Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley

by Ann Rinaldi

Book Overview

Kidnapped from her home in Senegal and sold as a slave in 1761, a young girl is purchased by the wealthy Wheatley family in Boston. Phillis Wheatley--as she comes to be known--has an eager mind and it leads her on an unusual path for a slave--she becomes America's first published black poet. "Strong characterization and perceptive realism mark this thoughtful portrayal."--Booklist

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 015205393X
• ISBN13: 9780152053932
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.4" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Suprisingly Wonderfully Written

When I first learned that I had to read this book for school and what it was about, I began being pessimistic about how interesting the book would be. I was very wrong, though...very wrong. This book is a fiction AND non-fiction book about Phillis Wheatley, a girl who was kidnapped at the age of seven by her greedy uncle's people, as the story says. The rest of the book is about the Wheatleys and their kindness, Nathaniel and Phillis's surprising love for him, Phillis's childhood and entry into young womenhood, her relationships with everyone, and how her intelligence made her different from every other Negro. Phillis tries to discover who she is, as she feels white on the inside, Negro on the outside, on the side of the British, and American. She is shameful of her looks, as most teenagers are, but she wishes to be white. Her Negro friends try to tell her, but she never listens. The plot is wonderful!!!! I am astonished at how wonderful this book was and how well explained it was. I love how Rinaldi makes up her own story at times to fit what she thinks of Phillis. The book is one of the best I have read in a while. I am amazed!!! Now that I know what a greatr author Rinaldi is, I will now read "The Fifth of March", which is also on my summer book list.

Who better to tell this story than Ann Rinaldi?

"Hang a Thousand Trees With Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley" is not one of my favorite books by Ann Rinaldi, but I enjoyed it very much. Having not know anything about Phillis Wheatley, this book told me everything I could possibly ever want to know. The great thing about Rinaldi's books is, that at the end of the story, she tells you what really happened, what didn't happen, who is real, and who is fictional - something many Historical Fiction authors do not do often. The only thing I didn't like was how it seemed Ann Rinaldi did not know if she wanted to make us believe Phillis was a spoiled brat or a young girl who didn't know any better. I still give this book five stars, since this story was told quite well. I recommend.

This Book is Wonderful!

This realistic book shows the world throught the eyes of Phillis Wheatley, a slave girl. Struggling for her place as the first American black poet, Phillis seems real and has her problems, her dislikings, her dilemmas with everyday life, making her seem real. Phillis also has her problems with her race and differences. This book shows how a talented black slave fares in America, a white man's world. This book is wonderful!

First of many!

I saw this book at a book store and I bought it because it sounded interesting. As soon as I read it I entered the fantastic world of Ann Rinaldi. I whizzed through the whole book in just a couple of days, it was all a blur. This book was utterly amazing! Ann Rinaldi has an incredible talent for writing, and as soon as I read this book, I started reading all her others. She is my ultimate favourite author!

This book took my breath away!

I loved this book more than any other Historical fiction novel that I've ever read! It is the story of a young black girl who is kidnapped from her home in Africa, and taken on a slave ship to Boston Mass.{They give you a detailed account of how she was caught and her journey} Soon after, she is taken in by the Wheatley family, and treated as a daughter, not a slave. Nathanial, John Wheately's son, teaches her to read and write. The Wheately's soon realize, that she has a great talent for writing poetry! So, they take her to England to have it published.{because she is black and a woman, they won't publish her work in America}. Once in England, Benjamin Franklin tells her that now that she is in England, she is free! So, the question is, will she betray the family that has treated her so well? Or will she take her long wanted freedom?