Anne Hutchinson's Way

by Jeannine Atkins, Michael Dooling (Illustrator)

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.  Anne Hutchinson's Way is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 24, 2007

About the author

Jeannine Atkins is the author of Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science, Grasping Mysteries: Girls Who Loved Math, and Little Woman in Blue: A Novel of May Alcott. She teaches in the MFA program at Simmons College. You can learn more on her website at http://www.Jeannineatkins.com.

Reviews

[Karen Witzler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good children's picture book biography of Anne Hutchinson - early New England colonist and Puritan reformer. Setting is the Massachusetts Bay Colony under Governor Winthrop in 1634 (not long after the Pilgrims) and point-of-view is that of Susanna; next to youngest of Anne's 14 children. (Read the short Afterword and you will understand why Susanna is the narrator.)Describes the voyage, the early colony, enough about the Puritan religion and the new-found importance of Scripture and individual interpretation to render the story of Anne's arrest and expulsion comprehensible to young minds. Some information on her 14 children and her practice of midwifery is included as well as an illustration of a man in the stocks. Very satisfying with well-matched illustrations. Adult readers may choose to withhold the story of her life after expulsion (described in a brief Afterword in small print, clearly intended for adults), but it is just as fascinating, culminating in her death along with her younger children in an Algonquian raid against the colonists. Anne disavowed guns and this is another point of discussion. Our narrator Susanna survived and was an Algonquian captive for several years... but that is another story. Based on this picture book , I am moving the biography for adult readers American Jezebel: The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, the Woman Who Defied the Puritans up on my reading priority list.

[(NS) Heatherk · Rating 1 out of 5]

Before reading this story, I did not know much about the challenges people faced with regards to religion in the New World. Anne was a natural leader, who held meetings in her home as she read Scripture. Some people in the town become angry about Anne's practices. Acts of violence took place as a result and Anne was summoned to court. Anne's story is interesting as I learned more about the struggles people faced prior to freedom of speech.

I did not enjoy the illustrations in this story. They were dark and uninviting. There were some pages with people being hung which I was surprised by.

[Logan Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personal Reaction:
I thought that this was a very informative book, but I fear that it will not hold children's attention very well. The book did a terrific job of relaying the struggles and persecution that puritans had to deal with in the colonies. The illustration are very bleak and dark, but represented the sternest that the puritans were. While the book is based on the historical figure, Anne Hutchinson, it was fictionalized based on what the author said in the afterword. While it portrayed Anne Hutchinson as a smart and brave women of the time, the book in my opinion would not be a great book to share with children that are below 5th grade.

Purposes:
This picture book would work well for a 5th grade class that is covering social studies or the colonies to be more exact. By reading aloud to the class, the teacher can teach the class about the lives of both puritans and Anne Hutchinson. The book does a terrific job of writing in an appropriate manner for children and is complimented by beautiful illustrations. The illustrations represent the time very well by providing the reader with ideas of what clothes and structures were like at that time. As a teacher, you could also have your students read this book independently. After they are finished they can be assigned a project of writing out a timeline of Anne Hutchinson's life or a research assignment. While the book is informative, it jumps around a lot so it is probably best to just use it as an introduction to a unit on Hutchinson.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne Hutchinson was a Puritan who came to America in the 1630s shortly after the original Plimoth colonists. What I like about this book is that is demonstrates freedom of religion. Many books about the Pilgrims and early colonists talk about religious freedom, but it is a concept lost on children. This makes it clearer and more concrete. I also liked that it details Anne Hutchinson, a very smart and brave woman.
The oil paintings are rich and exquisite and capture the sternness of the Puritans,their rigidity, and the bleak times faced by those coming to the new world. There are great details in the clothing and homes that will enhance a study of the 17th century.
The book does leave a few holes--the story is not seamless, but hopefully it will pique a desire to learn more.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

i saw this at the library when i was taking my US history class. It wasn't until the very end that it said it was a fictionalized account. For a children's book, it was especially uninteresting. It was told from the perspective of the youngest of 9 children but I was never sure how old she was and I didn't feel any emotion as I read it. If I hadn't have been studying Anne Hutchinson, I don't think I would have even understood what exactly the author was trying to get across.

[(NS) Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Violinknitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story itself was good, told from the perspective of Anne's young daughter Susanna & full of the uncertainty of life in colonial New England. The illustrations are rather dull, though. Interesting faces, but otherwise quite drab. (Sure, if you're trying to show drabness of a Puritan lifestyle, muted earth tones might be a good idea, but this is a book for kids, and the illustrations need to be visually captivating.)

[Diana Gagliardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical information abt an amazing woman, told through the eyes of her youngest daughter. Anne Hutchinson thought that God had to be about love and was exhiled for refusing to be quiet; as a woman she was not supposed to preach so she was sent away by men who wanted her to be quiet.

I think this is such an important story and, once again, explains why I don't like Puritans.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the theme but wonder if the picture book format is ideal for this story. Might it not work better to add more and make it JFiction?

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne was a woman who wouldn't be silenced. This book captures her life, told through the eyes of her young daughter. Well done!

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a fictional book based on the real Hutchinson family. I would have rather read the real story.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad ending, but interesting woman... with a Rhode Island connection.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction
3rd-5th
Anne Hutchinson was a strong, brave woman that stood strong in her beliefs. Her family and her left England to go to America for religious freedom, then were caught in the same deal and was kicked out of their little settlement after living there for three years. Anne Hutchinson is a great example of standing strong in your beliefs even when it’s tough.

[Kary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always been interested in colonial American history - probably because my ancestors came to America on the Mayflower, so I really enjoyed this. Would be a great classroom read during a colonial unit.