A Journey to the New World: the Diary of Remember Patience Whipple

Great book! recommend to everybody! ( )

This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not. ( )

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

After more than two months and over 2,900 miles, Remember Whipple and her family arrive in the New World with the rest of the passengers and crew aboard the famed Mayflower. The Whipple family is part of a religious group known as the Saints that left Holland to find religious freedom in this far away place.

The Mayflower first came ashore off Cape Cod. Women and children were left on the ship while the men explored. It was determined that the area was not their true destination, and they set sail for a neighboring region. The Pilgrims finally settled in a place Remember refers to as Plimoth.

At the start of the voyage, Remember's mother gives her a handmade diary and encourages her young daughter to record the events of the journey. What follows is a fascinating account of the treacherous trip across the Atlantic. The sea voyage was extremely uncomfortable and deadly. Many passengers didn't live to set foot in the New World. Remember was one of the lucky few whose entire family survived the journey.

Once in the New World, the settlers were faced with even greater challenges. They arrived at the start of winter, so sickness continued to decrease their numbers, and the shortage of food presented further problems. Although Remember writes of being excited to see and meet the Indians, the men of the group prepared to deal with a possible unfriendly welcome from the natives.

Author Kathryn Lasky paints an incredible picture of these brave pioneers. She describes the investors who gambled that the pilgrims would make the voyage, create a settlement, and then produce products that would be returned by ship to repay their investment. Lasky turns this well-known story into a suspenseful adventure told by a courageous young girl. A JOURNEY TO THE NEW WORLD is a welcome addition to the DEAR AMERICA series. ( )

Twelve Year old Patience and her family have set out on the journey from Europe to the New World on the Mayflower. She weathers the storms, and seaseickness. They finally reach land only to discover that conditions are no better, she tries her best to get through the days, to only lose her mother at death's door, and her best friend who goes back to Europe. How can a young girl survive?Kathryn Lasky has out done her self ont his historical Diary. She has showed every emotion that a young girl would be going through losing those close to her, in a world she wasn't exactly sure of. Everyone, no matter their age will love this diary, and I recommend it to all. It is the greatest book I have read concerning the mayflower. ( )

This installment of the Dear America series is the story of Remember Patience Whipple, a pilgrim who travels to the new world. Lansky does an excellent job conveying historical and cultural information in the fictional narrative. For example, she correctly portrays the motivation for leaving the tolerance of Holland to be the pilgrims' fear of losing their culture. Mem talks about members of her community marrying Dutch boys and her baby sister's first words being dutch. Mem's own reflections sometimes reflect modern criticism of the time period. She wonders if they chose to sail at the right time, as they arrived shortly before winter, and worries about how servants are treated. While not quite as memorable as other books in the series, this book is a good supplement to collections that support a curriculum that addresses this time period. ( )