40. Booth's Daughter by Raymond Wemmlinger

1. Bibliographic Information:
Wemmlinger, R. (2007). Booth’s Daughter. Honesdale, Pennsylvania: Calkins Creek.
210 pages
ISBN: 978-1-932425-86-4

2. Plot Summary:
Edwina Booth is the daughter of thespian Edwin Booth, and the niece of John Wilkes Booth. At eighteen, Edwina is still haunted by the family name, while still trying to help support her father and ailing step-mother. When she meets Downing Vaux, Downing does not seem to worry about her family background. Edwina though, must leave the east coast for a European tour with her father and step-mother. Despite the absence, when Edwina return, her and Downing’s relationship grows into a courtship and soon the young couple is engaged. Unfortunately the death of Edwina’s step-mother puts her father in a depression, so Edwina once again travels with her father to Europe. Downing unable to accept the fact that Edwina will be committed to the health of her father has somewhat of a nervous breakdown and the engagement is called off. During this time Edwina begins to reexamine her life and her relationship with her family, especially her father. Suddenly, she is seeing her father in a different light. She secretly begins a tentative friendship with Ignatius Grossman, an immigrant businessman. Edwina must chose between her sense of duty to her father and her growing feelings for Mr. Grossman.

3. Critical Evaluation:
Raymond Wemmlinger’s novel shows a different side of a well known story in American History. Wemmlinger’s treatment of the Booth’s family and their tragedies after John Wilkes’ assassination and death seems genuine. The family characters are not treated as black and white cardboard cutouts, but rather people with different agendas, influences, and individual aspirations. The novel is well researched and it is interesting to understand that Wemmlinger’s approach to this novel was founded upon his own interest in this historical era. Intertwined with a intriguing coming of age story, Wemmlinger’s novel is a great way for readers to empathize with Edwina, understand human behaviors, as well as learn about the history, social customs, and historical figures of the era. Unfortunately, the content might also push young adult readers away from this book. It is not a fast pace read and it mostly focuses on the relationships between father and daughter rather.

4. Reader’s Annotation:
Edwina Booth is worried about her family's reputation. Her father is an aging thespian, and her uncle is the infamous John Wilkes Booth. Can Edwina ever step out of her family's shadow?

5. Information about the Author:
I could not find much information about this particular author, so all of the information has been taken from the inside flap of the novel. Raymond Wemmlinger is a curator and librarian at The Hampden-Booth Theatre Library located in New York. The library focuses on nineteenth century British and American theatre. Booth’s Daughter is his first novel.

6. Genre
Historical Fiction

7. Curriculum Ties:
I could see this book being used in a History, English or Theatre class.

8. Booktalking Ideas
-How does family impact a person’s quest for identity?
-How much does family name affect a person’s social standing?

9. Reading Level/Interest Age
I think that this novel would most appeal to older teens aged 15-17.

10. Challenge Issues:
While there are discussions of mental illness, I do not feel that anything in this novel would be in danger of being challenged. However, if there was such an issue, please refer to the American Library Association’s website:

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm/

11. Why was it Selected:
As a history major I love Historical Fiction. I thought it would be an interesting read.

12. Citations:
Challenges to library materials. (2010). In American Library Association. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm

Wemmlinger, R. (2007). Booth’s Daughter. Honesdale, Pennsylvania: Calkins Creek.

Picture from:
Amazon.com. (2010). Booth’s daughter (Hardcover). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Booths-Daughter-Raymond-Wemmlinger/dp/1932425861

13. Awards
Included in New Books For Missouri Students, 2008 edition produced by the Missouri State Teacher Association