Reviews

To My Countrywomen: The Life of Sarah Josepha Hale 
Hale, the editor of such influential nineteenth-century women’s magazines as American Ladies Magazine and Godey’s Lady’s Book, would probably be surprised to hear that she is best known today for writing “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Widowed as a young woman with four small children, she supported her family by working as a shop owner, a writer, and finally a journal editor. Hale was active in many causes, from the completion of the Bunker Hill Monument to the establishment of the national day of Thanksgiving each November. Dubois provides a well-researched and clearly written account of the life and times of Hale, illustrated with black-and-white reproductions of period drawings, engravings, photos, and documents. Though there are no appended notes citing specific pages, the general sources of quotes are usually identified in the text. Appended are a detailed time line, a list of library and historical collections consulted, and a selected bibliography. This sturdy paperback appears to be the only biography of Hale available for young people above the primary-grade level.