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A Girl Named Mary
A Girl Named Mary tells the story of Mary, the Mother of Jesus as a young girl. Though she has a much older sister, she’s raised as an only child. Her cousin, Rebekka, is her closet friend and confidant. Together they grow and learn how to maneuver in a culture that is steeped in tradition. One that looks backward instead of forward for solutions to problems. Mary cares about others, helps the sick and disadvantaged and is a voice, albeit a young voice, for women.
At twelve, Mary was betrothed to an older man who had sons her age. She resisted this arrangement strongly. She argued with her parents against the betrothal with every bit of logic and strength she had but found this tradition beyond her ability to fight. The marriage took place and she was rewarded by the birth of a beautiful baby boy, Jesus.
At twelve, Mary was betrothed to an older man who had sons her age. She resisted this arrangement strongly. She argued with her parents against the betrothal with every bit of logic and strength she had but found this tradition beyond her ability to fight. The marriage took place and she was rewarded by the birth of a beautiful baby boy, Jesus.
202 pages, Paperback
Published June 27, 2016
1 person is currently reading
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About the author
Mary Jo Nickum
26 books78 followersMary J. Nickum is a retired librarian, who is now an editor and freelance writer. Her primary focus is on science for the public. She has chosen to extend her science for the public outreach to children.
Mary earned a B.A. degree in English education at Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin, a Masters in Librarianship at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington and a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies from Oregon State University. She worked as a science librarian at US Environmental Protection Agency, National Water Quality Laboratory in Duluth, MN, as Oceanography/Zoology librarian at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR and as Project Manager of the Fish and Wildlife Reference Service in Rockville, MD.
She is a former editor of The Progressive Fish-Culturist, Editor-in-Chief of the Intermountain Journal of Science, and currently edits the World Aquaculture magazine.
Mary’s articles are published in: Hatchery International, Aquaculture Magazine, Northern Aquaculture and Fish Farming News.
She is currently working on several nonfiction books for children.
Mary earned a B.A. degree in English education at Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin, a Masters in Librarianship at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington and a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies from Oregon State University. She worked as a science librarian at US Environmental Protection Agency, National Water Quality Laboratory in Duluth, MN, as Oceanography/Zoology librarian at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR and as Project Manager of the Fish and Wildlife Reference Service in Rockville, MD.
She is a former editor of The Progressive Fish-Culturist, Editor-in-Chief of the Intermountain Journal of Science, and currently edits the World Aquaculture magazine.
Mary’s articles are published in: Hatchery International, Aquaculture Magazine, Northern Aquaculture and Fish Farming News.
She is currently working on several nonfiction books for children.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 16, 2017
When I took an interest in "A Girl Named Mary", I presumed there would be some fiction involved but I thought that it would be around scripture not changing scripture.
In the Bible, Mary was told by an angel that she would give birth to Jesus. In this book a handsome Roman soldier, that Mary obviously finds attractive, tells her in a toast at a meal that "you will give birth to a son that will change the world".
Bible says that Joseph "did not know Mary till after the birth of Jesus", not so in this book, Joseph "knows" Mary then she tells him she is expecting. Never any angels involved.
In this book, Jesus was born at home with a mid-wife, not in a stable far from home.
To me this book puts a question as to Jesus being the Son of God and as a Christian I find it offensive.
In the Bible, Mary was told by an angel that she would give birth to Jesus. In this book a handsome Roman soldier, that Mary obviously finds attractive, tells her in a toast at a meal that "you will give birth to a son that will change the world".
Bible says that Joseph "did not know Mary till after the birth of Jesus", not so in this book, Joseph "knows" Mary then she tells him she is expecting. Never any angels involved.
In this book, Jesus was born at home with a mid-wife, not in a stable far from home.
To me this book puts a question as to Jesus being the Son of God and as a Christian I find it offensive.
June 29, 2016
Warmly written and full of interest
Mary's tale will attract and hold the attention of young readers - and even this adult (and demanding) one. The story begins on the eve of Jesus' birth, then backtracks to that of Herod's excesses, and the struggles of Mary's parents, Anne and Joachim. We are there for Mary's birth, girlhood, and adolescence, and witness her development into a virtuous yet occasionally rebellious and questioning adolescent, which gives her character depth and believability. She initially rails against her arranged marriage to the much-older Joseph, but at length accepts it with good grace. Customary Christian iconography is subtle; the white dove of the Holy Spirit is often shown in religious art hovering above the Virgin's head. Here a white dove does appear, but it is escaped from its fate as a temple offering, and has a broken wing. No angel of Annunciation serves as the harbinger of the special nature of the child Mary is to bear, and in fact her wedding day and the period that follows is very much presented as a typical Jewish marriage of the time. (It is a visiting blue-eyed Roman legionnaire who presents the only inking to young Mary that she may be destined for greatness, an interesting and even arresting touch in the narrative.) Period details and Hebrew terms and customs are deftly integrated into the narrative, and Mary herself is presented as an intelligent, spirited, kind, and most of all, thoughtful actor in the immense drama she is central to. It takes ability and imagination to breathe life into a story as well-known as this one, and the author rewards every moment spent by the reader, providing a fresh, vital, and oftentimes surprising retelling of one of history's most revered personalities.
Mary's tale will attract and hold the attention of young readers - and even this adult (and demanding) one. The story begins on the eve of Jesus' birth, then backtracks to that of Herod's excesses, and the struggles of Mary's parents, Anne and Joachim. We are there for Mary's birth, girlhood, and adolescence, and witness her development into a virtuous yet occasionally rebellious and questioning adolescent, which gives her character depth and believability. She initially rails against her arranged marriage to the much-older Joseph, but at length accepts it with good grace. Customary Christian iconography is subtle; the white dove of the Holy Spirit is often shown in religious art hovering above the Virgin's head. Here a white dove does appear, but it is escaped from its fate as a temple offering, and has a broken wing. No angel of Annunciation serves as the harbinger of the special nature of the child Mary is to bear, and in fact her wedding day and the period that follows is very much presented as a typical Jewish marriage of the time. (It is a visiting blue-eyed Roman legionnaire who presents the only inking to young Mary that she may be destined for greatness, an interesting and even arresting touch in the narrative.) Period details and Hebrew terms and customs are deftly integrated into the narrative, and Mary herself is presented as an intelligent, spirited, kind, and most of all, thoughtful actor in the immense drama she is central to. It takes ability and imagination to breathe life into a story as well-known as this one, and the author rewards every moment spent by the reader, providing a fresh, vital, and oftentimes surprising retelling of one of history's most revered personalities.
April 23, 2020
Even tho it was an interesting point of view, it didn't follow on the Catholic teaching of Mary. It's more or less a "would it be possible" theory. But it isn't, at least not according to the Bible. The story was interesting up until Mary and Joseph were married. After that it went down hill. I'm surprised that the Author (being a Catholic herself) would write something like this. But to each their own, I guess. That's why I gave it a star reading.
March 9, 2022
Interesting…not quite what I imagined from my Christmas program days. This particular story is fiction.
November 10, 2016
A bit different with the Birth of Jesus and who was in attendance.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews