Saved at Sea by O. F. Walton

Classic Stories Series

This book had long been recommended to me, and I am glad that I searched diligently to find it to read to my 10 year old grandson. The Truth in this story is so pure….. It’s about a young boy whose mother has died, his father is not present, and so he lives with his grandfather out on a lighthouse. As in our own lives, many things happen that we just don’t understand….but wait! ….God is not finished. I’ve always loved the hymns, but since reading “Saved at Sea,” I now rock my baby grandson to sleep every afternoon singing “The Solid Rock.” Read the book to find out why.

My Side Of The Mountain by Jean Craighead George

This is a book about a boy named Sam Gribly, who is 16 and runs away from home. He goes to the mountains and lives in a tree. He catches a baby duck falcon and names it Frightful. He trains it to hunt rabbit, deer and pheasant. He also lives off of nuts, berries and fish. He sleeps on a bed of ashes and sticks covered by a deer skin. He survived there a whole year through Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. He also met a few humans in the woods, but they didn't give away his secret. One day his dad comes and tries to take him home. You will have to read the book to find out whether or not he goes.
Mary Rhodes, age 8

The Mystery At Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene

In The Mystery At Lilac Inn, Nancy and her friend Helen Corning are visiting a friend and are staying overnight at a place called Lilac Inn. Nancy’s friend’s name is Emily Willoughby. Emily is about to get married to a man named Dick Farnham. They own the Inn. It is not open yet. Then Nancy finds out someone is impersonating her. While Nancy is there, Emily’s diamonds are stolen. Nancy is on the case. While looking for the diamonds, Nancy finds lilac buds leading to a sliding panel in the wall. Mrs. Willoughby thinks the thief is hiding in the closet. John is wondering where he went after that. Nancy was examining the rear wall of the closet. She found a small metal latch. “She turned it”. A second panel slid open. Beyond it was the coat closet off the lobby. Emily does not want to call the police. Later in Nancy’s visit a waitress tells Nancy she has a message from a man at the Inn whose name is John McBride, it says, “Nancy: I’ve found an important clue to the case. Come in your canoe to the dock where you saw the man with the crew cut. Wear your diving gear.’’ Later that day Nancy found out that the message John sent her was a hoax.
Will Nancy find the diamonds? To find out read, this book.
By Catherine Doolittle, age 8

The Secret of Mirror Bay

This book is about a girl theif Doria Smith, her husband, Sam Smith and another man, Mike Dash. They hoax some people going on vacation. Nancy Drew, 18 often gets accused becuase Doria looks like Nancy. One day a Nancy sees a lady walking on water wich proves to be a lady on knee stilts in the water. There are lots more exciting adventures in Nancy Drew books. So for more mystery, romance and cliff-hanging adventure read more Nancy Drew.
Mary, 8

American Sisters 1630 Voyage to a Free Land

American Sisters 1630 Voyage to a Free Land by Laurie Lawlor

In this book people make fateful choices. On the ship, Hannah makes a new friend named Zach. Hannah’s sister, Abigail, eavesdrops on them, while Hannah eats a stolen apple that Zach gave her. Hannah promised not to tell anyone. I think this was a poor choice, but God see everything. Later Hannah falls off the deck and Zach and a sailor come to her aid. I really liked this book.
Amber Murphey age 9

"Journey to a New World"

This is "The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple." It is about a girl on the Mayflower. Remember's diary is very sad. Every entry has someone that dies! Her friend leaves and then her mother dies and her father remarries! She has a very hard life. My favorite people are Humility Swayer, Will Butten (who dies close to the beginning of the book), Lark, and Mistress Potts. It even has the first Thanksgiving, Squanto, Samoset, and Massasoit. Some of the time she [Remember] is on the Mayflower. Sometimes in Plymouth settlement. This book is during 1620.
Mary Rhodes, 8

Voyage to Freedom

The Voyage to Freedom is about the Pilgrims that crossed the Atlantic to the 'new world.' It was focused mainly on one family named the Lovelaces.
The Pilgrim fathers and their families set off on the Speedwell in 1620. Once on the ship they realize the voyage will be a long and hard one. With scratchy blankets, hard pillows, little food and cramped legs. When the Lovelace children find out the evil scheme of the captain they tell their parents. Mr. Lovelace along with some other fellow Pilgrim's eventually get the captain's word that he will stop at the nearest place. Once they arrive the captain does not keep his word and so the Pilgrim's choose to go on the Mayflower. Once on the Mayflower they find it bigger but still very cramped. When a big storm comes up it does not allow them to go above, they find it hard to breath and move. During the storm, the captain and some of his men think they should turn around because the storm is so bad. So, the captain meets with some of the Pilgrim fathers and some of the Adventurers meet. The captain and the Adventurers believe it would be best to turn back, but when all the Pilgrims vote they all want to keep going and they believe that God will protect them becuase He had protected them that far. Later, after the storm they find out that they have been cheated once again... By the captain himself. The storm blew them off course the captian kept going.

While you read this book you see the Pilgrims' faith and trust in God. They were patient with both of the captains even though they were decieved.
Sarah, 13