The Long Way to a New Land


Joan Sandin - 1981
    This book is a helpful supplement to a history class and a courageous, compelling story for any occasion.The year is 1868 and Sweden is a barren land of poverty and famine. Carl Erik and his family receive a letter from an uncle in America. The uncle realizes that the Erik family is near the end of their rope, and encourages them to move abroad to make a new life. The family sells all their personal items and begins a long trek across land and sea to America...As a fan of this book and its companion, The Long Way Westward, put it: "The books describe the difficulty and dangers of the journey in a way that is non-complaining and full of optimism for a new life in America. Teachers, these books are wonderful for integrating with other subjects and topics, such as immigration, westward expansion, steamships, trains, geography, and American life in the 1860s."Author-artist Joan Sandin's grandfather was born in Sweden and immigrated to Wisconsin with his parents in 1882, when he was only two. Joan herself spent time in Sweden and did extensive research to create her well-loved classic books about the immigrant experience.

Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends: How to Fight the Good Fight at Home


Sarah Mally - 2002
    Many siblings fight, argue and miss out on the close relationship that God intends. The problem is not just the surface battles but the underlying attitudes, wrong concepts and offenses. Many broken relationships never get fixed. Few enjoy the special life-long treasure that God intended. The emphasis of this book is not merely "getting along" but being best friends. It includes lots of humor, many stories and helpful insights. Every chapter has a section by each of the three authors giving the book three perspectives and three personalities. This book has sold more than 65,000 copies. It is also available in Spanish. "This painfully honest, hilarious book offers a creative look at how to build relationships between siblings." -- Beall Phillips, Vision Forum "A tool every family needs." -- Dr. Jim Logan, International Center for Biblical Counselling "Worth it's weight in gold!" -- Old Schoolhouse Magazine

Capyboppy


Bill Peet - 1966
    Born in Grandview, Indiana, Bill Peet nurtured his childhood drawing talent and was awarded a scholarship to the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, where he studied painting and design. After a brief apprenticeship period, he went to work for Walt Disney as a sketch artist, eventually becoming a screenwriter and helping to produce such beloved films as Fantasia, 101 Dalmations, and Peter Pan. In 1959 Bill Peet published his first book, Hubert's Hair-Raising Adventure, going on to write and illustrate over thirty successful books for children.

The Courage of Sarah Noble


Alice Dalgliesh - 1954
    In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father traveled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family. “Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble,” her mother had said, but Sarah found that it was not always easy to feel brave inside. The dark woods were full of animals and Indians, too, and Sarah was only eight! The true story of Sarah’s journey is inspiring. And as she cares for her father and befriends her Indian neighbors, she learns that to be afraid and to be brave is the greatest courage of all. The New York Times Book Review described this book as one “to be long remembered for its beautifully written simplicity and dignity.”

Wagon Wheels


Barbara Brenner - 1978
    But when Daddy moves on, the three boys must begin their own journey. They must learn to care for one another and face the dangers of the wilderness alone.

A Child's History of the World


V.M. Hillyer - 1924
    Written shortly after World War I by Calvert School's first Head Master, Virgil Hillyer, this history storybook combines charm with facts to stimulate young minds and leave them yearning for more information. This volume of A Child's History of the World contains 79 stories that start at the beginning of time and reach to the present. With many illustrations by Carle Michel Book and M.S. Wright.

Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess


Richard Platt - 1999
    Eleven-year-old Toby’s vivid diary entries offer an insider’s view of day-to-day castle life, including tips on etiquette (where do you spit at a feast?) and exciting descriptions of hunting, jousting, and harvesting. Complete with glossary, index, and detailed endnotes, this is a rich look at medieval life that informs as much as it entertains.

Paddle-to-the-Sea


Holling Clancy Holling - 1941
    Paddle's journey, in text and pictures, through the Great lakes to the Atlantic Ocean provides an excellent geographic and historical picture of the region.

The Incredible Journey


Sheila Burnford - 1960
    And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children's stories of all time—and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961.

The Squire and the Scroll: A Tale of the Rewards of a Pure Heart


Jennie Bishop - 2004
    The action builds until the final face-off with the monstrous, evil dragon. Only then does the squire learn of the secret beyond the cave that ends in a joyous celebration for the entire kingdom. Children will gain valuable insight as they learn, along with the young squire, what it means to face the dangers of temptation, and what it takes to guard one's heart from all that is impure.

Dolphin Treasure


Wayne Grover - 1996
    Wayne is left stranded far from shore. The storm is making huge, powerful waves. Sharks are closing in. Can Baby, the dolphin Wayne recused as a calf, come to the diver's rescue?

Mary On Horseback: Three Mountain Stories


Rosemary Wells - 1998
    Instead, she spent her life fording icy streams and climbing untracked mountains to bring medical help to those in need. More nurses on horseback joined Mary . . . and the Frontier Nursing Service was born. Mary's story is amazing. And it is true."Wells's realistic yet poetic prose perfectly captures the dichotomy of the majestic beauty of Appalachia and the harsh realities of mountain life. . . . This one's a gem."--School Library Journal

The Apprentice


Pilar Molina Llorente - 1989
    Arduino faces a decision that could cost him his only chance to realize his life's dream.

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch


Jean Lee Latham - 1955
    Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor’s world—Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn’t promise to have the makings of a sailor; he was too physically small. Nat may have been slight of build, but no one guessed that he had the persistence and determination to master sea navigation in the days when men sailed only by “log, lead, and lookout.” Nat’s long hours of study and observation, collected in his famous work, The American Practical Navigator (also known as the “Sailors’ Bible”), stunned the sailing community and made him a New England hero.

A Penny's Worth of Character


Jesse Stuart - 1954
    If he had a dime, he could buy his favorite treat, a chocolate bar and a lemon soda pop. Shan knows that Mr. Conley, the storekeeper, pays a penny each for good used paper sacks returned to the store. There are ten sacks at home, but Shan's mother tells him to take only nine to Mr. Conley, because the tenth sack has a hole in it. Shan wants a chocolate bar and a lemon soda pop so much, he disobeys his mother and takes the tenth sack. He carries the sack with the hole in it concealed among the nine good sacks, hoping Mr. Conley won't notice it. Mr. Conley overlooks it, but Shan, eating his chocolate bar and drinking his lemon soda pop, discovers something is wronginside him and all around him.