Maggie’s Dare

It made little sense. By strange twist of fate, her stepgrandfather had deeded this fine house to her father and also left him a tidy sum of money. In reality, Maggie was the daughter of an Irish immigrant mother and a hardworking doctor father. her family was no different than the Pierce family, but they were invited to the ball and the Pierces were not. The more she thought about it, the more like an imposter Maggie felt. How confusing life could be.

Book: Maggie's Dare: The Great Awakening (1744) (Sisters in Time #3) by Norma Jean Lutz, Barbour Publishing, 2005

Genre: Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 9-15

Subjects: Salvation, slavery, friendship, family relationships growing up/coming of age, popularity

Summary: Well on her way to becoming a proper young lady, Maggie is thrilled when she starts receiving offers from most well-off family in town! Invitations to a tea party, to attend dance lessons with two other young girls, to attend a ball, to take a trip to the city – they’re all so wonderful! Of course her dad and brothers don’t seem to agree, but they’re going along with her desires at least and trying hard to not ruin everything for her. Her dad even agrees to let her get some new dresses! It’s Christmas when things suddenly start taking a turn. A simple sledding outing with her brothers and friends is frowned on by her new connections. It’s the trip to the city that really opens her eyes though. When she gets to know the new slave bought to serve Maggie’s friend and sees how this slave is treated Maggie starts doubting all the things her new friends have taught her. If they are wrong about slavery, is it possible they are wrong about other things too?

Notes: Maggie’s Dare is the third in the Sisters-In-Time series. This series features young girls living at various key points in American history, particularly around the wars. It always places the girls right at the edge of the teen years, coming of age.  The concept of the series it to not only show a glimpse of history, but to help young girls feel that the people back then weren’t that different than the people today.

Maggie’s Dare is set in 1744, around the time of the Great Awakening. Maggie’s new popular friends ridicule and greatly criticize Jonathan Edwards and other revivalists, claiming they are sinning by not doing things properly and with decency and not showing respect for God by worshipping outside instead of in a church. When Maggie risks her status with the popular girls to show kindness to the slave girl and with the help of her dad, rescues her when sick, she has a chance to meet Jonathan Edwards for herself and eventually to attend a revival meeting. There she sees the truth for herself and recognizes her own need to become a Christian.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.

1 Corinthians 14:40 – But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.