Anne Hutchinson's Way Book

In 1634, young Susanna Hutchinson sailed from England with her family to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where they hoped to practice their religion freely. But when Susanna's mother, Anne, began to hold her own Scripture meetings at which she contradicted the minister's teaching that God is stern and punitive, she was told to stop. Although threatened with banishment for disturbing the peace of the colony, Anne Hutchinson refused to be silenced, no matter the consequences.

The inspiring true story of one of our country's first heroines is brought stunningly to life in oil paintings rich with historical detail.

Children's Literature

In 1634, the Hutchinson family travels with a group of Puritans across the ocean to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Anne, the mother of the family, helps deliver babies and also lectures on Scripture. As the seasons pass, people question the right of a woman to preach. When she is challenged for disturbing the peace in 1637, she refuses to stop and is ordered to leave the colony in the spring after imprisonment through the winter. In 1638, several families move on. This fictionalized story of just part of Hutchinson s life emphasizes the point of view of Anne s daughter Susanna along with Anne s search for freedom. The lengthy dramatic text is reinforced with Dooling s naturalistic paintings, which also emphasize the drama of early settler life. The focus is on the characters with just enough historic context. The artist uses light, both natural and firelight, to add emotional content. An afterword fills in the factual background history. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz