Showing results for "The Trail" in Historical Fiction

Sarah Poyntz is the daughter of an English merchant who operates a shipping business from Antwerp, Belgium, in 1535. Her father is very interested in the ideas of William Tyndale, who has fled England as a condemned outlaw for refusing to stop his translation work of the English Bible. Tyndale believes that the word of God should be read by the common people in their own language, a belief shared by the Poyntz family.

Six-year-old Mei-en screamed in terror when she realized her gypsy owner was about to sell her to a foreign lady. Orphans were often sold for pennies. But foreigners in China were considered "devils," and Mei-en thought surely the little woman in Chinese clothes would eat her for supper! But this time, Mei-en’s new owner was the compassionate and respected missionary, Gladys Aylward. Mei-en saw wonderful silver "birds" flying in the sky, but her delight turned to dread when they began dropping bombs that exploded all over the city. Their only escape was over the mountains!

Traveling the Interstate at 70 miles per hour, have you ever wondered, "How did our ancestors cross this vast continent at three miles per hour, with no paved roads, no bridges, and no stores, restaurants, or motels? And more importantly - why?" To find out, follow Stewart and Mattie Churchill with their children, Josh (15), Sarah (13), and Molly (6), along with Scout, their amazingly brave and faithful dog, as they make this incredible trip in 1852.

It is sometime during the 1880's, and Jack and Amy have come to London searching for their uncle.
On their own without money, food, or shelter, they have nowhere else to turn. But what is the chance of finding him when they don’t even know where he lives? For the two youngsters, attempting to live on the streets is frightening, dangerous, and an opportunity for the worst elements of the city to take advantage of them. London society has become uncaring, even cruel, to the needy. Where can they find safety?

Based on a true story originally written by one of the survivors, Neta Lohnes Frazier's account of seven children traveling westward still has the power to astonish. In the 1840s, the Sager family set off on the Oregon Trail, a dangerous and adventure-filled journey. Tragedy struck when both the mother and father succumbed to fever, orphaning the youngsters - one just a newborn. The entire wagon train adopted them, until they arrived at the Whitman Mission in Oregon.

Wanted: young, skinny, wiry fellows not over 18. Must be expert riders willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred. Wages $25 per week. When young Levi Anderson reads this ad in a local newspaper, he can hardly resist the urge to saddle up and head out for a new job. Trouble is, his horse Dusty doesn't think it's such a good idea.

An urgent call for help cut through the morning mists that floated along the shore of Lake Shirwa. Two young African boys, Wikatani and Chuma, had been captured by slave traders, but their desperate cries would never reach their village. Overpowered by their captors, the boys’ only hope is to endure a ruthless march through the jungles that takes them far from their village to a destination unknown. Fortunately for Wikatani and Chuma, help on the way. David Livingstone, a missionary and British government official, is doing everything he can to put a halt to the slave traders.

Karl Schumacher was 15 when he came to the German city of Wittenberg in 1520 seeking an education. He had been very fortunate that the esteemed university professor, Doctor Martin Luther, had taken him into his household as a servant. Luther’s promise of tutoring Karl in exchange for his labor was the chance of a lifetime - until a poster on the church door declared his master a heretic! Karl is asked to travel with Doctor Luther to appear before the emperor’s Imperial Council in the city of Worms. Will his life be at stake as well as Luther’s?

Neil Thompson had promised his grandmother that he would wait for his grandfather to bring him to see the great oceangoing ships at the docks in Liverpool, England. But when he convinced himself that it was okay to go alone, he did not know the danger he would face on that bright morning in September 1853. The docks were no place for a 12-year-old boy who was alone. Stopping to admire a small clipper ship, the Dumfries, Neil is suddenly grabbed and dragged aboard the ship, then locked in a small, dark room until the ship is on its way to sea.

