Plumfield and Paideia

Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly

Reviewed by Diane Pendergraft
Here are some other questions we wrestled with: Throughout the story, Uncle Tom serves under three different masters. The third, Simon Legree, is among the most vile villains in all of literature. Again, not much discussion is required for him. The first, Arthur Shelby, and the second, Augustine St. Clare, are both relatively kind-hearted men. How does each of these justify the institution of slavery in his own mind? Read the full review

The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles

Reviewed by Diane Pendergraft
"Through his diligence in attempting to fulfill his duty, The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles makes connections that could very well bring him what he has been longing for. Not a letter, but friendship." Read the full review

Understood Betsy

Reviewed by Sara Masarik
Fisher’s writing style may seem a bit strange to a new reader at first. Typical of Montessori style, Fisher writes this story for children in a tone that is consistent with how Montessori teachers would speak to their young charges. Fisher opens the story with careful descriptions of the characters and a conversational narrator voice which acknowledges the questions that young readers may have... At first I found the tone off-putting. my eight-year-old felt respected by it. My then eight year old disagreed with me and seemed to feel like Fisher was a friend taking the time to explain things that a reader might not intuitively understand... Read the full review