Rating: 
Summary: Refreshingly different
Review: Ages 12 and older will find The Staircase refreshingly different: it tells of Lizzy, whose father has left her at a girls' school run by nuns on his way to new exploration in the West. Methodist Lizzy doesn't understand the Catholic nuns or the girls in the school; but when she befriends a poor carpenter and fights for his rights, she begins to see new potentials in her life.
Rating:
Summary: The Staircase
Review: An engrossing literary gem.....a rare and valuable find in children's literature.
Rating: 
Summary: Other hit for Rinaldi
Review: I have been reading books by Ann Rinaldi for a long time. I give her my credit for liking historical fiction so much. I keep reading because I can never put her books down. The staircase was no exception I couldn't help but to keep reading it. Lizzy Enders is going to Colorado with her mom and dad. They are on the way to Colorado, when the most unthinkable thing happens Lizzy's mom becomes ill and dies. Then she is left to take care of her dad including Elinora who her father is getting paid to bring to the Sisters of Loretto in Santa Fe Mexico. Then her dad leaves her and she's surrounded by Catholics but she's Methodist. She is hated by everyone there. Then she becomes friends with a carpenter who only has three tools. Who builds a great spiral staircase in a matter of weeks. Then he is gone. What happen to him? Who was he? These questions and more are running through everyone's mind. Ann Rinaldi did a really good job on this book. She did a good job of telling about the staircase myth at the girls' school in Santa Fe Mexico.
Rating:
Summary: The Staircase`
Review: I liked this book. It was pretty good with all the important things. One thing bad about it though, is that it stayed on the same "level". I don't really think there was a "climax". But I did like the story.
I'd say that the best part of the book is when the bishops arrives. His so nice, and he knows what Elinora is really like, because she fool alot of people. The worst part, well its not really the book, but more what happens in the story. I hate it when Elinora stabs Cleo the kitten in the eyes with a needle then throws her out the window. She doesn't need to hurt Cleo to show Lizzy how much she hates her.
The author did a really good job on characters, I really felt I knew them all like I had really known them for years. The other thing is the conflict, she had like five conflicts going on at the same time. So those were all pretty good.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully classic Ann Rinaldi!
Review: I read my first Ann Rinaldi book when I was 12 years old. I give her credit for my love of history. I continue to read her books, because I know I will get a good story and "Staircase" is no exception. Lizzy Enders is on her way West with her family and their charge, Elinora. When Lizzy's mother dies, life, as she has known it, is over. Elinora is to be taken to a Catholic convent school where her uncle is Bishop. Lizzy expects to leave with her father, but is left behind. There, she learns some hard lessons in life and how to take the good with the bad, with a little help from friends.Rinaldi, in her classic style has taken an event in history and built a wonderful, captivating story around it. No matter how old I get, as long as she keeps writing, I will be reading. I highly suggest you do the same. If you are have never read her books before, this is a great place to start.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully classic Ann Rinaldi!
Review: I read my first Ann Rinaldi book when I was 12 years old. I give her credit for my love of history. I continue to read her books, because I know I will get a good story and "Staircase" is no exception. Lizzy Enders is on her way West with her family and their charge, Elinora. When Lizzy's mother dies, life, as she has known it, is over. Elinora is to be taken to a Catholic convent school where her uncle is Bishop. Lizzy expects to leave with her father, but is left behind. There, she learns some hard lessons in life and how to take the good with the bad, with a little help from friends. Rinaldi, in her classic style has taken an event in history and built a wonderful, captivating story around it. No matter how old I get, as long as she keeps writing, I will be reading. I highly suggest you do the same. If you are have never read her books before, this is a great place to start.
Rating:
Summary: Based on the true story of the mysterious carpenter
Review: I read this book to my daughters because it is based on the fascinating, true story of a staircase that was built mysteriously and miraculously in the Loretto Chapel of Santa Fe. According to history, the nuns were praying for a staircase to be built to the upper level, and a mysterious stranger came, built it, and left quietly without payment. The staircase can still be seen and it is a wonder in design. The book adds the girl Lizzie to the story, a Methodist thrust into a Catholic school. When the other girls cause a stink about the mysterious carpenter, and plot to get rid of him, Lizzie defends him and thereby becomes the outsider in the group. The way she is treated is quite unfair, but she tries to react without resorting to the same spiteful tactics of the other girls. I enjoyed reading aloud with the nasty intonation of Lizzie's rival, but my daughters thought for their ages, the girls behaved quite immaturely. I agree with one of the young reviewers that stabbing the kitten in the eye was unpleasant to read, but otherwise, I enjoyed this story very much as Lizzie's conflicts were resolved in the midst of the mysterious carpenter's visit.
Rating:
Summary: Based on the true story of the mysterious carpenter
Review: I read this book to my daughters because it is based on the fascinating, true story of a staircase that was built mysteriously and miraculously in the Loretto Chapel of Santa Fe. According to history, the nuns were praying for a staircase to be built to the upper level, and a mysterious stranger came, built it, and left quietly without payment. The staircase can still be seen and it is a wonder in design. The book adds the girl Lizzie to the story, a Methodist thrust into a Catholic school. When the other girls cause a stink about the mysterious carpenter, and plot to get rid of him, Lizzie defends him and thereby becomes the outsider in the group. The way she is treated is quite unfair, but she tries to react without resorting to the same spiteful tactics of the other girls. I enjoyed reading aloud with the nasty intonation of Lizzie's rival, but my daughters thought for their ages, the girls behaved quite immaturely. I agree with one of the young reviewers that stabbing the kitten in the eye was unpleasant to read, but otherwise, I enjoyed this story very much as Lizzie's conflicts were resolved in the midst of the mysterious carpenter's visit.
Rating:
Summary: ******BEST BOOK I EVER READ!******
Review: I'm not much of a reader, but when I read this book I fell in love with it. It has a wonderful story and everything about it is fantastic. I especially recomend reading the book while listening to "confortably Numb" by Pink Floyd. It adds a more dramatic feel to the story. I deffinatley recomend this book!
Rating:
Summary: ******BEST BOOK I EVER READ!******
Review: I'm not much of a reader, but when I read this book I fell in love with it. It has a wonderful story and everything about it is fantastic. I especially recomend reading the book while listening to "confortably Numb" by Pink Floyd. It adds a more dramatic feel to the story. I deffinatley recomend this book!
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