Colonial Voices - Hear them Speak: It's December 16th, 1773, and Boston is about to explode! Meet Ethan, errand boy for the printer and spy for the Sons of Liberty. Follow him through Boston as he does his chores for Patriots, Loyalists, and those who are in-between. What will happen now?  

Booklist , May 15^th issue.(Starred Review). Also, Book Links (July, '08):
Winters, who so successfully captured the common folk in Voices of Egypt (2005), offers an even more layered and textured group of voices here. It’s December 16, 1773, and “Boston is about to explode.”. So begins a glorious introduction to the Boston Tea Party, which is so much more. There’s the printer, the baker and the shoemaker, who are secret patriots; the milliner, who says, “Pay [the tax]! Count your blessings. I prefer the King to a rabble-rousing mob!” The tavern keeper, the blacksmith’s slave, the Native American basket maker, and others have their say. Winter’s strong, moving text is supported by a thoughtful design and rich paintings capture the individuals and their circumstances as well as what’s at stake.. This does for colonial times what the 2007 Newbery Medal book, Good Masters, Sweet Ladies, does for the Middle Ages. —Ilene Cooper

School Library Journal ,June, '08, (Starred Review):
Colonial Bostonians introduce themselves through free-verse vignettes… A glossary is included to help children with terms such as “fripperies,” “journeyman,” “limner,” “hackle,” and “wag-on-the-wall.” Historical notes go into more detail about each person’s job and compare similar positions in the northern and southern colonies. Both men and women are portrayed; while most characters are white, a Native American woman and a male African slave are also featured. A unique presentation for all libraries.–Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher’s School, Richmond, VA

Kirkus Reviews(April, '08):
Ever wonder what it felt like to be in Boston on December 16, 1773 - the day of the infamous Boston Tea Party? Everyone has an opinion about the King and his tea tax. By nightfall..., the patriots opt to turn Boston harbor into a teapot and defy the King. Told from the perspectives of ordinary citizens engaged in ordinary work, the text conveys the diversity and defiance of the times. Engaging ink-and-watercolor illustrations contrast the drama of this historical event with details of everyday life in the streets and shops of colonial Boston. Savory historical fare.

Winner of the 2009 Carol Otis Hurst Children's Book Prize, sponsored by the Westfield, MA Athenaeum: the Milton Burrall Whitney Library, the Jasper Rand Art Museum, and the Edwin Smith Historical Museum.
Book of the Month (October, 2008), Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children.   

Award Nominations/State Reading Lists:

Indiana Library Federation - Young Hoosier Book Award(Intermediate) 2011-2012
Virginia State Reading Association - Virginia Readers Choice List 2011-2012
South Carolina Association of School Librarians - Children's Book Award List 2010-2011
Texas Christian Schools Association - Children's Crown Award 2010-2011
New York State Reading Association - The Charlotte Award 2010
Pennsylvania Reading Association - Keystone to Reading Book Award List 2009-2010
Delaware State Reading Association - Delaware Diamond Book Award List 2009-2010
Nominated for the Cybils Award (2008)

Best Book Lists:

National Council for the Social Studies - Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People (2009)
International Reading Association - Teacher's Choices List (2009)
Texas Library Association - Recommended Books Published in 2008
Peggy Sharp, Educational Consultant - Best New Children's Books List
Barbara Kiefer, Charlotte S. Huck Professor, Ohio State University - Favorite Books for 2008