In Alexandria, Virginia, in the mid-19th century, a slave-owning family is facing financial trouble. The eldest son, Jason, thinks going to California to mine for gold might be the best way to protect his father’s legacy. He’ll need a cook, a laundress, and a hostler for the journey, and one of them is twelve-year-old Clementine, whose mother calls her Hope. From Independence, Missouri—the “Gateway to the West”—she and the others join a wagon train on the Emigrant Overland Trail.

It's 1955, and Benjamin Burrows and Janie Scott are trying to live a safe, normal life in America. It's not easy when they have the power to prevent nuclear disaster, and sinister forces are circling. Soon the advice of a mysterious, unscrupulous magician propels Janie and Benjamin into danger and toward the land of the dead.

Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth Tilley and her family have been waiting for this day for months - the day the Mayflower sets sail from England. The late start means uncertain weather and a long, hard journey for everyone. But the trip seems especially rough for Dorothy Bradford, the frail young wife of William Bradford. One night, Elizabeth discovers Dorothy alone on deck. Thinking the woman wants to be alone, Elizabeth returns to bed. But the next morning, she awakes to the news that Dorothy has disappeared!

Buenos Aires se viste de fiesta para celebrar la asunción del nuevo rey de España. "¡Viva Fernando VII!", dirán muchos de los habitantes del Río de la Plata... pero no todos. Porque una parte del pueblo se atreve a soñar con una patria libre y alienta con sigilo la causa revolucionaria. Pero ese no es el único secreto que guardan las calles de la ciudad: un amor imposible comienza a gestarse entre la joven Amanda Encinas y el mulato Tobías Tatamuez, y buscará abrirse paso al compás de los tambores y el dulce aroma de la canela.

When a spontaneous time leap sends Nickolas Flux back to the Salem, Massachusetts, during the height of the witch trials, what's a teenage history buff to do? Try to avoid being tried for witchcraft, of course! From meeting accused witches to running from angry mobs, Nick must survive one of the most frightening moments in American history.

Retta Barre has faced a dizzying prairie storm, a stubborn buffalo, and a murderous Indian twice. But that's nothing compared to what happens when her family is left alone in the middle of the prairie. One life-threatening danger after another, and Retta's in the middle of them all.

Retta Barre has never met a hero, except for the ones she reads about in her books. She does know they're strong and courageous. And handsome and pretty. Everything she's not. Her world doesn't expect much from her anyway. She's just a plain-looking 12-year-old who's more stubborn than brave. She owes what little strength she has to her dull daily chores on the Oregon trail. And yet, when her friends are missing, Retta doesn't think twice. She heads out to help them. She has no idea the danger that's about to come her way.

A simple trip into the prairie provides adventure and trouble. Soon Retta Barre is the talk of the wagon train. Her friends don't want to miss her next caper. And Retta certainly won't let them down.

Twelve-year-old Wind That Knocks Down Lodges loves his little sister, Cactus Flower, and the wildness of the desert canyonland the Apache call home. But in one night of misunderstanding and mistakes, Knocks Down and Cactus Flower’s innocent world is shaken as they find themselves locked in the nearby fort with the pale face soldiers and their mother’s lifeless body. With no one to lean on but each other, Knocks Down and Cactus Flower must make their way as children of The People in the pale face world - pale faces who have now become the enemy.

This Splash Read collection includes six historical fiction short stories about trailblazers in European history. While Splash Read stories are enjoyed by kids of all ages, they were written to facilitate a conversation between a child and parent, or student and teacher. Each story introduces an influential person from history. Stories discuss life skills, challenges, problem-solving, and important issues.

Joined by Hiram the farmhand, Katie begins the journey west. At first, she is unsure if the mustang will follow, but much to her relief, he seems to trust her. Soon, Katie and Hiram meet up with a large family who invite them to join their caravan. For the first time, it seems as though they might really make it to Oregon. But then tragedy strikes, and Katie finds herself having to choose between parting ways with Hiram, or abandoning her dreams of going west - and giving up on the chance to return the mustang to his homeland.