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Dear America
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Where Have All the Flowers Gone? The Diary of Molly MacKenzie Flaherty (Dear America)
by Ellen Emerson WhiteIn 1968 Massachusetts, after her brother Patrick goes to fight in Vietnam, fifteen-year-old Molly records in her diary how she misses her brother, volunteers at a Veterans' Administration Hospital, and tries to make sense of the Vietnam War and tumultuous events in the United States. Includes historical notes.
Voyage On The Great Titanic
by Ellen Emerson WhiteOne of the most popular Dear America diaries of all time, Ellen Emerson White's bestselling VOYAGE ON THE GREAT TITANIC is now back in print with a gorgeous new package! Five years ago, Margaret Ann Brady's older brother left her in the care of an orphanage and immigrated to America. When the orphanage receives an unusual request from an American woman looking for a traveling companion, Margaret's teachers agree that she is the perfect candidate to accompany Mrs. Carstairs on the TITANIC, so that once Margaret arrives in New York she will be free to join her brother in Boston. But the TITANIC is destined for tragedy, and Margaret's journey is thrown into a frozen nightmare when the ship collides with an iceberg.
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.
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.
My Heart Is On the Ground
by Ann Rinaldi"My under-where is itching me all this time. I feel silly in my citizens' clothes. I trip on the skirts when I walk. I am angry. Then Mrs. Camp Bell told me not to be dis-re-spect-ful. And to pick a name. So I did, for Mrs. Camp Bell. So now I am Nannie Little Rose. And now I am here. And I have learned to wear this citizens' clothes and write their words. But I will never forget my past."
With the Might of Angels
by Andrea Davis PinkneyCoretta Scott King winner Andrea Davis Pinkney brings her talents to a brand-new Dear America diary about the Civil Rights Movement.In the fall of 1955, twelve-year-old Dawn Rae Johnson's life turns upside down. After the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, Dawnie learns she will be attending a previously all-white school. She's the only one of her friends to go to this new school and to leave the comfort of all that is familiar to face great uncertainty in the school year ahead. However, not everyone supports integration and much of the town is outraged at the decision. Dawnie must endure the harsh realities of racism firsthand, while continuing to work hard to get a good education and prove she deserves the opportunity. But the backlash against Dawnie's attendance of an all-white school is more than she's prepared for. When her father loses his job as a result, and her little brother is constantly bullied, Dawnie has to wonder if it's worth it. In time, Dawnie learns that the true meaning of justice comes from remaining faithful to the integrity within oneself.
Behind the Masks
by Susan PatronNewbery Award-winning author Susan Patron brings her talents to the beloved Dear America series in this exciting story of a girl growing up in the Wild West, in a California gold mining town.Growing up in the wild gold-mining town of Bodie, California, in the 1880s, Angeline Reddy has seen it all -- saloons, brawls, and a whole lot of desperation. When her father, Bodie's greatest lawyer, is declared murdered, Angie knows deep in her heart that he isn't dead and decides it is up to her to solve the mystery of what happened to him. But when her mother takes ill and a mysterious ghost appears, putting together the puzzle pieces seems impossible. Not to mention, a gang of vigilantes, the 601, is raging out of control, running folks out of town, and nobody seems safe. Will Angie, with the help of her friends Ellie and Ling Loi, and the mysterious and tragically handsome Antoine, be able to uncover the secret of her father's disappearance?
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.
My Secret War
by Mary Pope OsborneThirteen-year-old Madeline Beck's diaries, recorded through 1941 and 1942, reveal her experiences living on Long Island during World War II while her father is away in the Navy. B&W photos and illustrations.
West to a Land of Plenty
by Jim MurphyThe first humorous book in the Dear America series, "West to a Land of Plenty" follows an Italian girl's immigrant family as they move from New York City to a utopian community in the frontier West.
My Face to the Wind
by Jim MurphySarah Jane Price keeps a diary as a promise to her late father, the former school teacher in Broken Bow Nebraska. She accounts her struggle to gain acceptance as the new teacher even though she is so young. She tells of the harshness of the weather, her trials at balancing relationships between herself and her pupils as well as herself and the rest of the townspeople.
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.
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.
Color Me Dark
by Patricia C. MckissackLike many other African-Americans, Nellie and her family move North for a better life and hopefully, to escape racism. Instead, they are faced with a more sinister form of prejudice--hatred within their own race.
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.
Like the Willow Tree
by Lois LowryTwo-time Newbery Award-winning author Lois Lowry brings a brand-new, beautiful diary to the Dear America series! Suddenly orphaned by the Spanish flu epidemic in the fall of 1918, eleven-year-old Lydia Pierce and her fourteen-year-old brother, Daniel, of Portland, Maine, are taken by their uncle to be raised in the Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake. Thrust into the Shakers' unfamiliar way of life, Lydia must grapple with a new world that is nothing like the one she used to know. Now separated from her beloved brother, for men and women do not mix in this community, Lydia must adjust to many changes. But in time, and with her courageous spirit, she learns to find the joy in life again.
