A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple, Mayflower, 1620 (Dear America Series)

My nine year old daughter and I read this book together and I cannot say enough about how much she enjoyed it! She looked forward to our read-alouds each day and giggled through some of the book's journal entries. She liked it so much she started her own journal and applied the Old English style to her own writing! We have been studying the Pilgrims in our Thanksgiving Unit Study and even though Remember Patience Whipple is a fictional character, the author describes events and timelines with historical accuracy (mostly). The vivid detail is so convincing, you feel like you're taking the voyage right along with the Pilgrims!

The "Dear America" series is eagerly read by my tween students, and still enjoyed by their older siblings and parents. They put a personal touch to history and spark interest in the events being covered. This book gives real insight into the privations endured by the early pilgrims and makes us appreciate all themore their fierce determination. Emerging teens need more heroes likes these people.

Bought this to read aloud to my class and they love it! They looked forward to the read everyday as we followed Patience to the New World. A few of my students found other books from the series in the library and checked them out. LOVE when that happens.

Super gift!!

Good read, my family is actually in this book

This is my eleven year old daughter's impression of this book: It was really sad because many people died. It was a good book but it was really sad. I did enjoy reading it.

I paid nearly $50 for the audio CD version of this text (the book by itself is listed for $.99--less than one dollar) and received the book with NO CD. Not only inaccurate, negligent!

Remember Patience Whipple, called Mem, is a bit frightened at the thought of the New World her family is sailing to on the Mayflower. She hears tales of strange "feathered people" who will attack the settlers. But she has more immediate concerns - the dreadful Billington boys, who mercilessly tease Mem and her friend Hummy, the ever present seasickness, and the daily boredom during the long, tedious sea voyage. But once she arrives in the New World, things become even worse. During the long, cold first winter at Plymouth, many settlers become sick and die. Mem is frightened that her family might be next. When spring comes, she thinks they are safe - until her mother falls ill and dies. Can Mem find the strength and courage to go on without her mother? And can she come to accept her future stepmother, quiet, sad Mistress Potts? What I liked best about this book is that it told what a young girl who sailed on the Mayflower and lived at Plymouth Colony might have thought and done. In making the main character a young girl, the author brought the history to life, and I really like the fictional diary format used in this series - it makes you feel really close to the characters.

This book doesn't contain too much hope and has a lot of suffering and death, just like the real Pilgrims. WOuld recommend for an older reader.