In early-nineteenth-century New England, folks considered a clean chin a sign of godliness. Born into this buttoned-up, strict society, Joseph Palmer stood out from childhood as someone who liked to do things his own way. A friend to Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Alcotts, Palmer lived by his own code and grew a belly-flowing beard that made his neighbors so crazy that they tried forcibly to shave him. He fought back and ended up in prison for a year. His cause became a local sensation, and a few short decades later a president of the United StatesAbraham Lincolnwould wear a beard. Narrated with the charm of a tall tale, this true story celebrates the long American history of nonconformity and encourages children to question social rules they may take for granted.Praise for Quite Contrary ManShe [Hyatt] cleanly lays out a morality tale that could prompt a healthy civics lesson. Brown's arch illustrations, in watercolor with pen and ink, nicely capture 19th-century New England. Kirkus Reviews Browns warmhued watercolors reiterate the folk yarn feel with rustic touches. A spirited introduction to an iconoclastic 19th-century activist. Publishers Weekly

 

 

This book is the winner of numerous awards

There are 32 pages in this book. This book was published in 2011 by Abrams .

Patricia Rusch Hyatt is the author of Coast to Coast with Alice, about the first woman to drive across the United States in 1909. Kathryn Brown has written and illustrated several children's books, including Muledred, and Eeny Meeny, Miney Mole by Jane Yolen. MEM FOX is the author of many acclaimed books, including Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Possum Magic, Koala Lou, Time for Bed, and, for adults, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever. She lives in Adelaide, Australia. Kathryn Brown lives in western Massachusetts.