The Miracle & Tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets

June 15, 2019
The true story of the Dionne quintuplets--the first quintuplets to survive infancy. On May 28, 1934, five identical girls were born to Elzire and Oliva Dionne in an Ontario farmhouse that lacked central heating, running water, or electricity. The combined weight of all five at birth was just 13 pounds, 6 ounces, and their struggle to survive (as copiously reported by the press, which rapidly descended on the farmhouse) captured people's hearts in the midst of the Great Depression. Overwhelmed by publicity and in legal trouble from an ill-considered contract to display the quintuplets at the Chicago World's Fair, Elzire and Oliva turned custody of the girls over to the Red Cross, which built a hospital/nursery for them. Instead of shielding the quintuplets from exploitation (one of the reasons put forward for custody), the Red Cross instead displayed them to the thousands of visitors a day who arrived, visitors who could also buy souvenirs at several shops--two owned by Oliva. Miller (Caroline, 2017, etc.) tells the story chronologically with a succinct perceptiveness that is riveting in its detailing of well-meaning intentions turning to exploitation, and her inclusion of dialogue--drawn from contemporary materials--and photographs delivers a fresh feel. Notably, she individualizes the girls by always referring to them by name rather than lumping them together. An altogether fresh, perceptive, well-written chronicle of this cautionary tale. (afterword, note on dialogue, references, notes, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

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August 5, 2019
Beginning two days after their premature birth in rural Ontario on May 28, 1934, “the lives of the Dionne quintuplets were inextricably bound with the press,” asserts Miller (Caroline: Little House, Revisited), whose headline-style chapter titles reinforce that point in this compelling account. Together, the five babies weighed only 13 pounds, 6 ounces, and their desperate parents, Oliva and Elzire Dionne, traded privacy for critical necessities: breast milk and incubators. Those rushing to provide support simultaneously saved the quintuplets’ lives and wreaked emotional havoc upon the family. Miller details the efforts of Dr. Dafoe, the local medical practitioner; the nurses he chose to keep the infants alive; Dr. Blatz, who attended to the sisters’ emotional and mental development; and the government of Ontario, which tried to protect the family from being exploited by unscrupulous Americans seeking to profit from the story. The Dionne parents’ rights to raise their children were continually overruled, and the physical separation of the quintuplets from the rest of their family until age nine produced lifelong emotional dysfunction. Miller presents multiple viewpoints with sensitivity, enmeshing the reader in the Dionnes’ lives so successfully that it is impossible not to feel the tragedy of the quintuplets’ lives. Black-and-white family photos and notes further expand this eye-opening, thoroughly researched title. Ages 12–up.

August 23, 2019

Gr 7 Up-In May of 1934, a 24-year-old farmer's wife in North Bay, Ontario gave birth to five identical girls. The Dionne Quintuplets, as the media would christen them, were named Yvonne, Annette, Cécile, Émilie, and Marie. Born prematurely, the girls were tiny-surprising even the two midwives who had helped deliver hundreds of babies. Miller (The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century) is no stranger to writing historical nonfiction astutely and accurately. The story of the quintuplets is told in chronological order, and the dialogue is directly rendered from diaries, books, and newspapers. Photographs put faces to the names. Miller's style is captivating and enchanting, as well as respectful. The references section offers further reading or watching, and the well-organized notes section proves Miller did her due diligence. VERDICT Thoughtfully, cautiously, and candidly researched. A must-purchase for all YA/junior high nonfiction collections.-Gretchen Schulz, Schaumburg Township District Library, IL

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Starred review from June 1, 2019
Grades 8-11 *Starred Review* In 1934, a set of quintuplets were born to Oliva and Elzire Dionne. Miraculously, the five tiny babies lived?until that point, no other quintuplets had survived after birth. The Dionne Quintuplets were such a medical oddity that they soon became the center of a media frenzy and, unsurprisingly, deep controversy. Miller (The Borden Murders, 2016) offers another impeccably researched look into a cultural phenomenon, digging into the heart of a story surrounded by rumor and exaggeration. Relying on first-person accounts, journals, and transcripts, she uses direct quotes to great effect when describing the quintuplets, their parents' struggle to retain any sort of authority over their care, the country doctor who insisted on government oversight of their livelihood, the many child-rearing experts who shaped the five young girls' isolated environment, and, of course, the quintuplets themselves, who were raised apart from their family in the public eye. In many ways, this is a terribly sad story, but Miller resists sensationalizing, often emphasizing the necessity of sifting through exaggerated journal entries and reporting to find a kernel of the truth. Miller raises plenty of questions about child celebrity, government accountability, and journalistic integrity, and while some remain unanswered, there's still plenty to ponder in this thorough, fascinating deep dive into the lives of five girls who captured the attention of millions. Photographs and extensive source notes round out this stellar work of nonfiction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)