Customer Reviews

The Winter of Red Snow: The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1777 (Dear America)

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Abigail Jane Stewart, called Abby by her family and friends, is the narrator of this fictional diary. She is only eleven when the American army makes camp near her home in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in December of 1777. She and her older sister, Elisabeth, and younger sister, Sally, are worried about their mother and newborn brother, but they try to help the army in whatever way they can. Abby, her mother, and sisters do laundry for General Washington, and Abby and Elisabeth sew for the soldiers and visit the encampment with Mrs. Washington to help with the sick soldiers. In viewing the horror of war firsthand, Abby matures from a child who views war as an adventure to a girl who, in spite of her young age, understands the sacrifices the soldiers are making to fight for freedom. This was one of the first Dear America books I read, and I still remember how very much I enjoyed it. It started me out on my way to loving this series.

This book is a must-read for all Revolutionary War fans. Anyone who likes to read accounts about our nation's past will love The Winter of Red Snow. This book is a fictional diary about Abigail Jane Stewart, an 11-year-old girl who lived at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary War. It tells of her feelings toward life, the war, the army, etc. It is a great account. While reading this book, I felt like I had traveled back in time. I felt like I was right there with Abigail. When Abigail helped Martha Washington on her walks through the army's camp, I could see, hear, and even smell the sick and dying soldiers in my mind. Abigail's vivid descriptions brought such clear, sharp pictures to my mind, it made me wish I was a painter so I could paint them. I recommend this book to anyone who likes diaries from wartimes, or just the Revolutionary War in general. It is full of detail, description, and vivid feelings and thoughts. It's a real page-turner, and is very hard to put down.

This book should be near the top of the list of books for young adults, perferably nine to twelve, to read. History comes alive through details on life from a young girl's perspective. Even kids who don't like to learn about history will love this book, and most likely other books by this author. The details in this book: especially the descriptions of the soldiers trudging through the snow, will pull (willingly, I might add :)) any young adult into American History. Yet, the story still has a lightheartedness that children will enjoy. There is a wonderful plot, and a happy ending. This book will enthrall young adults and keep them reading until the last page is turned. History is something everyone should know about, and the author makes it possible so even the young can enjoy it.

The Winter of Red Snow, by Kristiana Gregory, is a great book about the Revolutionary War. It is easy to understand and explains much of the War. Two of the main characters are Mr. and Mrs. George Washington. Therefore, you learn a little bit about them and what they were possibly like.
         This Book is a diary of a young girl 11 years of age, named Abigail. She lives 18 miles out of Pennsylvania duringthe war. Her small town is Valley Forge. The 13 Colony's army has camped there during the harsh winter. Many end up with Small Pox or amputated hands andfeet.
         This story goes along with Abigail for six months. The army helps her life in many ways, although it can also be very frustrating and annoying. Abigail her self lives with her family. She is one of three girls, the middle one. Her mom gives birth to a baby boy on the first page of the book. Her mom although has given birth to six sons before whom all died through terrible winters. Johnny is the new sons name, and he lives through winter and grows to be healthy. Abigail's Father is a shoemaker and slaves all winter long to make shoes for the thousands of soldiers without. Abigail is closest to her sister Elisabeth who is 16. They both sew jackets with their name embroidered on the inside. The two girls eventually give the coats to a soldier to wear. Elisabeth's jacket wearer returns and falls in love with her. The women in her family receive the job of doing General Washington's laundry; because of the weekly visit to his house, they become friends with him.
         In this book, it clearly laid out the important events of this war. It explained them more clearly than the text book and made it come together. It also showed the gruesome but true facts about poor soldiers who fought this war for all Americans. This is a great book to read for a Revolutionary War experience.

This book was the first Dear America book I ever read and I love it. It is about a girl in the Rev. War. She lives very close to Valley Forge and the war changes her life.

As the book begins with her baby brother being born, Abigail explains her every-day life and family. Every day she does many chores and cares for her brother and worries about his life. Soon she hears news of the Army coming to camp near her town. When they do come her life is changed totally. She has extra, extra chores and many things to do, but she only realizes the real seriousness of the war when she goes to camp...

You should read this book. In some parts it is exciting, funny (barely though) and VERY sad. You will respect and honor the Patriots in the Rev. War when you read this book. This is a book that is pretty serious. Read this book! It is totally awesome and is my favorite besides So Far From Home. Try this book and I promise that most of you will LOVE it. I never get bored of it.

