Writing for Freedom: A Story about Lydia Maria Child Book

A biography of the woman who risked her success in the male-dominated literary world of nineteenth-century America to become a passionate advocate for the abolition of slavery. ...

Children's Literature

This biography about the life and works of writer and abolitionist Lydia Maria Child will be a nice addition to women's studies collections, as well as biography collections for intermediate readers. Stux portrays Child as a young woman who was out of the ordinary for her time, with radical ideas about slavery and women's rights. She was also an accomplished writer for children and adults. Like similar women of the period, Child faced and overcame societal barriers and pressures because of her gender, her opinions and her chosen career. Stux, a fine writer, has presented the life of Child in interesting and creative text. The black-and-white pencil drawings by Young add sustenance to the overall effect. Stux has authored another collection of biographies entitled, Eight Who Made a Difference: Pioneer Women in the Arts. This book is worth purchasing for a school library with a curriculum that studies American writers, civil rights and women's issues. Part of the "Creative Minds Biography" series. 2000, Carolrhoda Books, $21.27. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Betsy Barnett