Ellen's Story (American Quilts, Book 1) (Hardcover)

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Key Phrases: blue willow dishes, bear tree, circuit preacher, Aunt Clarissa, American Quilts, Ellen's Story (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A family, like a quilt, can be pieced together in many ways. And a quilt, like a family, is reach with stories. Lacey's great-grandmother has a trunkful of family quilts, and stories, she loves to share with Lacey. And the stories the old quilts tell help Lacey understand not only the generations that have come before her, but her own family as well.

Take Ellen, Lacey's great-great-great-great-grandmother, growing up on an Illinois farm in 1830. Ellen asks her father to bring her some blue calico; instead, he brings her a new stepmother, Julia, and Julia's difficult son, Silas. It isn't until clashes between Silas and Ellen's father threaten to tear her new family apart that Ellen realizes how much Julia has come to mean to her -- but is it too late to save her patchwork family? --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Dan Andreasen is the illustrator of numerous picture books, including By the Dawn's Early Light: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner by Steven Kroll, which was named an ABA Kids' Pick of the Lists and a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies; A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood; and Sailor Boy Jig by Margaret Wise Brown. He has also authored several picture books, including With a Little Help from Daddy and A Special Day for Mommy. Dan lives with his family in Orlando, Florida. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover
• Publisher: Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media (January 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0606197079
• ISBN-13: 978-0606197076
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,225,990 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pioneer girl learns the true meaning of family., September 5, 2000

By	Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Ellen's Story (American Quilts, 1) (Paperback)

Since her mother died, the weight of most of the household chores have fallen on young Ellen Tandy. Her father often goes away for long periods of time, leaving Ellen and her two brothers, one older and one younger, to keep the family farm running. Life on the Illinois prairie in 1830 is difficult, but Ellen and her brothers manage to find joy in simple pleasures. Yet one day, everything changes without warning. Ellen's father returns home with a woman named Julia whom he has just married, and Julia's disagreeable son Silas. At first Ellen keeps herself at a distance from Julia, still grieving for her mother, and resents Silas because he is a troublemaker. Yet when the conflicts among the new family tensify and threaten to tear them apart, Ellen realizes how much Julia and Silas have come to mean to her. But is to late to help bring her family back together? This historical novel, reminiscent at times of the Little House books, brought to life the events that took place on the Illinois prairie in 1830-1831, including one of the worst winters on record, a terrible spring flooding, and a prairie fire, while telling a heartwarming family story featuring a spunky young girl who is fiercely loyal to her family. I can't wait to read the upcoming books in this series.

4.0 out of 5 stars American Quilts: Ellen's Story, June 27, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ellen's Story (American Quilts, 1) (Paperback)

Ellen Tandy lives on a farm with her father and two brothers, ages 16 and 7, and has recently lost her mother. One day, Ellen's father returns from one of his long trips- but he is not alone. He had married a woman named Julia, and brought her son Silas. Ellen doesn't care much for Silas because he is always getting her and her brothers into trouble. Then one day, a play time accident goes horribly wrong. Only then does Ellen realize what Julia and Silas meant to her, and must try to make things right while going on a whirl-wind adventure to teach us all the meaning of family.