The Adventurous Life of Myles Standish and the Amazing-but-True Survival Story of Plymouth Colony (Cheryl Harness Histories) [Hardcover]

Cheryl Harness (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Cheryl Harness Histories

Say hello to Myles Standish, a fiery man with short legs and an even shorter temper. When he got mad his face turned as red as his hair, earning him the nickname "Captaine Shrimpe."

It's a story that has been told for almost 400 years—how a brave band of people set sail on the Mayflower to find a new life in America.

By weaving her chatty, narrative text with her incredibly detailed artwork, award-winning author-illustrator Cheryl Harness makes readers feel as though they are part of the adventure.

Students will discover all sorts of things they never knew before: that a teenage boy almost blew up the Mayflower and that the first Indian the Pilgrims met greeted them in English! They'll learn more serious things, too: all about why they came, the hardships they suffered, the people they met, and the successes they achieved.

Middle-graders will experience one of history's great adventures as only Cheryl Harness can tell it.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–8—Harness combines a breezy tone with exhaustively researched texts to produce not only exemplary life stories, but also snapshots of the periods. As the author makes amply clear, Standish was a hotheaded but effective secretary of defense for the struggling Plymouth Colony. His willingness to make a show of force and to invest both time and effort (his own and others') into constructing fortresses probably saved the fledgling colony from untimely destruction. The steps Whitman took to become a missionary, her historic journey to Oregon country, her years at the Waiilatpu Mission, and her tragic death at age 39 are all covered. The narrative is much enhanced by the frequent use of excerpts from her letters home. In each book, a running time line lists significant events taking place in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The texts incorporate information on the state of technology and how that impacted the journeys each individual made, the force and impact of religious beliefs and worldviews, and significant societal beliefs and mores. Black-and-white line illustrations extend the texts beautifully, as do the maps. The bibliographies and indexes are excellent. While readers may not pick these titles up on their own, Harness's style (though a bit arch in tone at times) will hold their interest. Much preferable to most standard series titles, such as Louis Sabin's Narcissa Whitman: Brave Pioneer (Troll, 1997), these books have a place in most school collections.—Ann Welton, Helen B. Stafford Elementary, Tacoma, WA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Instead of a standard biography, Harness chronicles the history of the Plymouth Pilgrims from their troubles in England to their first years in North America, with the focus on Standish. Separating documented history from speculation, the narrative explains religious movements, introduces key figures, and gives a balanced account of Pilgrim-Indian relationships. In contrast to many Pilgrim histories, the tone is casual (e.g., "Without Squanto the translator, these English wouldn't be able to go around getting cozy with everybody, messing up the balance of power.") Harness' familiar detailed pictures appear here as prints. An illustrated time line of world events runs along the bottom of pages, but it is not synchronized with events in the narrative, and the murky maps are not helpful. There are no notes or citations, but a bibliography of resources is appended, along with lists of Mayflower passengers, recommended Web sites and places to visit. A reader-friendly approach to history. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books (October 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792259181
• ISBN-13: 978-0792259183
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 0.6 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #714,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cheryl Harness makes her home in Independence, Missouri, the "Queen City of the Trails," a couple of blocks away from the big white house where Harry and Bess Truman used to live. She lives with Mimi (a black and white Shih Tsu)), and Merrie Emma (a cross-eyed scaredy-cat). As an author, illustrator, public speaker, and presenter in many an elementary school, Cheryl is known for her engaging, entertaining approach to history, her detailed watercolors, and the way she plays her harmonica.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for all ages, September 15, 2008

By 

PEGGY BURRESS (Edmond, OK United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Adventurous Life of Myles Standish and the Amazing-but-True Survival Story of Plymouth Colony (Cheryl Harness Histories) (Hardcover)

This book is wonderful. It is listed as a children's book, but I believe it is a valuable asset to any student of Plymouth, the Pilgrims and the founding of our country. The pen and ink artwork is beautiful. She includes great maps and a timeline that runs throughout the book. Her bibliography is impressive, and I would highly recommend this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, December 28, 2008

By 

Michael (Madison, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Adventurous Life of Myles Standish and the Amazing-but-True Survival Story of Plymouth Colony (Cheryl Harness Histories) (Hardcover)

The Adventurous Life of Myles Standish and the Amazing-but-True Survival Story of Plymouth Colony by Cheryl Harness is well worth it. My wife and I purchased this book for our children to use for homeschooling. We wanted a volume that would incorporate original sources and uplifting commentary and anecdotes about the Plymouth Colony. This book did both. We have read many of Cheryl Harness' other books on great American leaders and statesmen. This one is part of a series she made for middle-school readers, but our younger children enjoyed having it read to them. It has nice illustrations and a good time line running throughout the book. We highly recommend this book to all who want something inspirational to help teach about this important part of American history.