Rebekah in Danger

Since I teach language arts, I had to change some of my reading habits to include young adult fiction. This book is about a Dutch girl and her family's first year in the promised land or the New World later known as America. Upon the Pilgrims first landing at Plymouth Rock, the author explains and details the hardships of Rebekah and her family which include her brother, Will, and her parents. The author writes about the long voyage from Holland to Massachusetts aboard the famous Mayflower ship. Rebekah is witness to death and hardship on a daily basis. The author writes about the religious convictions and persecution that occurred in their native countries. The author also writes about the tolerance that they seek in a foreign world. The author writes about the fears of the Native Indians who were here in America first and their strange customs. Apart, Rebekah and her family as well as other pilgrims fought to survive a harsh winter and weather conditions. This book might appeal to young female readers.

It's November 1620, and eleven-year-old Rebekah Cunningham, her parents, and her ten-year-old brother, Will, have survived the long and difficult journey from England to the New World on the Mayflower. But more difficulties await them. They have arrived just as winter is starting, and food supplies are low. They have to continue to live on the ship while their homes are built. Soon sickness breaks out, and Rebekah worries that someone from her own family will become ill. It will take all of Rebekah's faith and courage to bring her through the first harsh winter in the New World. Young readers who enjoy stories set in Colonial Times, or about the Pilgrims, will most likely enjoy this book. It is not a must-read in my opinion, but it should appeal to kids who have a special interest in this historical setting, and so I would recommend it to those readers.