Dear America Series by Barry Denenberg, Kathryn Lasky, Sherry Garland, Patricia C. McKissack, Ann Turner, Judy Blundell, Beth Seidel Levine, Andrea Davis Pinkney

Acclaimed author Barry Dennenberg has written a moving story of one girl's devasting experience at Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941. Amber's journal chronicles two months that change her life forever. In late 1941 her family moves to Hawai'i, where they end up at the epicenter of the attack that plunged the United States into World War II. As she watches her world literally explode in flames, Amber demonstrates that in the face of tragedy, kids can find the courage to help and simply go on.

Newbery Honor author Kathryn Lasky's CHRISTMAS AFTER ALL is back in print with a gorgeous new package!To twelve-year-old Minnie Swift, Christmas is not going to be the time of bounty she's used to. It is 1932 -- the middle of the Great Depression -- and jobs are scarce and Papa seems more worried each day. But when their orphaned cousin comes to live with them, the Swifts are quick to rearrange the beds and make room for her... moreNewbery Honor author Kathryn Lasky's CHRISTMAS AFTER ALL is back in print with a gorgeous new package!To twelve-year-old Minnie Swift, Christmas is not going to be the time of bounty she's used to. It is 1932 -- the middle of the Great Depression -- and jobs are scarce and Papa seems more worried each day. But when their orphaned cousin comes to live with them, the Swifts are quick to rearrange the beds and make room for her. Minnie, thrilled to have another youngster in the home, is resolved to make this Christmas memorable in spite of the hard times. Through her diary entries, Minnie captures the darkness of the Great Depression, the optimism of a small Midwestern family, the fortitude of the American spirit, and the magic of Christmas. less

In the journal she receives for her twelfth birthday in 1835, Lucinda Lawrence describes the hardships her family and other residents of the "Texas colonies" endure when they decide to face the Mexicans in a fight for their freedom.

Eleven-year-old Nellie Lee Love records in her diary the events of 1919, when her family moves from Tennessee to Chicago, hoping to leave the racism and hatred of the South behind.

The narrator describes her experiences as her Navajo tribe is forced to relocate by the U.S. Army in 1864 New Mexico.

Blinded after a terrible accident, Bess must learn to overcome her disability with the help of new friends and skills at the Perkins School for the Blind, in the wake of America's Great Depression.After Bess Brennan is blinded in a sledding accident, she must face a frightening, much-altered world... moreBlinded after a terrible accident, Bess must learn to overcome her disability with the help of new friends and skills at the Perkins School for the Blind, in the wake of America's Great Depression.After Bess Brennan is blinded in a sledding accident, she must face a frightening, much-altered world. Confronted with a new set of obstacles, Bess manages to overcome her disability with the help of her new friends at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts, where she also learns how to read braille. Her twin sister, Elin, assists her with recording daily events in her diary and contributes entries of her own. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, Bess's story will inspire all readers to be strong in the face of hardship. less

From National Book Award-winning author Judy Blundell, a thrilling account of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.When Minnie Bonner's father disappears after losing the Bonners' Philadelphia tavern, the wealthy gentleman Edward Sump, led by his avaricious wife, offers Minnie a chance to work as a lady's maid to support her family. The Sumps have grand plans, grander than the city of Philadelphia can offer, and decide to move to San Francisco--the greatest city in the west... moreFrom National Book Award-winning author Judy Blundell, a thrilling account of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.When Minnie Bonner's father disappears after losing the Bonners' Philadelphia tavern, the wealthy gentleman Edward Sump, led by his avaricious wife, offers Minnie a chance to work as a lady's maid to support her family. The Sumps have grand plans, grander than the city of Philadelphia can offer, and decide to move to San Francisco--the greatest city in the west. But when a powerful earthquake strikes, Minnie finds herself the sole survivor among them. After the dust settles, Minnie discovers a bag belonging to the Sumps filled with cash and papers that could drastically change her fortune. With no one else to claim it, Minnie has turned into an heiress overnight.Wealth comes at a price, however, and she is soon wrapped up in a deception that leads her down a dangerous path. As the aftermath of the earthquake ravages the city, Minnie continues to maintain her new identity. That is, until a mysterious but familiar stranger appears. less

The fictional diaries that put DEAR AMERICA on bestseller lists are now available in paperback in the boxed DEAR AMERICA Library Collections.Each of the four books in this box set offers a different perspective of the American Civil War -- that of a girl from the Confederate south, a Union soldier, a slave girl, and a girl living in the divided state of Delaware... moreThe fictional diaries that put DEAR AMERICA on bestseller lists are now available in paperback in the boxed DEAR AMERICA Library Collections.Each of the four books in this box set offers a different perspective of the American Civil War -- that of a girl from the Confederate south, a Union soldier, a slave girl, and a girl living in the divided state of Delaware.Includes:A Light in the Storm: The Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin, Fenwick Island, Delaware, 1861 - by Karen HesseThe Journal of James Edmond Pease: A Civil War Union Soldier, Virginia, 1863 - by Jim MurphyWhen Will This Cruel War Be Over?: The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson, Gordonsville, Virginia, 1864 - by Barry DenenbergA Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl, Belmont Plantation, Virginia 1859 - by Patricia C. McKissack less

Coretta Scott King winner Andrea Davis Pinkney brings her talents to a brand-new Dear America diary about the Civil Rights Movement.In the fall of 1955, twelve-year-old Dawn Rae Johnson's life turns upside down. After the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, Dawnie learns she will be attending a previously all-white school... moreCoretta Scott King winner Andrea Davis Pinkney brings her talents to a brand-new Dear America diary about the Civil Rights Movement.In the fall of 1955, twelve-year-old Dawn Rae Johnson's life turns upside down. After the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, Dawnie learns she will be attending a previously all-white school. She's the only one of her friends to go to this new school and to leave the comfort of all that is familiar to face great uncertainty in the school year ahead.However, not everyone supports integration and much of the town is outraged at the decision. Dawnie must endure the harsh realities of racism firsthand, while continuing to work hard to get a good education and prove she deserves the opportunity. But the backlash against Dawnie's attendance of an all-white school is more than she's prepared for. When her father loses his job as a result, and her little brother is constantly bullied, Dawnie has to wonder if it's worth it. In time, Dawnie learns that the true meaning of justice comes from remaining faithful to the integrity within oneself. less