N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims (Paperback)

by Robert San Souci (Author), N.C. Wyeth (Illustrator, Artist) "The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were a time of religious struggle in England..." (more)
Key Phrases: Plymouth Colony

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Best known for his illustrations of such classics as Treasure Island and Robin Hood , N. C. Wyeth also had a successful career as a muralist. In the '40s he created a series of murals for New York's Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, presented here in all their restored glory. The paintings offer an idyllic, highly romanticized vision of Pilgrim life--the robust men and women and lush surroundings, for example, don't even hint at the severe deprivations suffered by the original colonists. This shortcoming is outweighed by the breathtaking scope and beauty of the illustrations and the glimpse they offer of an unspoiled country's bounty. San Souci's workmanlike text is well researched, accurate and packed with information. Unfortunately, it never rises above the prosaic, and ends up sounding like the soundtrack to a particularly didactic documentary. Geared primarily toward the classroom (the book is dedicated to the schoolteachers of America), this volume isn't without merit, but its lack of immediacy and sparkle will not do much to breathe life into the subject of history. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3 Up-- Wyeth's 14-panel mural of the early Pilgrim years, done for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company building in the early 1940s, has been handsomely reproduced (although never in its entirety) to accompany a spare but aesthetically appealing recitation of the legends of Myles Standish, Squanto, and the anticlimactic "First Thanksgiving." The figures are solidly rendered, as if cut from Plymouth's rocky soil, and wear the expected white collars, flowing capes, bonnets, and high-crowned hats. Readers are offered broad vistas, in keeping with mural design, but also closeups of significant objects like a full-sailed Mayflower or a flirtatious maid at her spinning wheel. The overall visual effect is softly upbeat and romantic. Even winter snow scenes are suffused with a heavenly light that must surely symbolize success. If this visual version of the Pilgrims is much more myth than fact, so what? The endpapers reproduce the Mayflower's passenger list that records the many deaths, remarriages, and births of the early years, ignored in Wyeth's paintings. San Souci's text, mostly unrelated to the pictures, does provide a modicum of information about the reasons for the flight from England and some of the events involved with producing a settlement. These bits of the record can be found in many other histories. What makes this book special is that it is to be experienced as a healthy fairy tale told with artistic potency and a strong sense of the human scale of the history. --Kenneth Marantz, Art Education Department, Ohio State University, Columbus
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811814866
• ISBN-13: 978-0811814867
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #763,391 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Attractive and Readable Book on the Pilgrims!, November 20, 2000

By	Volkert Volkersz (Snohomish, WA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The lush, romanticized illustrations--in the same tradition as Norman Rockwell--by renowned American artist N.C. Wyeth, are what first draws young readers to this book. While the paintings taken from Wyeth's murals may not always line up with the clear, concise writing of Robert San Souci, it doesn't detract from the narrative.

This is a classy book for middle grade students, providing a readable account of the Pilgrim's journey aboard the Mayflower and first year in New England. While the illustrations may be idealized, San Souci leaves no doubt that life was difficult for the settlers of Plymouth.

Notes at the end of the book provide interesting and helpful background on the writing of the book and information about the artist, who died in 1945, and the murals that are the source of these illustrations.

This is a nice addition for information on New England colonial life, as well as the feast of Thanksgiving.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good glimpse of history for children, March 16, 2003

By	"tall_guy_03" (USA) - See all my reviews

I thought that this book was a really good book. The best part about it was that it had to do with history. I think it will still keep the interest of kids while teaching them about what happened back then. It also had great pictures. While I was reading it, the pictures jumped out at me. It wasn't too lengthy either. I found that to be quite nice. I would recommend it to children if they are looking for an interesting and educational book. With this book, you can not only enjoy it, but you can also learn. That is why I gave it 5 stars.