustrations add humor and drama through shifting perspectives and well-detailed settings full of period details. Ethan appears in each picture, and children will enjoy following his route and sharing his reactions to the varied scenes he observes. A unique presentation for all libraries.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA

School Library Journal

Ever wonder what it felt like to be in Boston on December 16, 1773-the day of the infamous Boston Tea Party? At dawn, Ethan, the errand boy, heads out to deliver newspapers containing a notice from the Sons of Liberty about a secret meeting that night at Old South Church. Everywhere Ethan goes, there's a sense of urgency. Everyone has an opinion about the King and his tea tax. En route, Ethan encounters the printer, the shoemaker, the basket trader, the milliner, the midwife, the barber, the blacksmith and his African slave, the clockmaker and the silversmith's apprentice. By nightfall, Ethan arrives at the meeting where patriots opt to turn Boston harbor into a teapot and defy the King. Told from the perspectives of ordinary citizens engaged in ordinary work, the text conveys the diversity and defiance of the times. Engaging ink-and-watercolor illustrations contrast the drama of this historical event with details of everyday life in the streets and shops of colonial Boston. Savory historical fare. (historical notes, glossary, bibliography) (Picture book. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews