Thanksgiving on Plymouth Plantation
By Diane Stanley

     The time traveling twins, Liz and Lenny, take another journey with their grandmother and her magic hat. This time, they visit a distant relative at Plymouth Plantation, one of the settlements of the early Pilgrims. Here, they learn a great deal about the hardships endured by the nation's first white settlers from England. They learn that a drought killed a great many of them. But Liz and Lenny arrive in time to help with the harvest.

     They also learn how people lived in that era, and how hard it would be to survive. Almost every activity was concerned with gathering and preserving food. There was very little time for anything else. Even so, the Pilgrims managed to build houses and had time to play games. Even the children worked hard to prepare for the winter.

     The twins were surprised to learn that the houses had dirt floors and paper soaked in linseed oil instead of glass in the windows. They did not even have beds most of the time, but slept on the bare floor covered with "bed rugs" that were placed in front of the fire. They didn't even have pajamas or nightgowns like we do now.

     The story of the harvest feast the Pilgrims shared with the Indians is also told. What they ate and how they celebrated the first harvest is a fascinating story. The children learned more with their time travel than most of us do in a history book. In a way, they had a better look at history by being able to experience it. This would be a nice way for all of us to correct history altered when it became politically incorrect!

     Pick up a copy of Thanksgiving on Plymouth Plantation. The book does not list the ages for which it is written. However, I think it should be between the ages of 4 and 12. Even parents will find it enlightening.