Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril, and Romance
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this book takes place in 1901 in rural Sellerton, Ontario. Fourteen-year-old Mable and her sister move away from home when her sister is hired as a teacher. In the course of the novel, President McKinley is shot and killed, which causes Mable to reflect on her own feelings over her father's death. Also, there is a description of women being exploited as workers at a cheese making factory, their ensuing protests, and their arrests. One woman is pushed, hits her head, and becomes unconscious. There are also very innocent flirtations between girls and boys in class. This book serves as a enjoyable introduction to turn-of-the-century history, fictionalized for ages 10+.
Families can talk about this period in history. How were the roles of women different? How were the expectations of children different? Would you like to go to school at that time? Why or why not? Though written about a girl in 1901, how is this 14-year-old no different than kids today? Parents can also talk about the suffragette movement in Canada and the U.S. -- who were the key players and what were their goals? Have these goals been met?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Pam Gelman
Told through a diary, letters, poems, and a character-written story, MABLE RILEY relays the exciting story of one girl in rural Canada, 1901. Mable has a hard time not speaking up when provoked, and won't let others get bullied or a mystery go unsolved. She's a strong, likeable character, and though the story is told in old-fashioned prose, Mable remains very relatable to tween readers today.
Mable is adventuresome but her older sister Viola is dutiful and strict, causing friction between the two. Mable finds solace in the company of the town oddball, a woman who wears bloomers instead of long skirts, rides her bicycle for transportation, and has no trouble speaking her mind, especially when it comes to women's rights. She's also a writer, which Mable aspires to be.
Like many 14-year-old girls, Mable is curious about boys and romance. She refers to boys in her class as handsome, describes walking with hands brushing, and experiences her first kiss. She also writes a romance story to entertain her friends back home, but even it ends with a moral message and a strong heroine prevailing. She's still learning about herself, her world, and how to face her problems -- all this making for an interesting story for young readers today.
From The Book
"It's true that Mrs. Rattle is an unusual woman," I said. "But there is no gain in slander." It hovered in my mind whether to state that I admired her beyond any other person. Instead, I made a plain reply. "She has the loveliest home I've ever seen. And nowhere did I see black."
Elizabeth studied me with an interest never before displayed.
"Did you locate her missing husband? Or hear about her family? Is it true she is estranged from them because of her unsuitable convictions?"
"That is not what she reports," I said, my voice sounds strange to my own ears. If only she had reported anything to me! If only I knew the secrets held within her bossom!
Plot Summary:
Mable and her sister Viola move to Sellerton, Ontario in 1901 when Viola is hired to work as the local teacher. Mable is to support her sister and help in the classroom with the younger children. They board at a dairy farm and quickly become topics of conversation in town. Some have reservations about a young female teacher. While her sister is pious, Mable is adventuresome and becomes friendly with a suffragette who lives by herself. When she learns of this woman's plan to help the exploited female workers at a local cheese factory, she wants to help, too.
Related Books:
More Strong Girls of Yesteryear:
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell
When Heaven Fell by Carolyn Marsden
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Sexual ContentMild flirtations between boys and girls, first kisses, hands brushing against each other. Girl watches grown-ups kiss passionately. |
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ViolenceDescription of president shot and killed; women working in poor conditions -- arms immersed in boiling water, working on feet for 10+ hours, women not allowed to talk or punished. Teacher uses strap for disciplining students. Women knocked over while protesting and arrested. |
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LanguageWritten as it would have been spoken in 1901. |
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Social BehaviorMable learns to stand up for what she believes. |
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