Well written account from a young lady on board a ship to the new world. Makes one troubles seem petty. ( )

This is the story of Remember Patience Whipple,told by means of her diary, day by day. It starts when Rem. and her family are on the Mayflower on their way to the New World. We learn about the sea sickness most of the passengers suffer to the Plimoth(her spelling) Settlement hardships and deaths.

While I read this book,I was transported to the Mayflower and the New World. Rem's writing was very easy to read and very discriptive. I felt her pain and her excitment.

This is a perfect book to introduce any thing from the Mayflower to the early English settlers, to young children's experirnces in the New World, to students. ( )

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. ( )

GINGER BICKLEY (11/19/08)
A journey to the new world, is historical fiction. Which is one of my favorite genres, What i like about the book is how it is written in a journal format, i feel that that makes it a little more original perhaps, and it is easier to distinguish each day from the next or previous. What i did not like was the whole series in general seems to carry the same storyline, i mean girl is faced with challenge, usually has to go somewhere, that challenge gets worse then better, then better then worse, then falls in love and lives happily ever after. I only recommend this series of books if you want a more diluted, modern kind of historical fiction that does not stand out. if you would though on the other hand like a book that is accurate, original, the real thing and over all more interesting i suggest looking elsewhere. ( )

Reviewed July 2005

Another charming Dear America book "written" by a 12 year old girl traveling on the Mayflower. I learn so much whenever I read these books. Amazing to think about the courage needed to travel so far with death everywhere. Large amounts of people died around Remember, I guess that was what life was like in those times, sickness, child birth and injuries could all mean death. Sad that when these people came to America they came to escape government telling them how to worship, and ended up being so intolerant of people wanting to worship differently in their settlement. They felt they were more privy to the knowledge of God. They tried to convert the people they found in America. I hope this child learned the ways of the Indians, how to swim and enjoy her childhood, but I bet she didn't.

16-2005 ( )