Customer Reviews

Jeannie: A Texas Frontier Girl (Book One)

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I am in the third grade in Pennsylvania. I have just read the Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Book One. I thought it was a great book. I am going to read Book Two right away. I like the adventures that Jeannie has with her friends. I want to be a writer someday, just like Evelyn Horan.

Love,
Cassidy

I predict that Ms. Horan will be our present-day Laura Ingles Wilder. Our children desperately need to be subjected to more literature of this type and I am so glad to see that an author had the foresight to present work such as this at this time. I applaud her and hope to see much more by her! Excellent book! I highly recommend this one for children and adults alike.

What was West Texas like in the 1880's? If you want to learn and have a fun adventure in reading, then get a copy of Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl. This book will take you on a wonderful journey back to the 1800's with Jeannie and her friends. If you like the Little House books then you will enjoy Jeannie just as much. I highly recommend this book for all schools, libraries, and anyone interested in historical novels.

Author Evelyn Horan has made learning about the frontier in the 1800s "fun." Horan has crafted a beautiful young adult novel all ages will enjoy and actually learn about life in the 1800s without having to plow through a boring textbook.
Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl is book one in a series of books about a far from prissy out west girl who is ready for adventure and packed with energy. Whether she is up against snakes or challenged by the theft of the family horses, her character does not disappoint the reader. Jeannie is friendly, funny, and ahead of her time in promoting the right for females to enjoy more than sewing, cooking and cleaning.
Horan has characters from Germany which adds an international flavor to the story making it even more appealing.
This delightful book is well-written and engages the reader from the beginning by allowing the reader to taste the period food, smell and visualize the flowers and have the hairs stand up on the backs of their necks with her descriptions of the real dangers faced on the frontier in the 1800s.Outstanding!

"The sun was setting in a burst of deep oranges and reds behind the purple foothills, when Pa pulled their dusty wagon to a stop before the wooden porch steps of the ranch house. Inside, they both knew they would find Ma's comforting arms, some warm food, and plenty of love waiting for them."

Evelyn Horan is a native Texan who has spent many years as a teacher-counselor. Over 200 of her children's articles have appeared in over 80 periodicals and publications.

This is the first book in a four book series set in the Texas frontier. It is a cute innocent tale of friendship and adventure. Through the characters' experiences, Evelyn shows us that life threatening events can make us stronger and that even when life isn't going exactly as we planned, we can still trust God.

Twelve-year-old Jeannie is eager to experience the adventures in West Texas during the 1880s. She loves her horse, Diamond, and together they survive many tests out in the wild. Jeannie is a bit of a tomboy who would rather be out riding horses than doing chores at home. There is an adorable scene where Diamond is a bit naughty:

"Mister, if you ain't the most ungrateful horse!" she shouted angrily, rubbing her sore nose. "I come all the way out here, bring you sugar, feed you , and ...and ..." She ran out of breath. Oh! You just wait. I'll ride you yet!"

She prefers the outdoor life and is an impulsive, lively child. When Diamond is stolen, she is not about to stay home. She helps her father raid the Indian camp to find her horse. Her mother is not impressed and thinks she should try to be a bit more of a lady.

Jeannie's mom is a great cook. I was getting rather hungry reading about the Christmas festivities with pecan pie and blackberry cobbler, not to mention a two layer chocolate cake.

This is not an easy life. The family members have to pick cotton, tend the livestock and do chores in the Texas heat. However, they seem happy. Everyone has a place in their little world and they are appreciated for their contributions.

Jeannie's friend Helga has recently arrived from Germany and when they promise one another to remain best friends, they really mean it.

In this book you will find out:

1 What it feels like to meet a rattlesnake and a mountain lion.
2. How you survive a cyclone.

This is a book for children and adults who enjoy reading about the Texas Frontier and seeing the courageous pioneer spirit in action.

