Great Episodes Series

With their father away most of the time advocating independence for the American colonies, the children of Patrick Henry try to raise themselves, manage the family plantation, and care for their mentally ill mother.

The Secret of Sarah Revere

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 April 1994

Paul Revere's daughter describes her father's "rides" and the intelligence network of the patriot community prior to the American Revolution.

A Break with Charity

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 January 1992

While waiting for a church meeting in 1706, Susanna English, daughter of a wealthy Salem merchant, recalls the malice, fear, and accusations of witchcraft that tore her village apart in 1692.

A Ride Into Morning

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 30 April 1991

When unrest spreads at the Revolutionary War camp in Morristown, New Jersey, under the command of General Anthony Wayne, a young woman cleverly hides her horse from the mutinous soldiers who have need of it.

Finishing Becca

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 January 1994

In 1778 fourteen-year-old Becca takes a position as personal maid to Peggy Shippen, the daughter of wealthy Philadelphia Quakers, and witnesses the events that lead to General Benedict Arnold's betrayal of the revolutionary American forces.

Cast Two Shadows

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 May 1996

In South Carolina in 1780, fourteen-year-old Caroline sees the Revolutionary War take a terrible toll among her family and friends and, along with a startling revelation about her own background, comes to understand the true nature of war.

Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 October 1996

A moving historical novel based on the story of Phillis Wheatley - the first African American female poet.

The intriguing and moving story of a young girl kidnapped from her home in Senegal and sold, in 1761, as a slave to the wealthy Wheatley family of Boston. Phillis Wheatley - as she comes to be known - has a keen intelligence and a knack for learning. When the family discover her gift for writing poetry, they begin to mould her future by having her ''perform'' for influential guests. Eventually she is sent to England, where her work is finally published - the first book of poetry by an African American woman. However, all the trappings of success do nothing to change the fact that she is still a slave.

The Staircase

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 October 2000

How could Lizzy Enders's father leave her in a girls school run by the Sisters of Loretto in Santa Fe? She's surrounded by Catholics, who pray to Saint Joseph and whose saints keep watch over her--and she's Methodist! Taunted by the other boarders, Lizzy befriends a wandering carpenter named Jose, who with just three tools--and his unflagging faith--builds a staircase to the choir loft of the new chapel. Through their friendship, Lizzy discovers the inner strength to forgive and to trust.
Working from the legend of the "miraculous" staircase in the Chapel of Loretto in Santa Fe, Ann Rinaldi skillfully blends the mystery surrounding the builder of the staircase with the daily trials of a young girl growing up in the 1870s.

An Acquaintance with Darkness

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 15 October 1997

In Washington, D.C., President Lincoln has just been assassinated and the city is reeling with suspicion, fear, and confusion. But for 14 year old Emily, the Union''s turmoil is nothing compared to her own dire struggles.'

The Fifth of March

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 January 1993

Fourteen-year-old Rachel Marsh, an indentured servant in the Boston household of John and Abigail Adams, is caught up in the colonists' unrest that eventually escalates into the massacre of March 5, 1770.

Coffin Quilt

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 20 September 1999

In the 1880s, young Fanny McCoy witnesses the growth of a terrible and violent feud between her Kentucky family and the West Virginia Hatfields, complicated by her older sister Roseanna's romance with a Hatfield.

Come Juneteenth

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 May 2007

Sis Goose is a beloved member of Luli's family, despite the fact that she was born a slave. But the family is harbouring a terrible secret. And when Union soldiers arrive on their Texas plantation to announce that slaves have been declared free for nearly two years, Sis Goose is horrified to learn that the people she called family have lied to her for so long. She runs away - but her newly found freedom has tragic consequences.How could the state of Texas keep the news of the Emancipation Proclamation from reaching slaves? In this riveting Great Episodes historical drama, Ann Rinaldi sheds light on the events that led to the creation of Juneteenth, a celebration of freedom that continues today.

Ever-after Bird

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 November 2007

Now that her father is dead, CeCe McGill is left to wonder why he risked his life for the ragged slaves who came to their door in the dead of night. When her uncle, an ornithologist, insists she accompany him to Georgia on an expedition in search of the rare scarlet ibis, CeCe is surprised to learn there's a second reason for their journey: Along the way, Uncle Alex secretly points slaves north in the direction of the Underground Railroad. Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous pre-Civil War South, The Ever-After Bird is the story of a young woman's education about the horrors of slavery and the realization about the kind of person she wants to become. AUTHOR Ann Rinaldi is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. A self-made writer and newspaper columnist for twenty-one years, Ms. Rinaldi attributes her interest in history to her son, who enlisted her to take part in historical reenactments up and down the East Coast. Ages 10 + *

Letter Writer

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 November 2008

Eleven-year-old Harriet Whitehead is an outsider in her own family. She feels accepted and important only when she is entrusted to write letters for her blind stepmother. Then Nat Turner, a slave preacher, arrives on her family's plantation and Harriet befriends him, entranced by his gentle manner and eloquent sermons about an all-forgiving God. When Nat asks Harriet for a map of the county to help him spread the word, she draws it for him-wanting to be part of something important. But the map turns out to be the missing piece that sets Nat's secret plan in motion and makes Harriet an unwitting accomplice to the bloodiest slave uprising in U.S.history. Award-winning historical novelist Ann Rinaldi has created a bold portrait of an ordinary young girl thrust in to a situation beyond her control. AUTHOR Ann Rinaldi is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. Her website is www.anrinaldi.net REVIEW 'The feisty Harriet narrates her harrowing story with a credible mix of naivete and candour, providing troubling glimpses of the enigmatic Turner and antebellum Virginia.' Kirkus Reviews Ages 12 and up

Unlikely Friendship

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 January 2007

On the night of President Lincoln's assassination, his frantic wife, Mary, calls for her best friend and confidante, Elizabeth Keckley. But the woman is mistakenly kept from her side by guards who were unaware of Mary Todd Lincoln's close friendship with the black seamstress. With vivid detail and emotional power, Ann Rinaldi delves into the childhoods of two fascinating women who became devoted friends amid the turbulent times of the Lincoln administration.

Leigh Ann's Civil War

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 January 2009

Leigh Ann Conners is spunky and determined. Although she often finds herself in trouble, she loves her two older brothers dearly and would do anything to make them proud. When the Yankees arrive in Roswell, Georgia, Leigh Ann places a French flag upon the family's mill. She hopes the Yankees will then spare the mill from destruction, but her actions have disastrous results. Sent north with the women and children who worked in the mill--all branded traitors for making fabric for Confederate uniforms--Leigh Ann embarks on a journey that requires her to find her own inner strength. Only then will she be able to rise above the war raging around her. AUTHOR Ann Rinaldi is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. A self-made writer and newspaper columnist for twenty-one years, Ms. Rinaldi attributes her interest in history to her son, who enlisted her to take part in historical reenactments up and down the East Coast. AGES 12 + *

Or Give Me Death: A Novel of Patrick Henry's Family

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 August 2004

Finishing Becca: A Story about Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold

by Ann Rinaldi

Published 1 March 2004