historical fiction

From the days of the first British settlers, determined to forge a new and better life in an unknown land, the pioneer spirit has flourished in the United States. This anthology opens with an excerpt from The Prairie from James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales. The chronicle of western expansion continues with selections by Mark Twain and Bret Harte. Excerpts from Twain's Roughing It convey the sense of wonder experienced by western travelers in the early days of the AMerican Frontier, while Harte's short story, "Tennessee's Partner" colorfully describes the rough-and-ready atmosphere of a western mining camp. A story by Paul Yee, which tells of the Chinese immigrants who helped to build this nation's railroads, is followed by two moving tales by John Steinbeck about California families.

While fishing with his friends off Honolulu on December 7, 1941, teenaged Adam is caught in the midst of the Japanese attack and through the chaos of the subsequent days tries to find his father, a naval officer who was serving on the U.S.S. Arizona when the bombs fell.

In 1944, ten-year-old Lillian and her mother join other Jewish refugees invited to the United States on temporary visas to stay at Fort Ontario, New York, but even with the better living conditions, they worry about what will happen to them after the war. Seeking Safety is the story of 982 refugees who were invited in l944 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to be guests of the United States. These fortunate people were given safety at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York, for the duration of the war. However, they had to agree to return to their countries of origin when the war ended. Includes bibliographical references.

Finding courage she never thought she had, a young Southern girl musters the strength and wit to survive the ravages of the Civil War and keep her family together through it all.

Saving Big Ben is the story of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Franklin CV 13, "the ship that would not be sunk." The crew of the Big Ben were awarded the greatest number of decorations ever conferred on a single ship in Naval history.

In 1943, as the German occupation of France continues, the Tessier siblings increase their involvement in the Resistance while staying out of the way of the Millice, the Vichy military police. Includes facts about Charles De Gaulle and his support of resistance movements.

During World War II, Roberto and his best friend are abducted by German Soldiers from a small town outside of Venice--despite the fact that Italy and Germany are allies--and taken to a work camp in Munich. The horrors they experience change Roberto's outlook from self-preservation to guarded activism, to following his escape, outright sabotage. A gripping come-of-age novelabout the human costs of war.