Review Detail

Twelve-year-old Mem Whipple and her family have endured a difficult trip to the New World aboard the Mayflower. Sickness and deprivation mar their trip. When they arrive in the new land, they hope to forge a new, better life, free from religious persecution, but their new home proves to be a harsh onegrueling work and death follow them, claiming many of their numbers. Despite the help of Squanto and Samoset, friendly Native Americans, Mem must cope with great loss as she and the settlement struggle to survive.

In this rerelease of 1996s A Journey to the New World, Newbery Honor-recipient Kathryn Lasky vividly brings the struggles of the pilgrims to life, portraying gritty details realistically but appropriately for her audience. The New World, filled with uncertainty, provides a perfect backdrop for a novel since simple existence proves to be a battle that must be won daily. Laskys narrative transports the reader to Mems world, where ships rock and heave, and food must be scratched from the ground.

One concern that needs attention: the diary format, which this series has shown effectively engages readers, makes pretenses that the book is a real one. It only mentions in very tiny print on the copyright page (a page no young person will ever read) that the work is fictional. The Dear America series should place this in a position of prominence so that readers feel no confusion. Indeed, the Epilogue may lead even adults to believe the diary is genuine.

This aside, readers will admire the spunk Mem demonstrates in the face of adversity as well as her humanity when dealing with grief. An engaging, captivating novel about a fascinating time period in American history.

The book includes illustrations, diagrams, maps and a historical note.