Nonfiction Book Review: THE FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE: THE TRUE AND DRAMATIC STORY OF PRUDENCE CRANDALL

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jurmain, Suzanne. 2005. THE FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE: THE TRUE AND DRAMATIC STORY OF PRUDENCE CRANDALL AND HER STUDENTS. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780618473021

2. PLOT SUMMARY
When I think of the fighters of civil rights for African-Americans images like of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr, and Thurgood Marshall pop into my head. However through reading THE FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE: THE TRUE AND DRAMATIC STORY OF PRUDENCE CRANALL AND HER STUDENTS, I can now without a doubt add her name to this list.

Between the hardcover bindings of this book lies an interesting and relatively unknown story of Prudence Crandall, a teacher of an all girls school in Canterbury, Connecticut. Originally, Prudence Crandall served as teacher/owner to a boarding school for all white children. One of her workers, an African-American girl named Mariah introduced her to two things that would change her life forever: The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper, and Sarah Harris, her first African-American student. Needless to say this outraged the community of Canterbury and they threatened to take their children out of the school if she decided to keep the African-American student in the school.

Not only did Prudence Crandall keep the African-American student, she decided to change her school from an all white girls’ school to an exclusively African-American school. This news further upset the residents of Canterbury. To show their disapproval of Miss Crandall’s school the residents verbally attacked, harassed, and jailed Miss Crandall and her students. The state even having a law created to prevent the education of out of state African-Americans. Though Prudence Crandall did fight hard to keep her school open the school did eventually have to close and Prudence moved to Kansas with her husband. Though Prudence Crandall’s school wasn’t a long term success, this is a wonderful book to share with children.


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Overall, the author Suzanne Jurmain does a great job with the organization, design, and style of this text. Jurmain’s decision to name to book THE FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE, was a very smart move. Just the word “forbidden” peaks the interest of children and adults alike to at least pick it up to see what is forbidden and why. As the readers is browsing and/or reading the book he/she will be impressed by the several access features that are included in the book. Some access features that are present for easy access to information are the table of contents, index, and author’s notes sections. For the more visual learner, the author includes photographs (past and present day) of students, Prudence, her supporters, her foes, and of the school which are mixed with illustrations taken from newspapers printed at the time Prudence was running the school. Each photograph and illustration includes a caption that explains the picture. Including these pictures gives the reader a chance to visualize what it was like to be at Miss Crandall’s school during this time period and also give the readers a sense of the times and danger Miss Crandall and her students were in.

Yet, the access feature I think readers will enjoy the most is the Appendix that tells the readers what happened to all the people mentioned in this book. Being able to read what happened to the featured people in this book, gives the reader a since of closure after they finish reading the book. However, if a reader wanted to find out more information about this topic Jurmain includes a very detailed bibliography which helps the reader know that this book was well researched. Inviting and very informative, this book is a great read.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “This book offers a fresh look at the climate of education for African Americans and women in the early 1800s. Report writers and recreational readers alike will find it informative.”

BOOKLIST review: “Jurmain has plucked an almost forgotten incident from history and has shaped a compelling, highly readable book around it.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Research other stories of children of color who had to face adversities to attend school and compare those stories to that of Prudence Crandall and her students.
Examples: Little Rock 9 and Ruby Bridges
*Other books that are focus on Prudence Crandall and her school for African-American girls
Alexander, Elizabeth & Nelson, Marilyn. MISS CRANDALL’S SCHOOL FOR YOUNG LADIES AND LITTLE MISSES OF COLOR. ISBN: 9781590784563
Lucas, Eileen. PRUDENCE CRANDELL. ISBN: 9781575054803
Lucas, Eileen. PRUDENCE CRANDELL: TEACHER FOR EQUAL RIGHTS. ISBN: 9781575054797