Almost Home: A Story Based on the Life of the Mayflower's Young Mary Chilton

Thirteen-year-old Mary Chilton has lived in Leyden, Holland almost her entire life; she was not yet three years old when her family fled England in search of religious freedom. But neither England nor Holland feels like her real home to Mary. She has always longed for a place to truly belong. When her parents decide to join other English Separatists living in Holland who are planning to settle in the New World, she feels a mixture of sorrow at leaving behind friends, neighbors, and her three adults sisters, and joy at the thought that she might finally find a place to call home. But the sea voyage on the Mayflower is long and dangerous, filled with storms and sickness, and the difficulties do not end when they finally reach the New World. Wendy Lawton has brought to life the story of Mary Chilton, a real girl who was a passenger on the Mayflower in 1620. I really enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction, particularly those who have a special interest in the Pilgrims or Colonial America.

This is the second book by Wendy Lawton that I have read with my classroom in mind. It is a great read for both the young and the vast majority of us older adults. Almost Home is the story of May Chilton and her wondrous voyage to America on the Mayflower! Well written with just enough dialogue to make the characters come alive, the book is not overly "wordy" for children. The plot is great and the theme warm...this tale definitely keeps the audience captive. As with many other books by Lawton, this too has a delightful moral. The greatest part of this well researched book is that it is biographical and thus opens a dialogue between adults and precocious children. Not only about the Mayflower and the founding of america but also family value, I recommend this book for both the night stand and also the classroom.Way to go Wendy!

Mary Chilton is 13. She feels as if she doesn't belong anywhere. Though she likes it well enough in Holland, it isn't really home. Born in England, she and her family, along with many other 'separatist' families fled to Holland because England would not let them worship God in their own way.When Mary learns that they will be going to America, she begins to hope that she may finally find a home. But when they leave, it is just Mary, Mother and Father. Her older sisters remain behind, and so do some of her best friends. It is a sad parting when they leave Holland, while at the same time there is eagerness in the thoughts of getting to the New World. But first they have to stop in England.In England they board the Mayflower, which will carry them to America, but there are many alarming delays before they are finally underway, and it is so late by then that they knew it would be winter before they got there.A dangerous winter storm hits and the little band of Pilgrims become very sick with the motion of the rocking and pitching of the ship throughout the storm. Only a few stay healthy enough to take care of the rest, and many burdens are thrust on Mary's young shoulders. Yet as each day passes, Mary's thoughts keep her thinking "Almost home...I'm almost home."When the storm finally subsides, the passengers discover they have been blown off course, and are far north of their intended landing in Virginia. It is bitter cold when they finally make shore at Plymouth Rock, and their little group is not as large as when they left the shores of England. It is November, their supplies are either all gone or spoiled, and they won't be able to plant any crops until spring.This is the story of a couragous girl who dreams of 'belonging' and finds that her sense of 'home' might not be what she thought it was. This is the third book in Wendy Lawton's "Daughters of the Faith" Series and should become a part of every library in every family home. A *must* read, along with the other two books in the series: "The Courage To Run," about young Harriet Tubman, and "The Tinker's Daughter," a story about young Mary Bunyan, the blind daughter of John Bunyan, author of "The Pilgrim's Progress."In all three, Wendy Lawton has painted a picture of youthful struggles with big issues, and weaves the love of God and the faithful way in which He deals with his children.

Wendy Lawton has done it again! She has drawn me into one ofher historical children's books.Lawton's ability to weave history with fiction enriches each book she has written in the Daughters of the Faith Series. I was thrilled to reach the end of the book and learn about the fate of the real Mary Chilton and other passengers of the Mayflower. I found it interesting to note that there really was a Francis Billington who nearly blew up the Mayflower.I think Lawton's descriptive ability is richer in this third book of the series. She has a way of placing you in the country as though you lived there. You can almost smell the salty sea air in Leyden. On board the Mayflower, readers can see "the shimmer of water" and hear "the flap, flap, flap of sails being unfurled..."Throughout this series, Lawton weaves her faith in God throughout the book much like Mary Chilton and her mother weaved the cloth for their family as they set out for their new home--America. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest book in the Daughters of the Faith Series and can't wait for the next one.

Reading Wendy Lawton's Almost Home reminded me of everything I'd heard about the Mayflower's trip to the New World along with some interesting tidbits I forgot over the years or never knew in the first place. Like the fact that the Mayflower was forced to return to England twice after setting out for the New World for repairs to its sister ship, only to be forced to make the trip alone after weeks of delays. Or that without Squanto, their fluent Indian friend and fellow believer in God, their odds of survival would have been greatly reduced. Almost Home is the true account of thirteen-year-old Mary Chilton, an actual passenger on the Mayflower, whose dream was to find a place where she belonged. It is the third book in Mrs. Lawton's Daughters of the Faith series, but the only one I've read. Now I am anxious to get my hands on the first two.I highly recommend Almost Home. I believe it would be most enjoyed if shared aloud by the entire family, as parents and young people alike will learn and be inspired by Mary's story of the courage and faith on which this country was founded.