Book Giveaway: REVOLUTIONARY PRUDENCE WRIGHT: LEADING THE MINUTE WOMEN IN THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE by Beth Anderson

Beth Anderson has written a new non-fiction picture book, REVOLUTIONARY PRUDENCE WRIGHT: LEADING THE MINUTE WOMEN IN THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE, illustrated by Susan Reagan and published by Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills & Kane. Coming out on February 1st. Beth has agreed to share a copy with one lucky winner living in the United States.

All you have to do to get in the running is leave a comment. Reblog, tweet, or talk about it on Facebook with a link and you will get additional chances to win. Just let me know other things you do to share the good news, so I can put the right amount of tickets in my basket for you.

Sharing on Facebook, Twitter or reblogging really helps spread the word for a new book. So, thanks for helping Beth and Susan. If you have signed up to follow my blog and it’s delivered to you everyday, please let me know when you leave a comment and I will give you an extra ticket. Thanks!

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Here is the first-ever picture book about female Revolutionary War activist Prudence Wright, who rallied the first and only group of “minute women” to fight the British, changing history in the process.

Prudence Wright had a spark of independence.

Annoyed when the British king held back freedoms in colonial Massachusetts, feisty and fearless Prudence had enough. She said no! to British goods, determined to rely on her resourcefulness and ingenuity to get by. And when British troops continued to threaten the lives of her family and community, she assembled and led the “minute women” of Pepperell to break free of tradition.

This untold story of a courageous and brave woman from the Revolutionary War continues to inspire today.

BOOK JOURNEY:

“Minute Women”

What??? Those two words got my attention. As I researched Prudence Cummings Wright, the early days of the American Revolution came “home.” Boycotts of British goods, “The Boston Tea Party,” Paul Revere’s ride, and the battles of Lexington and Concord suddenly became meaningful on a personal level. Prudence’s story brought new light, connecting the dots and providing the reality of life on the home front with its choices and consequences. It was about regular people, like most of us, who live behind the main events of history.

But…there were three slightly different versions of her story handed down. Could I take advantage of that in the telling? My first attempt involved using the “grandmothers” and their variations, clashing at a few points. It was about truth and how stories change over time and differences depending on who’s telling it. Interesting. But this sort of “meta” angle was confusing. Flat. The actual story within the story stalled.

The manuscript sat for nearly a year before I tried again. I drilled down to find the take-away, which is difficult when you have no definitive proof that her actions saved lives or impacted history. The story of one woman’s choices now became a conundrum of choices for me—what details were closest to truth? The story would have to be historical fiction.

Did it matter which brother was involved? Not really. What mattered was the effect on Prudence—that her choice pitted her against her brothers. By examining each piece of the story as I searched for truth, I found the emotional elements that would drive the story and really allow me to bring her character to the page. Communicating with my sources in Pepperell, I saw how her story impacted the town and the women there today. I realized the power of the story….was the story!

Prudence’s decision to join the resistance against the British was the core of the story. In order for young readers to understand her choice and her motivation, I needed to include sufficient information about the setting. I couldn’t assume kids know about the events of the time. So… a lot of information. Context. Uh-oh. The dreaded information dump. Probably my biggest challenge (now that I’d finally latched onto the take-away) was weaving context effectively into character and action.

The most fun part of the writing was the suspense of the climax when Prudence and the women wait by the bridge, not knowing what they’ll face. Using everything I learned about close 3^rd person narration, I zoomed into Prudence’s head.

Revisions continued with editor Carolyn Yoder after the manuscript went under contract in spring 2019 with Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Young Readers. Then, illustrator Susan Reagan signed on, and a new phase of the journey began. One of my favorite moments in creating a picture book is when the sketches come in and the illustrator blows your mind with all they’ve brought to the story.

Susan dove into research and brought magnificent historical details to each page. With the art, the search for historical truth continued. Were there African American women in the community? What about Native Americans? Yes to both! What did the “liberty flag” they raised look like? Only the colors were recorded. What did the meeting house look like? The town common? What about pitchforks? And quilts? What did the bridge look like then? Susan creatively used documents in the art work, so we checked dates and details. One savvy person in the editorial department posed one of the last questions–Was the British flag correct? Research revealed differences in the flags over time. It’s truly an adventure to uncover the past. And creating a picture book definitely takes a village!

I’m thrilled with the final book and can’t wait to share it with young readers on February 1!

BETH’S BIO:

From the start, with poems, plays, and puppet shows, Beth’s elementary teachers encouraged her to write. With stories, memoir pieces, and research papers, she continued to mold words into text. Her itch to write followed her through Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Connecticut, Georgia, Texas, and into Colorado. In 2013, she began writing for children. Combining her love of writing with the joys of discovery and learning, she found her niche with narrative nonfiction and historical fiction picture books.

To Beth, writing is mining. It’s digging deep inside for special memories, emotions, and meaning. It’s burrowing into history for inspiring characters and moments that change the course of events. It’s delving into the how and why and what if and seeing how the past relates to where we are today. Then the search for just the right words begins—words that will create voice, bring characters to life, and reveal the heart of the story.

When she’s not writing, Beth might be weaving, gardening, exploring nature, or playing with her grandkids. Born and raised in Illinois, she now lives near the mountains in Colorado. Beth believes in laughter, learning, and…though we can’t change history, history can change us.
You can learn more about Beth Anderson’s writing journey, read posts from other kid lit people, and get book recommendations at her website: https://bethandersonwriter.com.

Beth Anderson, a former English as a Second Language teacher, has always marveled at the power of books. With linguistics and reading degrees, a fascination with language, and a penchant for untold tales, she strives for accidental learning in the midst of a great story. Beth lives in Loveland, Colorado where she laughs, ponders, and questions; and hopes to inspire kids to do the same. She’s the award-winning author of “Smelly” Kelly and His Super Senses; Lizzie Demands a Seat!,  An Inconvenient Alphabet and Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle. Beth has more historical gems on the way.

SUSAN’S BIO:

Illustration and the love of drawing have dominated Susan’s life since she was a girl.

Her illustration experience has covered a range of products and styles over the years but her focus now is on the storytelling illustration she loves. Her picture books include You & Me, Simon Says, Lights Out, and Revolutionary Prudence Wright Leading the Minute Women in the Fight for Independence, Fall 2021. Susan graduated with a BFA in Illustration from the Columbus College of Art and Design. She teaches illustration techniques as adjunct faculty at The Cleveland Institute of Art. Susan lives with her husband Frank and their furry family in Tremont, a historical neighborhood of her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.

Beth, thank you for sharing your book and journey with us. I love the books you’ve been writing. They have been providing wonderful history. I was not familiar with this story. It is rich with interesting history. You are making learning so much fun and Susan with her wonderful illustrations has brought all that to life in this book. Surely, every page will keep children (and their parents) reading. I look forward to reading more of your books, and thank you Calkins Creek for publishing this story and great book. I know it will be a big success.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy