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Churnin, Nancy

Dear Mr. Dickens

32 pp. | Whitman | October, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-8075-1530-3 $16.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-8075-1529-7 $9.99
(3) K-3 Illustrated by Bethany Stancliffe. In 1863 a woman named Eliza Davis began a correspondence with Charles Dickens. Her first letter compliments the author for his attention to social issues but criticizes his portrayal of Jewish characters ("a vile prejudice"). Dickens initially responds harshly but eventually comes to rail against prejudice and creates kind Jewish characters in future work. Stancliffe's inviting illustrations with a lush palette are interspersed with black-and-white drawings that evoke Dickens's era. Churnin's language also echoes the period and includes direct quotes from the pair's seven letters. An author's note provides additional historical context for antisemitism in Great Britain and comments on how Dickens "encouraged sympathy for the Jewish community."
Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

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