American Regional series by Lois Lenski (8 Books)
Requirements: ePUB/MOBI Reader, 64MB
Overview: In Journey Into Childhood, Lenski wrote that she was struck by the fact that there were "plenty of books that tell how children live in Alaska, Holland, China, and Mexico, but no books at all telling about the many ways children live here in the United States"
Genre: Children | Historical Fiction
Coal Camp Girl – The sharp blast of the mine whistle echoed through the valley, sending nine-year-old Tina Wilson on flying feet down o greet her father as he returned from his day’s work at the coal mine. It was a custom for every father to have a treat in his bucket, and the miners’ children scrambled to be first to get theirs.
But the mine whistle could mean other things in the lives of the miners and their families. Sometimes it was the signal for disaster. And sometimes it did not blow at all, when the mines were closed and there was no work for the men. Tina and her brother and their friends learned some hard lessons about hunger and hardship that winter; but they also learned about hope and courage. And, of course, there were lots of happy times, too: square dances, a wedding, and rides on Grandfather’s ponies.
As in all Lois Lenski’s regional books, the events in this story are based on true happening, so her picture of life in a "coal camp" is a real and vivid one. And because of the author’s rare understanding and insight, young readers will be able to look beneath the soot-grimed surfaces of life in this typical West Virginia coal-mining town and find there excitement, adventure and even beauty.
Corn-Farm Boy – Dick comes home from school early and tells his mother he was sent home with a stomachache. She puts him to bed and tells him to get some sleep, but Dick can’t shut his eyes for a second. All his life he’s wanted to be a farmer—to quit school and join his father and brother driving tractors across their sprawling property—and today is his chance. His father is getting a 2nd tractor, and he’ll need Dick to drive it. Dick is certain that there’s nothing on the farm that he can’t handle. But when he gets a taste of farmer’s work, will he be so sure it’s the life for him?
This charming novel offers a detailed look at life on a farm and a snapshot of a time when a boy could quit school to work in the fields.
Flood Friday – The story of a Connecticut town hit by a great flood and of the children who live there and their courage and acceptance of hardship. Based on flood that hit parts of Western Connecticut on August 19, 1955.
Houseboat Girl – What would it be like to live on a houseboat on the Mississippi River with two parents, four kids, eight chickens, several turtles, a dog, and a cat? Patsy and her family are about to find out!
At first, Patsy is upset when her parents decide to move from their home in River City, Illinois, to a houseboat on the Mississippi River. She’ll miss her house and friends, and she’s sure the trip downriver will be boring. Gradually, she and her brother and sisters get used to their new life. Patsy grows to love the ever-changing river, where she even learns to swim. But she can’t help longing for a real house–on land. "Houseboat Girl" is based on the experiences of real families living on the Mississippi River in the summer of 1954. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Lois Lenski including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s estate.
Judy’s Journey – Ten-year-old Judy and her family are migrants, moving from farm to farm with each new season. Starting in Alabama, they travel to Florida and up the East Coast all the way to New Jersey, always looking for steady work. Every time Judy feels as if they’re beginning to put down roots, they have to move on. It’s hard for her to catch up in school; it’s hard to make and keep friends. Judy likes the people she meets along the way, but she longs for a real home. Will her family ever have a farm of their own?
Judy’s Journey is a realistic depiction of the life of migrant farm workers in the mid-1900s.
Strawberry Girl – The land was theirs, but so were its hardships
Strawberries — big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida backwoods, and they haven′t even begun their planting. "Don′t count your biddies ′fore they′re hatched, gal young un!" her father tells her.
Making the new farm prosper is not easy. There is heat to suffer through, and droughts, and cold snaps. And, perhaps most worrisome of all for the Boyers, there are rowdy neighbors, just itching to start a feud.
Texas Tomboy – The entire ranch is thirsty-will the rains ever come?Tomboy Charlie loves the ranch and the outdoors, especially now that she has a horse of her own and can ride like a true cowboy. She doesn’t understand why her mother keeps after her to help out in the house, too. But ranch life is hard, especially when there’s a drought. There isn’t enough water for the crops or cattle, and horrible dust storms sweep away the soil. If it doesn’t rain soon, her family could lose everything. Charlie must learn that on a ranch, everyone’s job is important if they are to survive-and that a good cowboy always obeys orders.This classic story depicts Texas ranch life during the droughts of the early twentieth century, as one girl tries to find her place in the world." Charlotte’s] love of horses and the ranch, her escapades and her problems make good reading for the horse-loving girls of the present." -The Horn Book Magazine
To Be a Logger – Little Joe has been sawing trees since he was 5 years old. A child of the Oregon hills, he spends his days scampering through the forest around his family’s cabin. Ever since he was old enough to hold an ax, he’s wanted to be a logger like his daddy. He wants to wear boots with nails on them, saw down the mightiest trees in the forest, and holler “Timber!” as they come crashing to the ground. Little Joe has logging in his blood.
Finally, Little Joe is old enough for his 1st visit to a logging camp. He sees the great machines taking down trees and loading them onto trucks, and he wants to be a logger more than ever. But as he grows up, he will find there are better ways to show his love for the forest than cutting it down.
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