The Eve of Revolution: The Colonial Adventures of Benjamin WilcoxWhile visiting his uncle's farm in Maine and then traveling with his father from Boston to Philadelphia and Charleston, young Benjamin Wilcox sees rising anger against the British everywhere he goes. Ben's letters and journal entries give kids a fresh look at life throughout the Colonies as tensions build, violence breaks out in Boston, and events lead to revolution.
Servant to Abigail Adams: The Early American Adventures of Hannah Cooper
Employed as a house servant by President and Mrs. John Adams, 13-year-old Hannah accompanies the First Lady from Massachusetts to Philadelphia and then to the nation's new capital. Vivid narrative, period illustrations, and Hannah's correspondence with her brother, Daniel, a printer's apprentice, give today's kids an eyewitness look at the presidential household and the nation-shaping events that took place in 1800. Readers see the growing resistance to the Sedition Act, which curtailed free speech; the bitter party politics waged by both Federalists and Republicans in the presidential election; the ultimate triumph of Thomas Jefferson; and the bloodless transfer of power. In an engaging and highly visual presentation, this firsthand story will help kids understand the challenges our nation faced as it struggled to make democracy work.
When the Mission Padre Came to the Rancho: The Early California Adventures of Rosalinda and Simon DelgadoThe year is 1834. Padre Carlos Ramon visits the Delgado family at their California ranch and captivates the children, Rosalinda and Simon, with exotic stories of early mission life. The kids are fascinated by the romance of times gone by. Their own lives are filled with harvest festivals, foreign visitors, and the prospect of California becoming part of the United States. Vivid narrative, period illustrations, and the children's diary entries give today's kids an exciting look at life on the missions and ranchos of early California.
Yankee Blue or Rebel Gray? The Civil War Adventures of Sam Shaw
As cousins take up arms against one another and America's bloodiest war unfolds, young Sam Shaw grows to realize that choosing sides in this conflict is far more complicated than he had thought. Connell details significant battles and profiles key historical figures as she conveys the heart-wrenching turbulence of a family and nation divided.
Our Journey West: The Oregon Trail Adventures of Sarah Marshall
Twelve-year-old Sarah Marshall and her family leave their New York home in 1852 to seek a better life in the fertile lands of Oregon. Sharing their experiences, readers get a vivid sense of the dangers, difficulties, and grueling everyday life facing the thousands who trekked the 2,000-mile Oregon Trail by covered wagon, horseback, and foot.
Escape to Freedom: Underground Railroad Adventures
The year is 1858. Faced with the frightening prospect of being ''sold South,'' young slaves Callie and William decide to escape their oppressed lives in Kentucky. Through the oral history of the main characters and their loved ones, as well as period drawings and photographs, the book accurately depicts the fervent pre-Civil War era when slavery was at its height. Through the eyes of the young protagonists, readers experience firsthand what it was like for slaves who dared to escape bondage and make the dangerous journey with the help of the Underground Railroad to freedom.
Cowboys on the Western Trail
Thirteen-year-old Davy Bartlett, the white son of a ranch owner, and fourteen-year-old Josh McNabb, a young African-American wrangler, befriend each other on a three-month, 900-mile cattle drive in 1877. As the boys cross the West through towns such as the legendary Dodge City, readers witness the many challenges facing the post-Civil War cattle trade and western settlers. The adventures of the cross-cultural cowboy crew help teach children about the important historical events of the late 1800s.
We Came Through Ellis Island: The Immigrant Adventures of Emma Markowitz
Readers witness the life of a Jewish family who move from Russia to New York City to escape persecution and starvation and to make a new life. Fact-filled narrative and historical photos plus fictional letters and journal entries from 12-year-old Emma Markowitz and her family paint a memorable picture of the typical European immigrant experience in the 1890s.
Hoping for Rain: The Dust Bowl Adventures of Patty and Earl Buckler
Like many farmers living in the Great Plains during the 1930s, the Bucklers are ravaged by months of dust storms and drought. Out of desperation, they travel West with their children, Patty and Earl, in hopes of finding new prosperity. Through letters and diary entries written by the Buckler children, readers witness the disaster of the Dust Bowl and the countless days spent wishing for an end to the drought—and their hunger. As they travel across the country, young Earl searches for work so he can help provide for the family. Using the childrens' first-person accounts as well as period illustrations and photographs, the book accurately depicts the devastating effects of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s and 40s.
