The Family Greene

by Ann Rinaldi

Overview

Cornelia Greene is fed up with gossip about her mother. Caty Littlefield Greene was once a beautiful young bride who lifted the troops’ spirits at Valley Forge, but Cornelia knows that rumors of Caty’s past indiscretions hurt Nathanael Greene, Cornelia’s adored father. Yet Caty claims that she’s just a flirt, and that flirting is a female necessity—a woman’s only means of power.

Cornelia’s concern with her mother’s reputation abruptly fades to the background when she learns that Nathanael Greene may not be her father. As she searches for the truth, she makes unexpected discoveries that lead her to a new understanding of love and family.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547487991
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/24/2010
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Lexile:	710L (what's this?)
File size:	7 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the 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. She lives with her husband in central New Jersey. 

Editorial Reviews

"Rinaldi once again takes readers to a historical time and place where strong female protagonists convincingly navigate their circumstances."—School Library Journal —

From the Publisher

Gr 7 Up—Rinaldi once again takes readers to a historical time and place where strong female protagonists convincingly navigate their circumstances. Beginning in 1764 with Catherine Littlefield's formative years and her courtship and marriage to Nathanael Greene, readers experience life in colonial America on the eve of the American Revolution. Then Caty's daughter Cornelia takes over the narration, describing her life with her family on a plantation in Georgia. The theme of conflict, be it of the political, moral, familial, or gender variety, runs through this novel, and readers primarily experience it through Cornelia's eyes. Her manipulative, blackmailing older sister has told her that Pa is not her father, that Anthony Wayne is, and throughout the story Cornelia tries to learn the truth. Her reactions to her often-tenuous home environment and the weight of wondering who her biological father is demonstrate the strength of her character. In contrast, Caty's character fails under the pressure of her circumstances. The relationships Cornelia has with her brother George and with General Anthony Wayne, two of the few likable characters in the novel, provide a respite from the tumult in her life and for readers. However, the ambiguous ending, even if expected, is likely to leave readers dissatisfied.—Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY

School Library Journal