A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal
Encyclopedia
A Gathering of Days; A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32 is a historical novel
by Joan Blos
that won the 1980 Newbery Medal
for excellence in American children's literature
.
The book is written in the form of a journal
kept by Catherine Hall, a young girl living in a rural village in New England
with her widower father and younger sister. The journal details her daily life between the years of 1830 and 1832. Among the events of these two years are several that would have a profound impact on the rest of her life. These include her assistance to an escaped slave, her father's remarriage, and the sudden death of her best friend.
Catherine introduces herself as 'aged 13 years, 6 months, 29 days, of Meredith in the state of New Hampshire
'. She then goes on the give an almost day-to-day report of the happenings that occur. At various intervals, she also includes quotes from her speller or her school textbook
.
, so for most of the journal she is fourteen. Her best friend is Cassie, who dies during the course of the journal. She has blue eyes.
Catherine has a younger sister, Matty. Her mother died four years before the journal takes place. Her father remarried in May, 1831, and his wife, a widow, brought her own son to live with them, called Daniel.
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
by Joan Blos
Joan Blos
Joan Winsor Blos is an author, teacher and Advocate for Children and Literature. In 1980, she won the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award for A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal...
that won the 1980 Newbery Medal
Newbery Medal
The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
for excellence in American children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
.
The book is written in the form of a journal
Journal
__FORCETOC__A journal has several related meanings:* a daily record of events or business; a private journal is usually referred to as a diary....
kept by Catherine Hall, a young girl living in a rural village in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
with her widower father and younger sister. The journal details her daily life between the years of 1830 and 1832. Among the events of these two years are several that would have a profound impact on the rest of her life. These include her assistance to an escaped slave, her father's remarriage, and the sudden death of her best friend.
Plot
The book begins with a letter from the 82-year-old owner of the journal, now Catherine Hall Onesti, to her great-granddaughter, Catherine. The writer tells the recipient about the journal she is sending her, of her own life at age fourteen. Then the journal begins.Catherine introduces herself as 'aged 13 years, 6 months, 29 days, of Meredith in the state of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
'. She then goes on the give an almost day-to-day report of the happenings that occur. At various intervals, she also includes quotes from her speller or her school textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
.
Catherine Hall
Catherine, called Cath by her friends, is thirteen at the start of the book, and has a birthday about MayMay
May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days.May is a month of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere and spring in the Northern Hemisphere...
, so for most of the journal she is fourteen. Her best friend is Cassie, who dies during the course of the journal. She has blue eyes.
Catherine has a younger sister, Matty. Her mother died four years before the journal takes place. Her father remarried in May, 1831, and his wife, a widow, brought her own son to live with them, called Daniel.