Near starvation. Scurvy, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. Bitter cold. Daily deaths. This was the Pilgrims' first winter in Plymouth Colony. But thanks in large part to William Bradford, the colonists
Near starvation. Scurvy, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. Bitter cold. Daily deaths. This was the Pilgrims' first winter in Plymouth Colony. But thanks in large part to William Bradford, the colonists survived--and went on to celebrate the following year what we call Thanksgiving.
William Bradford came to the New World with the other Pilgrims in search of religious freedom. With great faith in God and in his own abilities, he established a stable colony, doing his best to be just and fair to his fellow colonists as well as to the Native Americans living in the area. After he became governor of the colony, he was reelected more than thirty times.
Filled with maps, paintings, and historical illustrations, this fascinating biography by Gary Schmidt introduces readers to the dramatic story of the founder of Plymouth Colony.
Greatest Books for Kids
"A wonderful, warm, sympathetic book that addresses the common childhood fear of failure. . . . Provides the encouraging message that everyone needs help sometimes and it's okay to get the help they need."
Booklist
"The book shows its research, and Schmidt takes the facts he has garnered and turns them into highly readable prose as he discusses the early history of the colony as well as Bradford's own story. . . A solid choice for biography collections."
School Library Journal
"This well-written biography of the Pilgrim leader will be a welcome addition to historic collections. . . Schmidt tells the story well, frequently quoting from the accounts of Bradford himself, as well as others."
Kirkus Reviews
"Paying tribute to both the political skills and the deep spirituality of Plymouth Colony's guiding light, Schmidt paints a warm and cohesive picture of William Bradford's role in that colony's foundation and growth."
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Gary D. Schmidt is an English professor at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a prolific author of children's literature and young adult fiction. His books Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy and The Wednesday Wars each received a John Newbery Honor Award, and his Okay for Now has won a Children's Choice Book Award.
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