Newbery Medal Winner
A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal
by Joan Blos
Summary
Written as the diary of thirteen year old Catherine Hall on a New Hampshire farm in the early 1830s, the book records everyday chores, family life, and the death of a close friend across the turning seasons. Catherine grapples with grief, conscience, and a quiet act of helping a runaway slave as she comes of age in a tightly knit rural community. Blos recreates the rhythms and moral concerns of early nineteenth century New England with careful historical detail.
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Historical Context & Significance
The novel won both the Newbery Medal and the American Book Award, presented in the diary format of a fictional period journal.