Special Collections
Dear America
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The Great Railroad Race
by Kristiana GregoryAs the daughter of a newspaper reporter, 14-year-old Libby keeps a diary account of the exciting events surrounding her during the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.
I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly
by Joyce HansenJoyce Hansen's Coretta Scott King Honor Book I THOUGHT MY SOUL WOULD RISE AND FLY is now back in print with a gorgeous new package! Patsy, an orphaned slave with a bad leg and a quiet nature, is considered slow by the Davis family. But Patsy's smart -- smart enough to learn to read and write on the sly. After the Civil War ends and slavery is abolished, Patsy believes Master Davis's promise to pay the former house slaves and to educate the slave children. But when the master ignores his promise to establish a school and the Freedmen's Bureau cannot provide a teacher, Patsy steps in to teach the students to read and write. Patsy's diary is filled with courage, conviction, and hope as she strives toward her freedom.
The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow
by Ann Warren TurnerIn her first book for the "Dear America" series, acclaimed historical fiction writer Ann Turner brings readers the deeply affecting story of a Navajo girl on the Long Walk.
When Will This Cruel War Be Over?
by Barry DenenbergAcclaimed author Barry Denenberg's WHEN WILL THIS CRUEL WAR BE OVER? is now back in print with a gorgeous new package! The peaceful, traditional Southern life that Emma Simpson and her family know is shattered when the Civil War reaches their soil. Soon, Emma's father and brother are called to battle, but her family is confident the South will quickly win the War between the States. As the months drag on, though, the harsh realities of war set in. Death and hardship are all around Emma, and food, medicine, firewood, and ink for her to write in her diary become increasingly scarce as troops from the North march deeper into the South. Finally, even her home is commandeered by the Yankees. Still, with a brave spirit and the knowledge of what is most important, Emma never loses hope that the war will end.
A Light in the Storm
by Karen HesseNewbery Medal winner Karen Hesse's Civil War diary, A LIGHT IN THE STORM, is now back in print with a beautiful new cover!
In 1861, Amelia Martin's father is stripped of his post as a ship's captain when he is caught harboring the leader of a slave rebellion. Now he is an assistant lighthouse keeper on Fenwick Island, off the coast of Delaware -- a state wedged between the North and the South, just as Amelia is wedged between her warring parents.
Amelia's mother blames her abolitionist husband for their living conditions, which she claims are taking a toll on her health. Amelia observes her mother's hate and her father's admiration for Abraham Lincoln.
But slavery is the deeper issue separating the two sides. As the Civil War rages on, Amelia slowly learns that she cannot stop the fighting, but by keeping watch in the lighthouse each day, lighting the lamps, cleaning the glass, and rescuing victims of Atlantic storms, she can still make a difference.
A Picture of Freedom
by Patricia C. MckissackCoretta Scott King Award winner and Newbery Honor author Patricia McKissack's inspiring A PICTURE OF FREEDOM is now back in print with a gorgeous new cover! It's 1859 and Clotee, a twelve-year-old slave, has the most wonderful, terrible secret. She knows that if she shares it with the wrong person, she will face unimaginable consequences. What is her secret? While doing her job of fanning her master's son during his daily lessons, Clotee has taught herself to read and write. However, she soon learns that the tutor, Ely Harms, has a secret of his own. In a time when literacy is one of the most valuable skills to have, Clotee is determined to use her secret to save herself, and her family.
All the Stars in the Sky
by Megan McdonaldA girl's diary records the year 1848 during which she, her brother, mother, and stepfather traveled the Santa Fe trail from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie
by Kristiana GregoryIn her diary, 13-year-old Hattie chronicles her family's arduous 1847 journey from Missouri to Oregon, along the Oregon Trail. Historical fiction.
So Far from Home
by Barry DenenbergCritically acclaimed author Barry Denenberg turns a sharp eye on life for a young Irish immigrant at the Lowell Mill.
Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie
by Kristiana GregoryCritically acclaimed and award-winning author Kristiana Gregory's ACROSS THE WIDE AND LONESOME PRAIRIE is now back in print with a gorgeous new package! After the death of her two sisters, thirteen-year-old Hattie and her family make for a fresh start. They sell their farm in Missouri and journey across the Oregon Trail toward Oregon City. At first the adventure is exciting, but as the days, weeks, and months pass, Hattie realizes what a dangerous and tedious trip it is. As they cross the prairies, news of the fate of the Donner party reaches them, and death, disease, weather, and the terrain take a terrible toll on their traveling party. The Campbells lose neighbors and friends until they almost cannot bear to continue. But Hattie and her family must persevere or risk the same misfortune. Hattie's diary chronicles the hardships of such a harrowing journey, but also captures the small moments, the friendships and celebrations of life, that keep hope alive.
