(2) K-3 Illustrated by Garry, Sr. Meeches. "Many Americans call it a day of thanksgiving. Many of our people call it a day of mourning.”" A team of Native creators provides an illuminating look at what the Wampanoag called Keepunumuk, or "the time of harvest," highlighting that the Pilgrims' survival was largely due to the assistance offered by the ­Indigenous people who lived on the land. In the framing narrative, an elder speaks to children about their ancestors, and how Weeâchumun, the seed of corn and one of the Three Sisters (corn, beans, and squash), witnessed the struggles of the newcomers. Using an earth-tone palette, the impressionistic illustrations beautifully convey their settings. Front and back matter include a glossary, a recipe, and more information about Wampanoag traditions, storytelling, and ­contemporary life.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Ian Schoenherr. Secundus, a pilgrim, and Boy, a goatherd, travel together from France to Rome in 1350, each mysterious character on a quest. Murdock is in complete control of her medieval material, limning a world of bleak, plague-decimated villages and steeped in religious belief. The fantastical story is beautifully served by its generous page design, thick deckle-edged paper, and gorgeous woodcut-style illustrations. Most remarkable is the complex, compelling character of Boy.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(3) YA Famous Ships series. Streissguth details the history of the iconic Mayflower, from its construction as a merchant ship in 1600 England to its perilous 1620 voyage to New England and its lasting legacy. The Pilgrims' journey, with all its uncertainties, miscues, and human suffering, is especially vivid in the readable narrative. Illustrations, archival images, diagrams, and maps provide additional insight. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) K-3 Indentured to Master Carver, young John Howland embarks on the Mayflower bound for the New World. Accompanied by realistic watercolor and gouache paintings, a sophisticated, lengthy first-person narration of storms, sickness, and the difficult first winter gives a thorough, non-sensational retelling of the historic record, including a respectful account of interactions with Squanto and Massasoit, and somber but brief mentions of colonists who died. Bib.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Frané Lessac. Clear text (playing second fiddle to the art) describes the 1620 journey from England and the difficulties of establishing a home in the New World. Gouache paintings in deep hues interpret the oft-told story with a folk-art feel; images capturing the ocean voyage, especially one depicting a small ship in the desolate nighttime sea, are particularly arresting. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(3) 1-3 Dog Diaries series. Illustrated by Tim Jessell. In this accessible fifth book of a series in which dogs tell their own historical stories in the first person, springer spaniel Dash brings to life an adventure on board the Mayflower, followed by the building of Plymouth Colony and its early struggles. Lively black-and-white illustrations and additional information about the breed and colonial life are included. Websites.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 Micay, an outcast in her Incan village because of a disfiguring facial scar, embarks on a pilgrimage to Sacred Sun City to ask to be healed; instead, she asks unselfishly for the drought to end and is chosen to become a shaman priestess. The narrator's formal voice is a little stilted and the pace is slow, but Micay is a sympathetic heroine.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(2) YA Science-nerd Sarah adores her best friend Curtis (the laconic younger brother of Dairy Queen's DJ), but no one at school believes they're just friends. Meanwhile, Sarah visits Italy with her grandmother and learns some uncomfortable family secrets. Both narrative threads are compelling, but they don't entirely mesh. However, Sarah's voice is tart and inquisitive, and her observations make the book come alive.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2013

(3) YA Determined to pray for her invalid father, Belle sets out on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, England, with Geoffrey Chaucer. The story draws from historical information about Chaucer's life; some Canterbury Tales characters also wander in and out. Still, the strongest narrative thread is a romantic one, as Belle is caught in an intriguing (if contemporary-seeming) love triangle. Timeline.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(3) 4-6 Dear America series. Three reissued titles find orphaned Margaret as companion to a wealthy woman aboard the Titanic; Abigail describing Valley Forge; and "Mem" telling of the Mayflower voyage. In new series entry Fences, Piper discusses her family's involvement in WWII. Each of the fictional diaries, in addition to presenting one girl's unique perspective, conveys engaging information about the story's time period. Review covers these Dear America titles: The Winter of Red Snow, The Fences Between Us, A Journey to the New World, and Voyage on the Great Titanic.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) YA Barnhouse, inspired by Dame Margery Kempe's fifteenth-century autobiography detailing her religious pilgrimage to Rome, here tells the servant's side of the story. Filled with vivid descriptions of medieval life and superbly researched, the story succeeds in creating a feisty heroine who accurately reflects her time period while still engaging readers today.

