ALA Booklist (Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 1997)

With powerful simplicity, Avi tells the story of Roger Williams, the devout Puritan preacher who was driven from the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635 because he stood up for the separation of church and state. This biography in the I Can Read Chapter Book series is told through the slightly fictionalized first-person narrative of Williams' young daughter, who witnesses the court case in Boston where Williams is accused of preaching for religious freedom and against the Europeans' right to Indian land. New readers will be caught by the drama of the court case and then by the historical adventure of Williams' escape into the wilderness, where he survives with the help of his Narraganset Indian friends and goes on to found the settlement of Providence, Rhode Island. Watling's glowing illustrations on every page create a strong sense of the period, though at times they almost overpower the spare text. (Reviewed February 1, 1997)

Horn Book

Avi's foray into the beginning-reader genre is a fictional account of Roger Williams's escape from Massachusetts and his settlement of Providence, Rhode Island. The historical chronicle is told by Williams's daughter and covers a few brief episodes in Colonial history. Watercolors in shades of brown and green contribute to this portrait of Williams as a serious man driven by strong beliefs. An author's note is included.

Kirkus Reviews

Avi's first entry in the I Can Read chapter-book series tells the true story of Roger Williams's 1635 flight from arrest for ``preaching dangerous new ideas.'' He heads into the wilds of colonial New England, eventually sending for his family to join him in founding a new settlement where religious freedom is allowed, which his daughter, the narrator, names Providence. The story covers only his decision to flee and the highlights of his subsequent journey, an odd time frame that leaves out the events leading up to Williams's trial, his life with the Indians, the rigors of founding a new settlement, or even much detail about the Puritan intolerance from which he fled. During the trial, only the gasps of spectators indicate the contrast between their views and his, the latter of which will seem right and just to contemporary readers, and therefore unfathomable as the basis for prosecution. The illustrations are soft and pale, lacking drama; many of the characters share the same expression, looking as if they are whistling. A complement to other sources on Williams's life—this is neither interesting enough for general readers, nor specific enough for those not already grounded in the facts. (Fiction. 7-9)"