Common Sense Media Review
Story takes kids back to the frontier days.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Imagine yourself passing peas and potatoes to General George Washington! That's exactly what happens to young Ann Hamilton and her pioneer family one fateful night in western Pennsylvania. This charming, historically accurate story transports readers back to a time when the frontier was being settled, and families never knew who--friend or foe--would show up for dinner!
Is It Any Good?
With its cheery tone and fast-paced blend of fact and fiction, THE CABIN FACED WEST is the quintessential Jean Fritz book. It has all the earmarks of the award-winning author's other historical fiction books: a light, sprightly style, a dash of humor, and a dose of history. The wild frontier of early pioneer life forms the backdrop for this story, though unfortunately no date is given to ground the story. Early on, Fritz illuminates the mind-set that permeated the new West: The back of Hamilton's cabin was "turned squarely against the East just as her father had turned his back."
The artwork is wistful, especially when Ann Hamilton is shown in relation to the adults around her. Fritz paints her ancestor as a sympathetic character who uses pluck and intelligence as she struggles to surmount both homesickness and sibling conflict.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about life on the frontier. Would you find it exciting or dull? A fun challenge or too hard? How realistic do you think most books, TV shows, and movies about frontier life are?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Feodor Rojankovsky
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Patria Press
- Publication date : August 30, 2001
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
- Number of pages : 124
- Last updated : July 12, 2017
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