Molly Bannaky

Rating:
Summary: Savanah from Ashley River Creative Arts El.
Review: As a media specialist in a middle school, I probably would have passed over this picture book for selection. However, after previewing it, I was stunned with the art and the story of Molly Bannaky. It is a compelling story that would hold the interest of middle and maybe even some high school students. Students who enjoy picture books for the art work will find this a treat. The lighting in this is particularly memorable and I think many young artists would be inspired. This is a wonderful picture book with a compelling story of a lessor known historical character with inspiring illustrations. I've ordered it for the media center. :)MZ Cox

Rating:
Summary: the granddaughter of molly bannakey
Review: i am the granddaughter of molly bannakey. my mother, alpha collins, her mother, lillian borror kenney, and her mother dessie marie lett. my great grandmother, dessie, was mulato, the daughter of perry lett, the son of samuel lett, husband of jermima benneker, sister of bejamin benneker. this makes bejamin my uncle. anyone can imagine my surprise when my grandma kenney spilled the beans !! she did so by giving me a copy of this book along with many documents pertaining to our family tree. all of my life i was told and claimed italian. after learning of my true heritage, i cannot tell you how pleased i am to discover that not only were my people proud, but hard working, and true heroes !!! there are many, many more exciting things about my heritage that i am anxious to share with everyone i know, and what a thrill to see that many people everywhere are interested in the past shared by myself and the rest of my grandmothers direct descendants.

Rating:
Summary: the granddaughter of molly bannakey
Review: i am the granddaughter of molly bannakey. my mother, alpha collins, her mother, lillian borror kenney, and her mother dessie marie lett. my great grandmother, dessie, was mulato, the daughter of perry lett, the son of samuel lett, husband of jermima benneker, sister of bejamin benneker. this makes bejamin my uncle. anyone can imagine my surprise when my grandma kenney spilled the beans !! she did so by giving me a copy of this book along with many documents pertaining to our family tree. all of my life i was told and claimed italian. after learning of my true heritage, i cannot tell you how pleased i am to discover that not only were my people proud, but hard working, and true heroes !!! there are many, many more exciting things about my heritage that i am anxious to share with everyone i know, and what a thrill to see that many people everywhere are interested in the past shared by myself and the rest of my grandmothers direct descendants.

Rating:
Summary: Indentured no longer
Review: Perhaps America's first true love story. Based on the real life adventures of Molly Bannaky, the book traces Molly's life from English servant to American indentured servant to a free woman with a land of her own. Molly's tale is remarkable not only because it is based on fact, but because hers is a story of interracial adoration. Molly buys an African slave named Bannaky to help her on her farm, later freeing him and marrying him as well. In time, Molly's own eldest daughter would do the same, finally having the child Benjamin Banneker; the grandson of Molly.

Though Benjamin Banneker certainly deserves a fabulous picture book of his own, I found it fitting that this story focused more squarely on Molly herself. The text is respectful without fawning. It explains difficult aspects of the story without bogging down the action. Accompanying Alice McGill's words are Chris K. Soentpiet's amazing illustrations. From the cover of this book Molly regards the viewer with a cool clear eye, neither appraising nor disapproving. No one in this book comes off as gorgeous or a standardized beauty. At the same time, Soenpiet's characters are individuals. Bannaky, Molly's husband, is especially interesting to watch from scene to scene. If I had any objections to this book at all, it might concern the choice of ending. It's rather abrupt, never explaining the significance of Benjamin Banneker, though an interesting Historical Note is tacked on at the end. It would have been nice for the plot itself to have wrapped up neatly without relying on the factual record to sum up for it.

Molly Bannaky did what few other women could. From owning her own farm to deciding who she loved and why, Molly is an above par woman of the 1700s. We don't know much about the individual women of this time period. Quite frankly, you're rarely going to find a woman in a play or film based on that era who isn't accusing or being accused of witchcraft. What a relief it is then to see a tale about a woman who lived her life according to her own rules, despite what the moralists about her might have said. She was a role model then. She is a role model now.

Rating:
Summary: Indentured no longer
Review: Perhaps America's first true love story. Based on the real life adventures of Molly Bannaky, the book traces Molly's life from English servant to American indentured servant to a free woman with a land of her own. Molly's tale is remarkable not only because it is based on fact, but because hers is a story of interracial adoration. Molly buys an African slave named Bannaky to help her on her farm, later freeing him and marrying him as well. In time, Molly's own eldest daughter would do the same, finally having the child Benjamin Banneker; the grandson of Molly.

Though Benjamin Banneker certainly deserves a fabulous picture book of his own, I found it fitting that this story focused more squarely on Molly herself. The text is respectful without fawning. It explains difficult aspects of the story without bogging down the action. Accompanying Alice McGill's words are Chris K. Soentpiet's amazing illustrations. From the cover of this book Molly regards the viewer with a cool clear eye, neither appraising nor disapproving. No one in this book comes off as gorgeous or a standardized beauty. At the same time, Soenpiet's characters are individuals. Bannaky, Molly's husband, is especially interesting to watch from scene to scene. If I had any objections to this book at all, it might concern the choice of ending. It's rather abrupt, never explaining the significance of Benjamin Banneker, though an interesting Historical Note is tacked on at the end. It would have been nice for the plot itself to have wrapped up neatly without relying on the factual record to sum up for it.

Molly Bannaky did what few other women could. From owning her own farm to deciding who she loved and why, Molly is an above par woman of the 1700s. We don't know much about the individual women of this time period. Quite frankly, you're rarely going to find a woman in a play or film based on that era who isn't accusing or being accused of witchcraft. What a relief it is then to see a tale about a woman who lived her life according to her own rules, despite what the moralists about her might have said. She was a role model then. She is a role model now.

Rating:
Summary: Everything That a Picture Book Should Be
Review: You know that a picture book is truly a GOOD book when you are reading it and enjoying it as a teenager! I noticed this picture book in my younger brother's collection, and was instantly drawn to the startlingly good picture on the book cover. Curious to see who this Molly Bannaky was, I opened the book and began to read her story. WOW!! Molly is truly amazing. She begins life as a milkmaid in 17th century England, and after accidently spilling the milk one day, she is accused of stealing it. Molly escapes the death penalty by being able to read the Bible (law in England at the time), but instead is sent as an indentured servant to America. After seven years of work, she finally claim land of her own. And Molly doesn't stop there-she buys a slave just to free him, marries him, and becomes Benjamin Bannaker's grandmother!

The story isn't the only thing that's great here. The illustrations really are breathtaking and you will find yourself simply sitting and looking at them. Soentpiet has captured the feeling of England and colonial America within these pages; the large size format makes the illustrations even more special.

The story is simple enough for young readers, yet fascinating enough for anyone to enjoy. The illustrations are timeless-what more could you want?