Tattered Sails

Verla Kay has a gift for telling history with just enough "perfect" words. The words conjure up beautiful pictures and are translated to paper by illustrator Dan Andreasen. The children will love this book and the painless way it teaches the past. I strongly recommend this book.

It's the 1600's and Thomas, Edward, and Mary Jane are headed across the ocean from England to the New World. The voyage is harsh, which the author, Verla Kay, describes in sparse rhyming stanzas that reflect the bareness of the pilgrim's living quarters, meals, and clothing.As the young family arrives in the new world, we rejoice with them. And as they give thanks, we recall the sacrifices of our forefathers who paved the way for all of us today.Andreasen's artwork is stunning, capturing the feel of the rough ocean voyage in muted watercolors.This book would be a great addition to a colonial American history lesson.