Review: Dear America, A Journey to the New World

Dear America:

A Journey to the New World

The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple

Mayflower, 1620

by

 Kathryn Lasky

Quote: "  I begin now this second part of our diary, even though it is the same day. I consider the voyage finished and this be the New World part." ~Mem   pg. 43

Started: Jan. 14, 2013

Finished: Jan. 16, 2013

hardcover/ 174 pages

From the cover:

"Land ahoy!"

 The call from the crow's nest cracked the dawn. Hummy's and my eyes flew open...we all hurried out. Unable to believe the words, our eyes wide in the half-light of dawn. Several of us crowded along the rail. The sailors saw it first, the faint, dark line against the horizon... But within minutes of searching the horizon with our eyes, Hummy and I begun to see the same.

 We held each other's hands so tightly and dared not breathe, but minute by minute, the line became firmer and began to thicken. 'Twas not a wisp of a dream but real. It has taken us all of sixty-five days, but finally we are here. This be the New World and it doth fill my eyes for the first time.

My Review:

I have to admit that I love the Dear America series. They are such good little reads and have actually taught me things I had not learned before. This book in particular was about the Mayflower voyage of 1620. I learned new names that I hadn't known, such as the "Saints" and "Separatists" which are the names given to those from the Saints of the Holy Discipline who separated from the Church of England. Rather than just being what we call, Pilgrims. I also didn't know that the Mayflower was originally a wine ship from Portugal. This book actually includes many names of real passengers who were among those on board. The names can be matched to ledgers located on internet searches. I like the way this book shows us what the voyage most likely was like from the eyes of a child. How she dealt with sickness, hunger, heartache and even boredom. So often in history we see children have dealt with things we cannot imagine ourselves overcoming as adults, let alone a child. We take for granted our own children's advantages and innocence. My daughters actually own a short(28minute) movie by the same name and I have to say there were too many missing parts to the movie after finishing the book. There were complete characters left out and other things added to the movie that were no where in the story.

For the book, I give it 4 Stars*