The Landing of the Pilgrims (Landmark Books)

This is a great, in-depth overview of the pilgrims for children beginning with 'young Will Bradford' and 'Master Brewster' in Scrooby, England. It follows the pilgrims on their flight to Amsterdam and Leyden, then onto the Mayflower (and briefly the Speedwell), and finally their landing off of Cape Cod. It gives very detailed descriptions of the pilgrims' experiences -- often using direct quotes from "Of Plymouth Plantation" by William Bradford. We are homeschoolers and read this aloud over a two week period as part of our study of American History. I highly recommend it -- along with almost all of the other Landmark Books!

The Central Texas Colony of the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas provides each new member with a copy of The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty because the information contained in the book is fact instead of myth and the book can be easily read in an hour.

We used this book as part of our Beautiful Feet Early American History study. I have always appreciated Landmark Books for augmenting our history studies at home. The text is clear, readable and interesting. The facts are simply presented along with the story, making it easy to engage the kids in our topics. We use this along with a timeline to remember when things happened and who the important people were within that time period or event.

A Response to The Landing of the PilgrimsLanding of the Pilgrims, is a book about the first settlers in the New World and their journey across the ocean in hope of religious freedom. It also tells the story of their good times, troubles, and hardships. The author, James Daugherty, vividly tells their story by giving evidence of truth through real documents and their journals. In my opinion, there is no better way to learn about them. This historical fiction book opens up in 1607 with the main character, William Bradford, as a boy, and goes through his life to the death. The reader learns of Bradford's fellow believers and their journey to Holland, life there, and their long pilgrimage across the great Atlantic, to America. The reader is also shown the hard work and effort put in by these people so that we can have what we do today. I think this is a good, well-written book that conveys the elementary message of the reasons and purposes the Pilgrims had in coming to "New England". Daugherty makes the reader feel as if he were in Virginia over 350 years ago sharing the new knowledge and new experiences with Bradford and the early settlers. He does a great job constructing sentences and he really describes things very well. I think Daugherty did a good job with the details as well. He answered almost all the questions a reader could ask and he could answer about life of the early settlers. But I think he probably could have included more about what the pilgrims did for leisure and play. At one time he mentions that they worked six days a week and they worshipped most all of Sunday with just a little time for play. Perhaps they didn't do anything for fun during the week? If the latter is not the case than I wish he would have been more detailed in that area.One thing that I learned about was the charter companies and their contracts with the new settlers. The company provided them with goods and transportation and in return the Pilgrims would send them furs, fish, and other new products of America. The company worked like the modern day stock market.Overall it was a good book and very enjoyable. Considering it's length and content I would recommend the book to 5th graders. It could also be a good tool for learning how to write well-constructed sentences. I hope Daugherty has written other books like this one (only at a higher reading level). If so I will definitely read more of his work!

This very factual recounting of the saga of the Pilgrims is taken largely from William Bradford's personal diary, 'Of Plimoth Plantation' and is a fast paced, and insightful look into the lives of the Pilgrims and the price they paid for religious freedom. It also accounts accurately the peaceable and friendly relations they maintained with the Indians of that region, and their mutual treaty which lasted for nearly 50 years, until the time of King Phillip's War. The amicable relations which the Pilgrims maintained with King Massasoit and Squanto reveal the noble intentions of both parties. This is an essential part of American history and should be read by all students studying this period. Adults will enjoy this one too!