When Christmas Comes Again
by Beth Seidel LevineWhen General Pershing calls for French-speaking American girls to operate the switchboards on the Western Front, Simone Spencer becomes one of the first "Hello Girls" whose courage helps lead the Allies to victory.
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.
Dreams in the Golden Country
by Kathryn LaskyZippy's Diary begins with her arrival on Ellis Island with her mother and 2 older sisters. Two days before a bit of soot irritated her eye and for that the 12 year old would have been sent back to Russia alone with the letter E for eye disease chalked on her back. Thinking quickly, her big sister, Tovah, with lightning speed, turns Zippy's coat inside out, and so begins the little girl's life in America, the land of dreams. She dreams of becoming an actress, Tovah dreams of unionizing the workers in sweat shops and Miriam dreams the unthinkable, of marrying an Irish Catholic boy. Zippy suffers the humiliation of being placed in first grade, but through intelligence and concentrated hard work and practice will reach eighth grade in a year and a half when her Diary ends. She uses and explains Yiddish words and Jewish proverbs as she goes along. She and her family struggle to decide which traditional and religious customs to keep and which American customs to adopt. Conflict arises when different family members make different choices. This story in which Zippy confides her most personal thoughts from being irritated because their boarder smells bad to wanting to contact Miriam, now married to her Irish boy and declared dead and even mourned by their mother. The pace at which this family adjusts to and makes changes is astonishing as are the many details of life in New York City in 1903 when the ice cream cone is an untried invention. There is meaningful information about immigrants from several countries, solid history and compelling human drama.
Christmas After All
by Kathryn LaskyNewbery Honor author Kathryn Lasky's CHRISTMAS AFTER ALL is back in print with a gorgeous new package! To twelve-year-old Minnie Swift, Christmas is not going to be the time of bounty she's used to. It is 1932 -- the middle of the Great Depression -- and jobs are scarce and Papa seems more worried each day. But when their orphaned cousin comes to live with them, the Swifts are quick to rearrange the beds and make room for her. Minnie, thrilled to have another youngster in the home, is resolved to make this Christmas memorable in spite of the hard times. Through her diary entries, Minnie captures the darkness of the Great Depression, the optimism of a small Midwestern family, the fortitude of the American spirit, and the magic of Christmas.
Christmas after All
by Kathryn LaskyTwelve-year-old Minnie Swift recounts living through one of the toughest times in American history, the Great Depression, through her diary that spans over one Christmas month. Reflecting both sadness and optimism that characterized the time, this is an intimate portrait of a Midwestern family's triumphs and losses. Photos.
The Fences Between Us
by Kirby LarsonNewbery Honor author Kirby Larson brings us the first new Dear America diary in years, taking readers through the attack on Pearl Harbor, the start of World War II, and the Japanese incarceration.
With this sweeping tale of life on the World War II homefront, Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson brings her incredible talent to the Dear America series. When Pearl Harbor is attacked, America is finally unable to ignore the wars raging in Europe and Asia any longer. And one girl's entire life is about to change when everything she knows is turned on its head. After the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, where her brother, a navy sailor, is stationed, Piper Davis begins chronicling her compelling journey through one of history's most tragic and unforgettable eras.
Survival in the Storm
by Katelan JankeIn 16-year-old Katelan Janke's first Dear America book, readers meet Grace Edwards, a little girl growing up in the heart of the Texas panhandle in the midst of the Dust Bowl. Fierce, dust-filled winds ravage the plains and threaten the town's agricultural livelihood. Will Grace's family's farm survive?
Hear My Sorrow
by Deborah HopkinsonCritically acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson's HEAR MY SORROW is back with a beautiful new cover!Fourteen-year-old Angela Denoto and her family have arrived in New York City from their village in Italy to find themselves settled in a small tenement apartment on the Lower East Side. When her father is no longer able to work as a hod carrier, Angela must leave school and find a job in a shirtwaist factory. Despite being disappointed that she had to give up her education, Angela is proud that she is able to help her family. But soon she begins to wonder about the steep price of the American dream, given the dangerous conditions at the factory. Set against the birth of the labor union movement in the early 1900s, Angela finds herself caught up in the drama and turmoil that erupts as the workers begin to strike, protesting the terrible conditions in the sweatshops. In the pages of her diary, Angela records the horrors of the Triangle Factory fire, along with the triumphs and sorrows of the labor movement.
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.