From Publishers Weekly The powerful symbolism of a quilt named Trust supplies a strong send-off for the first of Rinaldi's new trilogy about a Salem shipping merchant family in America's early post-revolution years. Sisters Hannah， Abby and Thankful Chelmsford， driven into separate journeys as a result of their father's cold and manipulative ways， each take a piece of the quilt; the conceit here is that only fabric taken from their most trusted friends will be added to it. Eldest sister Hannah， the narrator， stays in Salem while Abby elopes with a sea captain and fractious Thankful joins their father on a dangerous expedition to western territory. Hannah's feelings， from her doubts about her own prospects to her guilty resentment of Thankful， are fresh and contemporary， effectively contrasting with the story's archaic sex roles and adding to the richness of Rinaldi's ( In My Father's House ; A Break with Charity ) well-researched setting. With her infectious fascination for American history and her sensitive characterizations， Rinaldi again creates an adventurous， heart-catching story that will leave readers in eager anticipation of its successors. Ages 12-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information， Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal Grade 6 Up-This first book in a projected trilogy presents the embittered Chelmsford family of Salem， Massachusetts， circa 1780. From young Cabot， who longs to go to sea; to Abigail， who runs away with her Southern beau; to Thankful， the saucy favored daughter; to Lawrence， the handsome older brother; to Hannah， the eldest and the narrator， readers are drawn into the struggles of a post-Revolutionary war family. Nathaniel， the patriarch， is aloof and puritanical. He leaves for a trip to the Ohio frontier and takes Thankful with him. With two sisters gone， one brother in rebellion， and the other leading the western expedition， Hannah is left as the family sentinel. She takes solace in the quilt she is making from scraps given to her by special friends and family. As she tells her story and stitches her quilt， the patchwork of their lives takes shape. Hannah grows as she learns to cope with startling facts of her deceased mother's life， the return of an old flame， and her own love for a dashing sea captain. There is plenty of personal interest， adventure， humor， fear， and joy in this ambitious novel， and more action than in Rinaldi's In My Father's House (Scholastic， 1993). The appealing characters ring true. However， this is a long book， and Rinaldi occasionally waxes philosophical as Hannah ponders her fate. The research is well documented， and the quilt theme is a unique strand that will eventually pull all three books and sisters together. A good， solid addition where historical fiction is in demand.Beth Tegart， Oneida City Schools， NYCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information， Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. See all Editorial Reviews