by Robin Moore ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 25, 1990
Alone at 14, in 1776, Maggie avoids hiring herself out in Philadelphia and seeks her aunt Franny in central Pennsylvania. But Franny has moved to the Ohio Valley; refusing to return to the city, Maggie resolves to support herself by baking bread. Finding a place with the McGrews, she becomes involved with their problems and endures the hardships of frontier life. Finally, realizing how much she treasures her independence, she runs away to seek Franny and a new life in the wilderness. Journalist Moore spins a wild yam here without much thought to accuracy--social, historic, or scientific. He imposes modern feminist ideals, lets Maggie impossibly escape death in an avalanche, clear land with a stick immediately after sustaining third degree burns, and lie overnight in a mountain stream in April without suffering hypothermia. The simplistic portrayal of the ease with which a child communicates through a self-constructed sign language is an injustice to the hearing-impaired. Pass on this one.
Pub Date: April 25, 1990
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 154
Publisher: Lippincott
Review Posted Online: N/A
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1990
Categories: CHILDREN'S
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.