Outrageous Women of Colonial America
Gr. 3-6. From the Outrageous Women series, this volume presents 14 notable figures from colonial America. The first section on New England includes famous names such as Ann Hutchinson, Deborah Samson, Elizabeth "Mumbet" Freeman, Abigail Adams, and Phillis Wheatley. The sections on the middle colonies and the South focus primarily on lesser-known women in American history. Furbee makes some interesting choices. For instance, Betsy Ross is included not as the maker of the first American flag, a claim that the author notes is debatable, but as a woman who "plotted her own course in life, founded a new religious group, survived three husbands, and built a thriving family business." The decidedly colorful tone of the writing ("Anne really got the Puritans' knickers in a twist") makes the series a bit more lively than most history books. The black-and-white illustrations include maps and simple line drawings as well as reproductions of period paintings and engravings. An interesting addition to history shelves.Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved