The Cabin Faced West (by Jean Fritz)

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!

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.