A Season of Sorrow

Our Canadian Girl: Marie-Claire #2

by Kathy Stinson

Of the 3,200 people who died during the smallpox epidemic in 1885, 2,500 of them were children under the age of 10. In A Season of Sorrow , smallpox, which lurked on the periphery of Dark Spring , descends upon Marie-Claire and her family. How they, their community and the church cope with the epidemic, as well as with the controversial vaccine meant to guard against it, is the focus of this story.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Canada, Childrens

Paperback

Published September 10, 2002

About the author

Kathy Stinson, author of internationally acclaimed Canadian children's classic, Red is Best and the TD Award Winner, The Man with the Violin, also writes novels, short stories, and nonfiction for young people of all ages.

Reviews

[Rebecca]

This book is the second about Marie-Claire, a young girl from 1880s Montreal, in the Our Canadian Girl series. The Our Canadian girl books are about young fictional Canadian girls during different periods in history.

The year is 1885 in Montreal. Ten-year-old Marie-Claire thinks life may finally be back to normal again. After months spent at home helping her mother when her father was injured and unable to work, she is finally able to return to school. But life becomes difficult again for the family when a smallpox epidemic spreads through the city. Marie-Claire and her family must struggle to cope with even more tragedy in their lives when Marie-Claire's younger sister becomes ill with smallpox.

Young girls who enjoy historical novels and who read the first book about Marie-Claire, Dark Spring, are sure to enjoy this book as well and will be eager to read the final two books about her. I really enjoyed the historical setting in particular as it was very unique to me.

[Asia]

it was kind of bory but it was easy to read.

[Fari]

I read this an year ago but I barely remember what it's about... It wasn't that catching and memorable but I remember that I didn't exactly like it but I didn't dislike it either. It was Blah!