Reviewer: Monica Edinger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2009

(4) K-3 Illustrated by John Manders. Colored by Vince Dorse. Lasky's story focuses on the Billington brothers (who did exist, although the historical record is sketchy), two boys full of mischief who traveled on the Mayflower. While the cartoon-panel format and humor can be hard to follow, they do demonstrate the book's lesson: not all those who came to America with the Pilgrims were virtuous, pious, or even well behaved.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(3) 4-6 Based on the author's adult title 1491, this well-written adaptation strives to answer three questions: How did the ill-prepared Pilgrims survive? What were Native Americans' lives really like? And how did the indigenous peoples with their vast numbers leave the land mostly untouched? Eye-catching reproductions of paintings and drawings, crisp photographs, detailed maps, and thoughtful sidebars add to the appeal of this well-researched historical resource. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ellen Joy Sasaki. Gus, a young turkey, goes on the lam as Thanksgiving rolls around. He jumps on a ship and arrives at the South Pole where he dons a tuxedo and hides among the penguins. Bright watercolor, colored-pencil, and pen-and-ink cartoons capture the story's humor, though the one-note joke does get old.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(2) YA Because of her lovely singing voice, Gatty (from Crossley-Holland's Arthur trilogy) earns a position as second chamber-servant, accompanying Lady Gwyneth to the Holy Land. With poetic but straightforward language, Crossley-Holland masterfully evokes the essence and texture of the medieval world. Gatty's memorable pilgrimage is exceeded only by her transformation from an unlearned peasant girl into a lady of property and substance. Glos.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2008

(2) YA In this adaptation of his adult best-seller, Philbrick demythologizes the Pilgrims and Indians story, offering remarkable insight and shaking up assumptions. The compelling narrative is divided into three sections, covering two generations of English-Indian relations and King Philip's War, which decimated New England's Native population. The text is supported by maps, diagrams, archival reproductions, and photographs of artifacts. Reading list, timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2008

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. "This is the Mayflower, sturdy and strong. / Her sails skim the skies as she journeys along." Lilting rhymes present an overview of the Pilgrims' voyage and first Thanksgiving celebration. The text doesn't sugarcoat the Pilgrims' struggles, but it does only skim over the Native American perspective. Autumnal illustrations ably support the story's arc.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. This simplified version of a classic allegory tells of Christian's pilgrimage to the City of Gold and the many trials he faces in the course of his journey to salvation. The story is related in accessible language for contemporary readers; full-page color illustrations, as well as smaller vignettes in black and white, add to the drama of Christian's story.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Photographs by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson. Illustrated with appealing color photos of a modern-day reenactment aboard Mayflower II, this attractive, factually accurate book describes the passengers, the conditions, and the events of the original 1620 voyage. The photos of the costumed interpreters seem posed and may confuse some readers, but overall the book is an informative resource intent on dispelling myths about history. Timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Rites of Passage series. These books introduce the religious and secular customs, rituals, and traditions that mark important life transitions in several cultures. The eye-pleasing arrangement of color art and photos with historical asides accompanies text that varies from straight recitation of facts to amiable reporting. Text boxes emphasize special aspects, and some feature brief personal testimonies. Reading list. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Rites of Passage titles: Birthdays, Journeys, Weddings, Coming of Age, Funerals, and Naming Ceremonies.]

Reviewer: Christina Dorr