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Jean Fritz and Her Works

Jean Fritz was born on November 16, 1915 and spent her first 13 years in China, where her parents were directors of the Hankow YMCA. She was an only child, and spent more time with storybook characters than with real people. She was a proud American who wanted more than anything to actually live in America.

She has told her own story in her autobiography for children: Homesick: My Own Story. It's suitable for ages eight through adult, and is very appropriate for unit studies on China in the 1920's. Jean makes the Yangtse River come alive with its coolies hauling water, women washing clothes, swarming houseboats, and junks with eyes painted on their prows. She lets us know how it felt to be a proud American (though one born in China) in a British school, forced to sing "God Save the King" every day. And she gives us her child's eye perspective on the growing turmoil in China, especially in Hankow and Wuchang, as the Chinese people became more and more suspicious of foreigners, and warlords, Nationalists and Communists vied with each other for power. Being called a "foreign devil" took some getting used to, and several times the family had some very narrow escapes.

Throughout all her Chinese adventures, Jean never forgot that she was an American, and she was very eager to return to her native land. What she didn't expect was how difficult it would be to fit into American culture when she finally got home to her grandparents' farm in Pennsylvania. She was shocked when American children asked her what it was like to eat a rat. And she took offense when her classmates referred to the Chinese as "chinks."

I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about either Jean Fritz or China. It would make an excellent book to read to the entire family, for there is much to discuss. From Chinese culture to the tactics of Communists in taking over a country, to how to fit into a new culture, there is much to learn.

Jean and her family returned to America in 1928, when Jean was 13. When she wrote her first book, 121 Pudding Street, she had already graduated from Wheaton College (1937), had married Michael Fritz in 1941, and was the mother of two children, David and Andrea. She had lived in Hartford, Connecticutt, New York City, on the West Coast during World War II, and had finally wound up in Dobb's Ferry, New York by 1951. Although she wrote other types of books, she most enjoyed bringing historical figures to life -- especially those who lived during the time right before and just after the American Revolution. Her biographical fiction is laced with enough humor to make her stories fun to read. Besides Homesick: My Own Story (BTH-2605, $5.39-D), I try to keep the following Jean Fritz books in stock:

Around the World in a Hundred Years. These ten true tales of 15th-century explorers bring history to life, with accounts of the exploits of Christopher Columbus, Bartholomew Diaz, Ponce de Leon, and others. Reading level 5.9. Interest level grades 6-8. 128 pages. BTH-2602. $8.09-D

And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? Most people have heard of Paul Revere's famous midnight ride, but Jean Fritz tell us some other fascinating things that Paul Revere did. 48 pages. For ages 8-11. BTH-2589. $5.36-D

Brady. Fiction. Brady has never been trusted with secrets, until now. When he discovers an Underground Railroad station near his family's farm, he is forced to make his own decision about the slavery controversy. Whatever his decision may be, he knows that this is one secret that must be kept. Reading level 5.6. Target age group, middle school. 224 pages. BTH-2603. $6.29-D

Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt!  The story of the 26th American President as only Jean Fritz can tell it. 127 pages. Reading level 6.8. Target age 10-14. BTH-2604

Brendan the Navigator: A History Mystery About the Discovery of America. Fritz was so interested in this legend of the Monk who sailed off to find Paradise and may or may not have discovered America before the Vikings, that she went to Ireland to research it. We'll probably never know for sure whether St. Brendan found what we now know is America, but the story of his life and travels makes very interesting reading. 32 pages. For ages 8-11.BTH-2591. $5.36-D

The Cabin Faced West. For Ann Hamilton, life out west was anything but adventurous. In fact, she had never been lonelier. She longed for the ease and comfort of the days with friends back in Gettysburg -- until a stranger rode into Hamilton Hill and changed her life forever. 124 pages. Reading level 5.1. For ages 9-12. BTH-2609. $5.39
 

Can't You Make Them Behave King George? Most American children know that America used to be a British colony before it won its independence, and we celebrate that independence every July 4. In this book, Jean Fritz shows how King George III of England felt about that and what he did to try to deal with what he considered a rebellious bunch of subjects. This is the story of the American Revolution from the British point of view. 48 pages. For ages 8-11. BTH-2598

The Double Life of Pocahontas. Jean Fritz reveals the true story of Pocahontas, a woman trapped between two cultures. Reading level 5.9. For ages 12 and up. BTH-2610. $5.39-D

