Rashi's Daughter, Secret Scholar
Based on her adult books about the daughters of Biblical scholar Rashi, Anton introduces Joheved and her sister, Miriam, who are living in eleventh-century France. Though the book spans years, readers come to know the sisters only superficially, and time and place is all. Anton provides a detailed but never boring look at what life was like at the time for residents of Troyes in general and Jewish girls in particular. In some ways, it’s what one might expect—keeping religious holidays, making a home—but these sisters are also privileged and study the Torah (against their mother’s wishes). Moreover, Joheved knows the family business, winemaking, and Miriam prepares to be a midwife. Throughout Anton does a masterful job of explaining the intricacies of medieval life, from how a grape is picked to the way paper is made, why certain amulets are used in childbirth, and the system of taxation on wine. With several important female characters besides the sisters, this beautifully shows the rich diversity of  women and the lives they lead, even long ago. Grades 8-12. --Ilene Cooper