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Molly, By Golly!: The Legend Of Molly Williams, America's First Female Firefighter (2012)

by Dianne Ochiltree(Favorite Author)

3.81 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1590787218 (ISBN13: 9781590787212)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Calkins Creek

review 1: I first learned about Molly Williams on the Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast titled, Firefighting Women. I ordered this book because it's the only children's book I've seen on the subject, but had reservations based on the book description and reviews that indicated the book had an eye for historical accuracy while at the same time insinuating Molly was a servant or volunteer. Unfortunately, my concerns were validated when I received the book, which does refer to Molly Williams as a servant, and later on indicates that "Volunteer # 11" was an affectionate nickname that Molly proudly embraced, rather than being indicative of the racist and sexist attitudes of the era and the resulting tendency not to bother naming racial minorities or women in official records. I get that t... morehis is a fictionalized account, and that it's a book for children. I also recognize that we know very, very little about Molly Williams. That still doesn't, in my mind, justify the ways Molly's reality was changed by portraying her as a servant or volunteer when she was, by all other accounts, a slave, especially when so much effort was put into making other parts of the story historically accurate. While this doesn't in any way diminish Molly's skill or ability or what she contributed to her community, what little information I've been able to find about Molly Williams doesn't convince me that firefighting was what Molly would have chosen for herself were she not a slave. I've seen several references indicating that when asked about firefighting, Molly would respond that she belonged to the fire station, or that she went where her owner told her to go... the selfless black heroine who willingly sacrifices herself to save white people seems more fanciful (and sadly typical) white narrative than historical likelihood. Needless to say, when we read this book my children and I also had a critical discussion about whitewashing the racism of that era and perpetuating the magical negro stereotype. I gave Molly by Golly two stars because despite my concerns listed above, it is an engaging, lyrical story that my children enjoyed, and the illustrations are beautifully done.
review 2: It’s not often that I am graced with a children’s book that is not only a fantastic story and beautifully illustrated, but is also a walk through history that any and all adults and children will absolutely love!Molly Williams is a very real figure. Back in the early 1800’s in New York City, Molly was a cook for a local Fire Company. She was the best at everything, making these men dishes that (will!) make your mouth water; Molly was loved and appreciated by the men. One night, a hideous snowstorm hit the City and many of the men were struck down with influenza. And, sure enough, that’s when a blaze went up and hardly any of the men from the Company were able to respond. Molly was far more than a cook. Without even thinking about her own life, she put on the uniform and raced out into the snowstorm. She helped the men who were able to arrive pull the “fire truck” down the road and worked until ash had practically buried her in order to save the family and stop the blaze.Molly is one of those heroic people who come along every now and then. She was full of love, kindness, and the courage to save lives! This book not only shows a very thrilling, action-filled tale - but the historical information about how fires were actually put out way back then - from what the uniforms looked like to how difficult it was to get the fire “equipment” to the blaze - is extremely interesting to read about. And, the historical facts and extra information in the back of the book will offer you and your child a very cool look into the rich, vibrant history of the American Firefighter. True heroes and heroines!Perfectly written with stunning illustrations, this is by far (and, so far) the best children’s book of 2012! less

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