Stink Alley
Grade 4-6 Lizzy and a group of about 150 other Puritans fled  England for Leiden, Holland, in 1608, to escape the Church of  England and practice their own religion. After her father's  death, William Brewster, head of the Separatist movement, takes  in Lizzy. In contrast to the carefree, fun-filled life that  Dutch children live, she is expected to work every day and to  avoid the temptations of Satan. But the 12-year-old finds a bit  of adventure and a great deal of trouble with an 8-year-old boy  who likes to draw. Embarrassed by his odd name, readers must  wait until the end of the story to find out that he is none  other than Rembrandt. Lizzy is an appealingly feisty child (the  only one to ride the windmill all the way around), and the story  provides a glimpse of life in a time and place for which not  much else is available. The title and Gilson's reputation will  attract readers. A historical note explains what happened to the  Separatists and Rembrandt, and the author's speculation about  Lizzy's future in the years following this novel. -Jeanette  Larson, Texas State Library, AustinCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.