When Hannah was little and we were thinking about homeschooling kindergarten, several catalogs recommended this book for reading around Thanksgiving. So, trusting those recommendations, I bought "Stories of the Pilgrims" by Margaret B. Pumphrey and read it to Hannah (and Abby) that November. They loved it and I was amazed at what I didn't know about the Pilgrims! By the end of the book, I felt I had a much fuller understanding of what the Pilgrims went through not only in through their time in England, Holland and in the New World, but also in those early days after the first Thanksgiving. I had no idea that the winter after the first Thanksgiving they didn't have enough food (since more settlers from England came to join the colony). I marveled at the courage of these people in facing all that they did! After reading this book for the first time, I knew that homeschooling was for me. It showed me what "living books" could bring to an education and how much I had missed in my schooling by being given only textbooks to read. This was the book that "lit the fire" for me and I look forward to re-reading it to my children every year (even though Hannah claims she has memorized every word by now).
Even though this is a children's book, I learned so much from it. It was fun last year to do additional research into what exactly the Pilgrims didn't like about the English church. I hope to purchase a book or two on original writings of the Pilgrims to deepen our understanding, especially now that my little kindergartner from way back when is now in high school!
Other books we have enjoyed reading in the weeks before Thanksgiving:
This book is a great read aloud for the younger years or as a reader for around 2nd through 4th grade (depending upon reading ability).
I would place this book for third/fourth grade through sixth grade. Beautiful pictures, written from the point of view of the Pilgrims.
This is a fun book that should answer any questions one might have- such as "What would you eat and drink on the Mayflower?" "What could the Pilgrims take with them?" "Were the people on the ship friends?" "How did the Pilgrims spend their first Christmas?" and so on.
Nice book to read after books on the Pilgrims to show what early Colonial life was like for the children.
Another book to read about early Colonial life with lots of photos of re-enactors from Williamsburg.
Even though this is a children's book, I learned so much from it. It was fun last year to do additional research into what exactly the Pilgrims didn't like about the English church. I hope to purchase a book or two on original writings of the Pilgrims to deepen our understanding, especially now that my little kindergartner from way back when is now in high school!
Other books we have enjoyed reading in the weeks before Thanksgiving:
This book is a great read aloud for the younger years or as a reader for around 2nd through 4th grade (depending upon reading ability).
I would place this book for third/fourth grade through sixth grade. Beautiful pictures, written from the point of view of the Pilgrims.
This is a fun book that should answer any questions one might have- such as "What would you eat and drink on the Mayflower?" "What could the Pilgrims take with them?" "Were the people on the ship friends?" "How did the Pilgrims spend their first Christmas?" and so on.
Nice book to read after books on the Pilgrims to show what early Colonial life was like for the children.
Another book to read about early Colonial life with lots of photos of re-enactors from Williamsburg.
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