L. L. Owens

books for children and young adults

Pilgrims in America

This book provides a close look at one of the most notable events in American History—the Pilgrims' arrival and early days at Plymouth. You will learn the reasons they left their homeland, the truth about the "first Thanksgiving," what happened on the Mayflower, how the Pilgrims survived their brutally harsh first winter as settlers, and the events that finally helped them feel at home in a new land. Ages 9–12.

Pilgrims in America is available in paperback (PB) and reinforced library binding (RLB) editions. Rourke Publishing, 2007; 48 pages; PB ISBN 978-1-60044-354-1; RLB ISBN 1-60044-122-X.

To order the book, please call 1-772-234-6001, fax 1-772-234-6622, or click here.

Note: The publisher also offers Accelerated Reader® software and a Teacher Resource for this title.

Excerpt from Chapter 2: "Who Were the Pilgrims?"

Who were the Pilgrims, and why did they want to travel to America in the first place?

The word pilgrim refers to a person who travels to a holy place. The term also is commonly used to describe a small group of English Puritans who left England in search of religious freedom. These Puritans were called Separatists. Their goal was to break away, or separate, from England's national religion, the Church of England.

The larger group known as the Puritans wanted to change, or purify, the Church of England. They felt the religion placed too much importance on its leaders and not enough on the teachings of the Bible. Puritans lived by strict rules. They believed in hard work and dedication to their religion. Many felt that they could not freely practice their religion in England. . . .

The Separatists sailed to America aboard the Mayflower. They made up only about one-third of the 102 passengers on the famous trip. The rest were English people looking for new opportunities in America. To keep things simple, many sources label all those who traveled on the Mayflower as Pilgrims.