Introduction

This book is called “Or Give Me Death,” by Ann Rinaldi. It focuses on how the children of Patrick Henry can manage themselves in their home. Patrick Henry, the father, is part of the House of Burgesses and is a public speaker in the colonies. In one of his speeches he states, “Give me liberty or give me death.” Mrs. Henry, Patrick’s wife, has been ill in her mind and is locked in the cellar to keep her from hurting herself and her children. After three years in the cellar, she says, “Patrick, give me my freedom or kill me.” The question is that did Patrick Henry get his famous line from his wife?

Summary

Patsy Henry has noticed that her mother has been acting a little odd lately. She has tried to drown Edward who is three years old, said that her husband, Patrick Henry is dead, and said that the British army are taking over the home and their colonies! She is confined in the cellar. Patsy must watch the younger children while Patrick, her father, is lecturing to people in other colonies. Patsy is concerned about marrying her neighbor MyJohn. MyJohn helps Patsy’s brother work around the house. Meanwhile, Mrs. Henry is getting worse by the second. She is breaking things in the cellar and lighting things on fire.

Anne, Patsy’s younger sister, knows which daughter will inherit her Mom’s madness. The daughter is Patsy who will inherit the madness. Anne tells Patsy that Anne inherits the madness. She did it to protect Patsy and didn’t want to scare her.

Patsy marries MyJohn and doesn’t get her Mom’s madness. In the next three months, Mrs. Henry died and said to Patrick, “Give me my freedom or kill me,” before she died. Patrick used this in his next speech. This is still a mystery. Did Patrick get his famous line from is wife?

Characters

Patsy Henry- Patsy is the oldest of all the daughters. She is remembered for letting her father, Patrick Henry, lecture to people and do his work. She was remembered because she watched her siblings while Patrick was gone. She eventually marries MyJohn her neighbor.

Patrick Henry- Patrick Henry is the famous speaker who talked about liberty or freedom to other people in the colonies. He used the famous line, ”Give me liberty or give me death.”

Mrs. Henry- Mrs. Henry is the wife of Patrick Henry who is ill in her mind and dies. She tells her youngest daughter Anne that Anne will inherit her mother’s madness. Mrs. Henry is kept in the cellar to keep from hurting her children and herself.

Anne Henry- Anne is the girl in the story who is told by her mother that she will inherit the madness.

Setting

The setting is in the late 1800’s when the United States was under control of Britain. Also it was the time where there were slaves in the United States.

About the Author

Ann Rinaldi is an award-winning author best known for her historical fiction novels. A couple of her books are “A Break with

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Charity: A Story about the Salem Witch Trials” and “Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phyllis Wheatley.” These were both New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age.

Mrs. Rinaldi never attended college. She learned how to get her writing skills by working at The Trentonian, the newspaper in New Jersey. She worked as a columnist there. Ann Rinaldi now has two children and lives in New Jersey.

Book Review

This book was a very good book. I would most definitely recommend it to someone. This was a good story because the author made up a good plot, made me want to keep on reading, and used intensifying words. This book should be a Nobel Prize honor or winner book.