The American Frontier volume has a collection of stories from many books. The first selection is appropriate for very young children. A grandfather explains, very simply, what life was like for him as a child in pioneer days. Then, take a real-life journey across the plains with a wagon train bound for California in the mid 1800s. The experiences are shared by an eye-witness of the events. Just a word of warning—if you have a sensitive child, chapter 8 may be too disturbing for him or her. I tried to tone down the language a bit, but the fact was a family among them was massacred by Natives. Use your discretion. Overall, the book will give a good sense of the hardships but also the goodness of people crossing the Plains. Following that narrative is the true story of a young Mormon pioneer girl, Mary Goble Pay.

Next is a section devoted to Native Americans. I tried to offer a fair balance of stories. The truth is there were Native Americans who were brutal and savage. And there were Native Americans who were noble and honorable just as there were good white men and very bad ones. All the stories need to be woven together to gain a sense of who they were. I included a book written for very little children as a basic introduction to their culture and placing them in a positive light. Then you can introduce your older children to some of the great Indian chiefs. Sadly, many of the brutalities were provoked. I hope your children will soon learn the lesson and see that people with differences can live together peacefully when we treat each other with respect and keep our promises.

Finally, meet two hardy and courageous mothers as they face the challenges of life on the frontier. First, you'll find the story of Louisa Denny, the first bride of Seattle. Then, I included several letters from Elinore Pruitt, a widowed mother with a small child who sets out from Denver to Wyoming to prove that she can take care of herself as a homesteader. You'll probably want to read the rest of her story which you'll find in the rotation, along with a lot of other great books about Trailblazers and Native Americans.

From the Libraries of Hope website