Parents' Guide to

The Fifth of March

By Monica Wyatt, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

So-so historical fiction mixed with romance.

Book Ann Rinaldi Historical Fiction 1993
The Fifth of March Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

Poncho93
Poncho93 Parent of 14-year-old
February 28, 2010
age 12+

The best book that I have ever read!!!

This is the best book that I have ever read!! Ann Rinaldi is an amazing author that paints a very realistic back drop for her heart felt writings. Yes there is a little bit of romance in this story but is very innocently done and the main character handles every romantic situation very maturely and respectfully. When I have a daughter I would be proud to have her handle the situations with boys in her life this way. and yes she does sneak out of the house a couple of times but when she is caught she admits to what she was doing, apologies for it then she faces the consequence in a very mature way. I hated reading before this book but it showed me that reading can be a very rewarding experience. (It does have a few words that the other solders use so I think that you should be 12 or 13 before you read it.)

This title has:

Too much swearing
Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
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What's the Story?

Rachel works as an indentured servant to John and Abigail Adams in Boston during the early 1770s. She admires them greatly, but falls in love with Matthew, a British soldier who kills an American in the Boston Massacre. Rachel can't decide where her loyalties lie. Many kids will enjoy reading this, and they'll learn some history along the way.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

Ann Rinaldi has been tempting teenagers to read romances and learn some real history for over a decade; this doesn't stand out as her best effort, but it's a useful book. Rinaldi often writes in sentence fragments. The deliberately choppy writing style slows the pace of the book, but Rachel's inner struggle for independence still holds many readers' attention.

Rinaldi devotes most of the book to Rachel's evolving thinking. Except for a few riots, the incidents culminating in the Boston Massacre don't occur until more than halfway into the story. Rachel, Boston, the Revolution, romance, and the concept of independence dominate the story. Rachel's movement toward her own liberty mirrors the evolution of the "plain Americans."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the heroine's conflicted loyalties. What does independence mean for Rachel?

Book Details

  • Author: Ann Rinaldi
  • Genre: Historical Fiction
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Harcourt Brace
  • Publication date: November 30, 1993
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 14
  • Number of pages: 333
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

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