Evelyn makes a note at the start of the book about The Comanche Indians at the time. During the early frontier days, they roamed the grassy plains in Texas. She explains how they were encouraged to steal horses and raid settlers for food and horses. She also talks about how the Indians were given land and how the government now regrets how they treated the Indians during the early years of expansion. At the time of this story, settlers still feared the Comanche tribes and the author explains this fully before the story begins.

There is a West Texas Map from the 1800s and this shows where Jeannie and Helga live. The locations of the Church, school, creek and Trading post are all on the map.

In book 2 Jeannie wants her own horse ranch. She and Helga become teenagers and follow their dreams for a wonderful future. Their lives are filled with puppies and a new colt to train. Helga and Jeannie learn to cook, sew and are on their way to becoming young ladies.

~The Rebecca Review

Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl - Evelyn Horan

This novel by Evelyn Horan tells the adventures of 12-year old Jeannie Hanson, who lives with her family in the frontiers of West Texas in the 1880's. For fans of the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, JEANNIE, A TEXAS FRONTIER GIRL is a similar type of book written for children, depicting life in the wild untamed land that was Texas, seen through the eyes of a 12 year old girl.

Along with her friends, family, her horse Diamond and her loyal dog Ole Blue, Jeannie has adventures that bring her close to life threatening danger every day. Encounters with American Indians, rattle snakes, and tornadoes are all part of every day life for a child of these times. And Jeannie is a tomboy who would rather be outdoors climbing a haystack than sewing a dress indoors with her mother. The character of Jeannie reminded me somewhat of young Laura Ingalls (based on the television series depiction of the author). She has spirit and a curiosity that puts her in potential danger all the time, but her faith in God and her belief in prayer always saves the day.

JEANNIE, A TEXAS FRONTIER GIRL was a treat to read. I had a few problems with incorrect historical facts (For example: Ms. Horan had the people celebrating "President's Day", but in fact "President's Day" didn't come about till the 20th century) but the story in itself would be fun to read for any child.

I loved the adventure parts of this book. Jeanni was sort of like me, in a way. She and I both like horses. I enjoyed how the characters spoke, with an old-fashioned language. It was cool when Lady and Suzy had babies. I chose this book for a school project and really liked it a lot!
From my mom: We ordered this book and communicated with the author directly via email. Ms. Horan was very helpful in getting the book to us as soon as possible so my daughter could have it in time to read it for her historical fiction book report. She can't wait to read the rest of the series!

I loved Book One and am now enjoying Book Two of the Jeannie, Texas Frontier Girl series. Evelyn Horan has a way of making characters come alive and feel as if they are members of your own family. I like the way she weaves Christian values into the story without having it overwhelm the overall theme of Frontier life in the 1880's. Kids of today will enjoy reading about these kids, Jeannie and Helga, of yesteryear - as will we 40-something kids at heart! I look forward to Book Three of the series - due out soon! If you love Janette Oke, you'll love Evelyn Horan too!

Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl: Book One by Evelyn Horan is an engaging highly recommended historical novel for young readers and set in the Lone Star State in the 1880s. Twelve-year-old Jeannie has to face hard work daily and true dangers from the Old West, from rattlesnakes and mountain lions and the threat of a tornado to horse thieves and a school bully. A fascinating and highly enjoyable story about life in the Old West, Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl is a welcome addition to school and community library collections.

Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl (ISBN 1-58851-705-5, America House Book Publishers, 2001), is a wonderful juvenile adventure that vividly describes life on the frontier. The book has just the right balance of exciting action, appropriate dialogue, and descriptive scenery. Children will learn about ranch life, immigrants, friends and animals as they follow Jeannie's life. We predict that children will find it very difficult to even put down this book and will be clamoring for more when it is finished. Teachers can also incorporate the book into history or social studies curriculum. Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, is highly recommended for young advanced readers (grade 1 and up) through middle school.
- Dr. Kathleen Kain, Scientist, educator and reviewer