Valley of the Moon
by Sherry GarlandThe 1845-1846 diary of thirteen-year-old Maria, servant to the wealthy Spanish family which took her in when her Indian mother died. Includes a historical note about the settlement and early history of California.
A Line in the Sand
by Sherry GarlandIn the journal she receives for her twelfth birthday in 1835, Lucinda Lawrence describes the hardships her family and other residents of the "Texas colonies" endure when they decide to face the Mexicans in a fight for their freedom.
Cannons at Dawn
by Kristiana GregoryKristiana Gregory returns with a stunning new sequel to the bestselling Dear America title THE WINTER OF RED SNOW! Abigail Jane Stewart returns in this brand-new sequel to THE WINTER OF RED SNOW. The Revolutionary War toils on, but the Stewart family can no longer avoid getting involved. Abby's father joins the Continental Army, while Abby, her mother, and her siblings become camp followers. They face daily hardships alongside the troops and continue to spend time helping the Washingtons. Filled with romance and adventure, Abby's frontline view of the war captures the heartache and bravery of the soldiers, as well as the steep cost of freedom.
The Winter of Red Snow
by Kristiana GregoryCritically acclaimed author Kristiana Gregory's award-winning THE WINTER OF RED SNOW is now back in print with a gorgeous new package! Eleven-year-old Abigail Jane Stewart's fictionalized diary about her life, family, friends, and neighbors, and the sides they have to choose in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, during the height of the Revolutionary War, renders a vivid portrayal of one of the most memorable and crucial winters in American history. Abby's life with her family is quickly upended when they are awakened by the unfamiliar sound of drums. General George Washington is leading the Continental soldiers into their winter encampment at Valley Forge, PA.
Love Thy Neighbor
by Ann TurnerThe drama of the American Revolution is brought to life through the eyes of young Prudence Emerson, who tells the story from the rarely heard perspective of a Tory.
Look to the Hills
by Patricia C. MckissackThe Newbery Honor-winning author presents this story of an orphaned slave girl who arrives with her French masters in New York Colony at the end of the French-Indian War.
Standing in the Light
by Mary Pope OsborneOne of the most popular Dear America diaries of all time, bestselling author Mary Pope Osborne's STANDING IN THE LIGHT is now back in print with a gorgeous new cover! Catharine Carey Logan and her family have enjoyed a peaceful and prosperous life as the Quakers and Delaware Indians share a mutually trusting relationship. Recently, however, this friendship has been threatened by violence against the Indians. Then, Catharine and her brother are taken captive by the Lenape in retaliation. At first, Catharine is afraid of her captors. But when a handsome brave begins to teach her about the ways of the Lenape, she comes to see that all people share the same joys, hopes, and fears. Osborne crafts a thrilling story of romance and danger and remarkable courage.
I Walk in Dread
by Lisa Rowe FraustinoLisa Rowe Fraustino's dramatic tale of the Salem witch trials is back in print with a beautiful new cover design! Deliverance Trembley lives in Salem Village where she must take care of her sickly sister, Mem, and where she does her daily chores in fear of her cruel uncle's angry temper. But after four young girls from the village accuse some of the local women of being witches, the town becomes increasingly caught up in a witch hunt. When the villagers begin to realize that Deliverance is a clever girl who possesses the skills to read and write, the whispered accusations begin. Suddenly she has more to worry about than just the wrath of her uncle, her ill sister, and the fate of the other women in town. Within the pages of her diary, Deliverance captures the panic, terror, suspicion, and hysteria that swept through Salem Village during one of the most infamous eras in American history.
A Journey to the New World
by Kathryn LaskyNewbery Honor author Kathryn Lasky's A JOURNEY TO THE NEW WORLD is now back in print with a gorgeous new package! Twelve-year-old Remember Patience Whipple ("Mem" for short) has just arrived in the New World with her parents after a grueling 65-day journey on the MAYFLOWER. Mem has an irrepressible spirit, and leaps headfirst into life in her new home. Despite harsh conditions, Mem is fearless. She helps to care for the sick and wants more than anything to meet and befriend a Native American.