George Washington's Breakfast. George Washington Allen was very proud of two things -- his name and his birthday -- both of which had also belonged to his hero . Because of this he wanted to know everything it was possible to know about his namesake, so he asked a lot of questions, read a lot of books, and even visited his hero's home, Mt. Vernon. But there was one question he couldn't seem to get an answer to -- what did George Washington have for breakfast? Not even the people at Mount Vernon had the answer to that one. But George's grandmother said if he could find out what George Washington had for breakfast, she'd cook it for him then and there. And George W. Allen was determined to find out. For ages 8-11. Unpaginated. BTH-2599. $5.39-D

The Great Little Madison.  Learn more about the president who used his quiet eloquence, intelligence and passion for unified colonies to help shape the Constitution. His efforts helped steer the America through the turmoil of two wars and ensure that our government and nation survived intact. 159 pages. Reading level 7.7. For ages 10-14. BTH-2608. $5.39-D

Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Beecher Preachers. Harriet Beecher Stowe grew up in a family in which her seven brothers were expected to be successful preachers and the four girls were never to speak in public. But when slavery made her so angry she had to speak out, she used her pen instead of her voice, and the book she wrote, Uncle Tom's Cabin, changed the course of American history.  Illustrated with black and white photographs. 144 pages. For ages 8-12. Reading level 6.6. BTH-2606. $5.39-D

Shh! We're Writing the Constitution. Pictures by Tomie dePaola. As we look back at our history, we are so used to being the United States of America that it's hard to imagine a time when we weren't. History books move pretty quickly from the Declaration of Independence to the Revolutionary War to the Constitutional Convention and the writing of the Constitution of the United States of America. But Jean Fritz tells us in this book, as Paul Harvey would say, "the rest of the story." Although the United States was a dream of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, there were many others, even Patrick Henry, who believed there should be no strong national government with any real power to impose its will on the many separate states, who, at the time, felt more like countries. This book tells the story of how we got from there to here. The text of the Constitution is at the back of the book, bringing the total pages to 64. For ages 8-11. BTH-2600. $8.06-D

Stonewall, by Jean Fritz. Black and white drawings by Stephen Gammell. 152 pages and bibliography. No one who knew this man as a child or at West Point ever pictured him as a future hero, but the Civil War gave this man a chance to shine. It brought out his strengths and revealed him as one of the most brilliant and heroic military leaders in America. For upper elementary students and older. 5.95.

Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold. Benedict Arnold was a reckless man, and when he joined the Army to fight the British, he became even more reckless. He wanted to be the leader and hero in every battle, and never wanted to surrender. Why would such a man desert to the British and betray his country? 192 pages.Reading level 7.5. Target age 10 and up.  BTH-2607. $5.39-D

What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? Fritz is known for being able to tell her stories in a lightly humorous vein, and this is especially true as she introduces Benjamin Franklin and his constant interest in trying out his new ideas. It is hard to find another man in American history who accomplished so much in so many different arenas -- inventions, government, writing, statesmanship, printing, and more. He even founded the first circulating libraries and the postal system. What the author couldn't fit into the story she put in footnotes on the book's last page. 48 pages. For ages 8-11. BTH-2592. $5.36-D

Where Do You Think You're Going, Christopher Columbus? Christopher Columbus was sure he knew where he was going -- to the Indies. And when he got back to Spain, he thought he'd been there, even though the scenery didn't quite match what anyone expected. No one could convince him he'd found a whole new world. That wasn't what he'd planned at all! 48 pages. For ages 8-11. BTH-2590. $5.36-D

Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May? Patrick Henry was a boy who liked to be outdoors -- not fidgeting in classrooms. When he grew up he became a lawyer because he enjoyed listening to arguments. Of course, lawyers also have to be able to argue themselves, and Patrick found that much harder. He wasn't much of a speaker, and he often mumbled. But when the issue being debated was America's freedom, Patrick suddenly found his tongue and was able to throw his voice far enough for all to hear. He became famous for his speeches, and is best known for the one he dramatically acted out, seeming to plunge a letter opener into his heart as he cried, "give me liberty or give me death!" 48 pages. For ages 8-11. $5.36-D

Who's That Stepping on Plymouth Rock? Everyone knows that the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock. Right? Well, maybe. Jean Fritz uses this book to tell us the true story of the rock and its history since that day the Pilgrims came to what came to be Plymouth. 31 pages. For ages 8-11. BTH-2601. $6.29-D

Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? For ages 8-11. John Hancock is remembered by most for making his signature on the Declaration of Independence so large that the King of England would not need his spectacles to read it. But there's a lot more to learn about John than that, including how he developed that famous signature of his. As a boy he lived in Boston, and because his family was rich he always had what he needed. As a young man he was quite extravagant, but often spent his money on others and on his community. This helped him become quite popular. But he was not popular with King George, and as he grew older, he used his time, influence and resources able to help fight for an independent America. And he lived to see that dream come true. 48 pages. BTH-2587. $5.36-D

Still under construction.

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