children's historical book

Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott

/ sandramervillehart

Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

I ran across this book of fairy tales by Louisa May Alcott while researching books for children written in the 1800s.

I hadn’t heard of this book by the beloved author of Little Women, a book I read several times as a teenager.

Flower Fables, published in 1854,is Alcott’s first book. She dedicated it to Ellen Emerson, the daughter of a family friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson.

These stories were probably read to children of the day. They are allegories. The creative, descriptive stories include strong moral messages, such as treating others with kindness.

There are nine stories in the collection. I think children’s imaginations would have been captivated by them.

Amazon

Mandie and the Cherokee Legend by Lois Gladys Leppard

/ sandramervillehart

by Sandra Merville Hart

Book 2 of the Mandie Mysteries series

I loved the historical story of this book. I was happy to learn more about the Cherokees who stayed behind in North Carolina after the tragic Trail of Tears.

Mandie is a young girl traveling to the home of her Cherokee relatives when the story begins. Her cousin, Tsa’ni, doesn’t like her at all and causes trouble for her many times during the story.

After Tsa’ni leaves Mandie and her friends in a cave to find their own way out, they find something that would greatly help their tribe. This discovery stirs up more trouble, adding to the adventures of the novel.

There are plenty of adventures for this spunky heroine—and danger, too. This book is a page-turner for young readers, who will want to know what happens next.

I enjoyed this story. I didn’t learn Mandie’s age, which is an important detail for children reading the story. Perhaps I missed it.

So much backstory from the previous book was given in the first chapter that it slowed down the story. The chapters also seem a bit long for the targeted age group.

As an author of historical novels set in American history, I enjoyed learning details of everyday life.

Recommended for children 8 to 14 and for lovers of American history.

https://www.christianbook.com/the-mandie-collection-volume-1/lois-leppard/9780764204463/pd/204463