Surviving Jamestown: The Adventures of Young Sam Collier [Paperback]

Gail Langer Karwoski (Author), Paul Casale (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2001 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

A stirring story of survival set against the backdrop of the founding of the first permanent English settlement in the New World.
In 1606, King James I granted a charter to a group of London businessmen known as the Virginia Company to establish an English settlement in North America. In 1607, 104 men set sail aboard three tiny ships on a voyage to a new land. What they found became the first permanent English settlement in the New World-Jamestown.
Among the brave adventurers who made the journey was a young boy named Samuel Collier, the page of famed Captain John Smith. Samuel accompanied Smith on the legendary journey to meet the Algonquin leader Powhatan. Disease, famine, and continuing attacks by neighboring Algonquin Indians took a tremendous toll on the settlers. Samuel was one of the few to survive the harsh realities of the New World during the first few years of Jamestown.
Based on author Gail Karwoski's careful research of the era, this fictional account portrays the struggles and successes of our country's earliest settlers, as seen through the life of a young man. Young readers will enjoy following this story of courage and survival while learning about this important period in the history of the United States.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-7-Sam Collier, 12, thinks he "is the luckiest boy in all of England!" He is about to sail onboard the Susan Constant for the New World and will be Captain John Smith's page and apprentice for the next few years. The new colony in Virginia is a struggle to maintain-the colonists are unprepared for the hard physical labor, the unfriendly natives, the lack of food, and the harsh climate. Disease rapidly diminishes the population. Smith is a strong leader, but many of the colonists do not trust him. He is not a "highborn Englishman," and he was never cleared of an earlier charge of mutiny. When he is named to the ruling council, there is outrage, and the tone is set for the remainder of the book. The story takes place between 1606, when the ship sets sail, and 1609, when Smith returns to England. It is told primarily in the third person with occasional intrusions of Sam's thoughts as he questions a situation in which he has been placed or a decision Smith has made. This technique adds depth to the portrayal of the page's character, enhancing the fact-filled text. The story flows well and is a good fictional introduction to Jamestown. Casale's full-page pencil drawings nicely supplement the text. Maps aid in locating travel routes and Virginia sites mentioned, and an "Author's Note" helps to separate fact from fiction.

Patti Gonzales, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"...The book should be recommended to readers who have enjoyed the DEAR AMERICA and MY AMERICA series." -- Voice of Youth Advocates, August 2001

"Readers of historical fiction will enjoy reading about [Sam Collier's] courage in an unsettling time." -- Kliatt, July 2001

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 198 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561452459
• ISBN-13: 978-1561452453
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,423 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gail Langer Karwoski was born in Boston, Massachusetts, has a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, and an M.A. from the University of Minnesota. She and her husband, Chester, moved to Georgia in 1974 and raised two daughters, Leslie and Geneva, and many bossy cats. Gail taught grades 3-12 in public schools until 1998, and she co-wrote her first book (The Tree that Owns Itself) with a teaching colleague because "we needed some good stories to enrich our Georgia unit." Her books are widely read in schools throughout the country and have appeared on state award lists in Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, and more. She has been named Georgia Author of the Year in Juvenile Literature three times. For more info, visit her website: www.gailkarwoski.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars P.A.C.E Reviews, November 7, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Surviving Jamestown: The Adventures of Young Sam Collier (Hardcover)

A thrilling adventure! More thrilling even than all her other books combined!