Cora Frear [Paperback]

Susan E. Goodman (Author), Doris Ettlinger (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2002 | Age Level: 6 and up | Series: Ready-For-Chapters

FIRE!

Cora loves riding through the wild prairie with her doctor father on his house calls. One day, they have a bigger adventure than they bargained for. Prairie Fire! Their old horses will never outrun the flames that are galloping right toward them!

What will Cora and Papa do to save their lives?

*

Cora Frear was a real pioneer girl, growing up on the prairie at the end of the nineteenth century. Her true story is as exciting as any novel. And it is only the first adventure in the Brave Kids series. Coming next: the story of Robert Henry Hendershot, Civil War drummer boy.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Launching the Brave Kids chapter book series, this morsel of historical fiction springs from a memoir by Cora Frear, born in 1887 and raised on the Iowa prairie. The tale opens as Cora's father, a doctor, invites her to accompany him on a buggy ride to visit an ailing patient. Cora, who often acts as her father's assistant, eagerly accepts. After spying dark clouds and a red glow in the sky behind them, Cora realizes that a prairie fire is heading their way. Her father decides to set a backfire he will sear a patch of grass that, reduced to ash, will serve as a "blessed island of safety" when the prairie fire approaches. The doctor's single match fails to ignite, but Cora manages to find one last remaining match in her father's cast-off vest pocket. The scene is set for high drama, but Goodman's (Animal Rescue) bland prose doesn't do justice to the duo's peril or anguish: "The fire was burning around them. The temperature was almost unbearable. The heat seemed to last forever." An afterword amplifies the historical setting. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 6-9.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-3-This brief story is based on actual events in the life of a girl who grew up in late-19th-century Iowa. When the 10-year-old and her doctor father are caught in a prairie fire on their way to treat a sick baby, their energy and resourcefulness save their lives. An afterword tells about the real Cora Frear Hawkins and provides background regarding women's roles. Goodman's straightforward style calls to mind the work of Laura Ingalls Wilder, and provides the action that beginning chapter-book readers require. The short format perfectly fits this depiction of an episode out of history. Ettlinger's black-and-white full-page pictures illustrate historical detail. The story makes a great stepping stone for readers not quite ready for the "Dear America" or "My Name Is America" series (Scholastic).
Pat Leach, Lincoln City Libraries, NE
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin; Original edition (March 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689843291
• ISBN-13: 978-0689843297
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 7.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #409,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #93 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > United States > 1800s

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 8yo boy enjoyed, April 19, 2010

By 

Kim Christain "K" (CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cora Frear (Paperback)

Part of SonLight homeschool curriculum. My son enjoyed this and recounted the plot several times with excitement. Asking the comprehension questions showed me this book is a good example how children should trust their parents. Cora's bravery is an inspiration and gave me the opportunity to explain what it really means.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read!, March 10, 2006

By 

L. Jeffries-summers "dragonreads" (Highland, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brave Kids: Cora Frear: A True Story (Ready-For-Chapters) (School & Library Binding)

Brave kids: Cora Frear is a true historical account of a young doctor's daughter out on the prairie at the turn of the century. Cora helps keep her doctor father company on long rides to outlying farms. In this stirring episode, she is able to help save her father, herself, and the horses from certain death by a prairie fire. An endnote explains that she also helped him with his surgeries a little later in life. This book is a nice bridge book to read before tackling the longer historical fiction of Laura Ingalls Wilder, etc.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW, A Great Book, May 27, 2002

By 

J.Coleman (Wayland, Ma USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cora Frear (Paperback)

Cora's story is fascinating. The book is difficult to put down. Very compelling and beautifully written. I couldn't recommend it more.