Krisher, Trudy. Uncommon Faith. Holiday House, 2003. ISBN  978-0823417919 263 pp. $

*****

I read all the Judy Blume books over and over again when I was growing up. I loved them all but was especially attached to Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself. Don’t know what it was about that book, but I loved it! I’m quite surprised that Deenie was chosen to be made into a movie–it just doesn’t seem like a film that will sell. But what do I know?

Just finished a new YA book, Uncommon Faith by Trudy Krisher. It is narrated by all the folks in the town of Millsbrook, Massachusetts and the story pretty much revolves around Faith Common, a most uncommon and rebellious girl in the 1830s. The trick is that Faith Common is not one of the narrators. We never hear her voice-yet much of the action in the story is caused by her courage, intelligence, strength and honesty.

This is a remarkable look at feminism in its earliest stages. Women want to be heard, they quit sewing. Women want to be heard, they write unacceptable things in their copy books at school. Women find a way to make things right. This is a historical fiction novel that takes place in the early days of abolitionism. Read it–love it!