I enjoyed this book. It was a diary of young Abby, whose family lived near Vally Forge during revolutionary war. Although fiction, its stories were based in fact. This is for younger readers, but parts of it are somewhat graphic. Primative surgury and such. But it is a entertaining way to learn some history. This author (Gregory) has written other good books. My favorite is Jenny of The Tetons.
After reading Red Snow, I will make a point to read other Dear AMerica books. Holla!

The Winter of Red Snow (Valley Forge) / 0-590-22653-3

Like almost all of the Dear America books, there's a wealth of fascinating history here, from the big picture look at the American army during the winter of 1777 to the day-to-day life details, like cleaning a chimney by lowering a flapping rooster down it! As is typical for the Dear America books, the author presents a balanced view of a complicated situation: although the narrator and her family are avidly patriotic, they do not fail to notice that the wintering army isn't above robbing them near-blind to feed and clothe the soldiers.

Nor does our little 11-year-old narrator much care for the harsh treatment of one of the black freedmen in the army - she is angered that the white soldiers will not treat the black soldiers with the respect and honor they deserve. The narrator's older sister also provides a useful look at the practice of "Bounty Shirts" - the pretty girl sews her name into a shirt for a soldier, hoping to snag a handsome husband. Initially disappointed that her gift goes to an 'ugly' soldier, she later realizes that the soldier was kind, polite, and honest and decides that she values those qualities more than looks or bearing.

Though violence is kept to a relative minimum (no battles are pitched in the narrator's front yard), there are quite a few hangings and whippings witnessed by the narrator. There are also numerous visits to the army hospital, where the reader is shown several amputations, as well as a trough full of amputated hands and feet. Small children may be disturbed by the imagery of soldiers walking barefoot through the snow, leaving bloody footprints behind them. It is also worth noting that several small children die in a skating accident on a thawing pond. Oddly, the "George Washington praying" legend is repeated here, even though almost no historians give it any credence. I don't know why the author chose to include it, but there you are.

~ Ana Mardoll

For me this book was one that I just couldn't put down, I was always reading it. I like this book becuase I learned more about what went on in Valley Forge then I ever did. The author Kristiana Gregory even put in words like thy and ye to make it sound more back then when you read. What happens to Abigail is so exciting that you want to keep reading and never stop. The Winter of Red Snow has a nice ending and goes on to the epilogue, to tell about what happens in the future. On the very end pages there are pictures of historical people and historical things that happen in the book. The book is 170 pages long counting the epilogue and the pictures. You read to page 147 to get to the very end before the Epilogue. I really predict this book to anyone who likes to read their brother or sisters journal, or someone who likes to hear about history mixed with adventure. If you read it make sure to pass it on to someone else, I am sure they will like it too.

This book is the best. I could never put it down. You really felt as if you were in the book. This book has the right mixture of sadness and happiness. I'd recommended this book for everybody especially for history freaks.

The Winter of Red Snow, by Kristiana Gregory, is a great book about the Revolutionary War. It is easy to understand and explains much of the War. Two of the main characters are Mr. and Mrs. George Washington. Therefore, you learn a little bit about them and what they were possibly like.
         This Book is a diary of a young girl 11 years of age, named Abigail. She lives 18 miles out of Pennsylvania duringthe war. Her small town is Valley Forge. The 13 Colony's army has camped there during the harsh winter. Many end up with Small Pox or amputated hands andfeet.
         This story goes along with Abigail for six months. The army helps her life in many ways, although it can also be very frustrating and annoying. Abigail her self lives with her family. She is one of three girls, the middle one. Her mom gives birth to a baby boy on the first page of the book. Her mom although has given birth to six sons before whom all died through terrible winters. Johnny is the new sons name, and he lives through winter and grows to be healthy. Abigail's Father is a shoemaker and slaves all winter long to make shoes for the thousands of soldiers without. Abigail is closest to her sister Elisabeth who is 16. They both sew jackets with their name embroidered on the inside. The two girls eventually give the coats to a soldier to wear. Elisabeth's jacket wearer returns and falls in love with her. The women in her family receive the job of doing General Washington's laundry; because of the weekly visit to his house, they become friends with him.
         In this book, it clearly laid out the important events of this war. It explained them more clearly than the text book and made it come together. It also showed the gruesome but true facts about poor soldiers who fought this war for all Americans. This is a great book to read for a Revolutionary War experience.