Dolly Madison Quaker Girl

by Helen Albee Monsell

Dolly Madison Quaker Girl

Genres: Childrens, Biography, Biography Memoir, Nonfiction, Classics, History

Library Binding

First published January 1, 1944

Reviews

[Cindy Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing quite like reading a book you loved as a child to your granddaughter with a few grandsons listening in nearby and asking questions. I will stop here lest I get too philosophical about little girls and grandmothers.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite childhood books. Fortunately, my local public library still has a copy so I was able to re-read it after ordering a copy for a goddaughter for her birthday recently. I found I remembered so much about the story, which led to a life-long admiration of Dolly Madison. My grandmother, like author Helen Albee Mansell, had deep Virginia roots. Coming back to this book was like hearing her voice again. I still recommend the Childhood of Famous Americans series to young readers. They are well told and convey a sense of American history beautifully. I read that some Goodreads reviewers found this book dated. I can not see why. It depicts American life acurately. Slavery was wrong and courageous men like Dolly Madison's father renounced it. But people lived with each other within this cast system. Why is it wrong to depict this? The experience of the Payne family is, I am sure, accurately told. It is a shame that this book is out of print. I am glad that the series continues. A recent, very fine addition is the story of Rosa Parks. Nothing in this depiction of Dolly Payne Madison's childhood before the American Revolution diminishes Mrs. Parks story. I wish the publisher would bring this one back into print.

[Tammra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to give this book 5 stars. It was the first biography I ever read and I found that I LOVED reading true stories about the lives of other people. It set me forth on a lifetime of biography reading.

[Misti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought about these books the other day. I adored this series (Childhood of Famous Americans) as a kid. I read every single one my library had. I'm only going to rate the ones I remember but these books were some of my favorites.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the first biography I ever read…. Checked out from the Fife Elementary School library, around 1973, when I was in third grade. It gave me a love of Dolly Madison, and I am so happy to have had the chance to revisit this sweet book after all these years.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, man, I *adored* this book as a child. So when Peter at Collecting Children's Books brought up the series, I had to ILL this for a reread. It is impossibly dated, of course, even as a biography, but it's so fun to see how much I remembered - Temple in the dress, making candles, the jewelry in the pouch around her neck, wearing that incredible riding mask to school every day, etc. I need to read an adult bio of her soon.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this multiple times as a child and just adored it. Written to transport you back to that time in history but maintaining the essence of a young girl from any period of time. I still remember the description of the hoop skirts.

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful. One of the first books I read. I used to go to my school library and read all the Historical non fiction they had and I looked for this on Goodreads. I have fond memories of it.

[Anna Smithberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, the reread continues... Here’s our first book to actually address slavery, so points there. But it doesn’t do a great job of it. Honestly, how did I read this as a child and not pick up on this stuff?

[Mary Dysart · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites in this series from my childhood. I would love to reread.

[Sharron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming story of first lady Dolly Madison and her life growing up. This book was presented to me at the end of third grade for reading the most books during the year. I am rereading it before I give to my granddaughter. Book is inscribed: "May you continue to enjoy reading throughout your life." And I have! Thank you, Miss Jacobi!!

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over and over and over as a child. It was definitely a favorite! I hunted it down as an adult and bought it so that I would have my own copy. I was amazed at how much I remembered correctly from the book. Because of this book, I have always been fascinated with Dolly Madison, and paid special attention to her in history classes as I grew up.

[Sparrow12 · Rating 2 out of 5]

OKAY
NOT AS GOOD AS I HOPED FOR