Category: Reviews-PR by the Book(2009)

Ages 5-7 years old

This is the story of Sam Houston. He was born in Virginia in 1793. He had five brothers and three sisters. When he was 13 years old his father died and they moved to Tennessee. Sam loved to read. He loved stories about heroes. When he went to school they didn’t teach Sam what he wanted to learn so he quit. When Sam was 16 he was sent to work in a store. He didn’t like being inside so he ran away to be with Indians.

Sam didn’t look like an Indian but he acted like them and being with them they never told him what to do. The chief of the tribe treated Sam like his son and gave him a Cherokee name.

Three years later he returned to Tennessee and became a teacher. Then a year later he joined the army, he was only 20 years old. When he went into battle with the Creek Indians he got a arrow to the leg and he pulled it out to keep fighting. The he got two bullets in his shoulder and was told he would die. He didn’t die and two months later went home. His mother didn’t recognize him.

At the age of 25 he wanted to be a lawyer. He was told it would take him 18 months to read the books Sam did it in 6 months. Sam was elected as congressman from Tennessee. Then he was elected governor. Sam married but she left him. No one knew this. Sam resigned and went back to the Cherokee Indians. The general that Sam worked with was now president. He went to see him dressed as a Cherokee and told him that the Cherokee were promised food and blankets and they never got them. he was given them because the general remembered him.

At 39 years old loved Texas. At the time Texas was a part of Mexico. The settlers in Texas wanted better laws but the dictator refused so they decided that they didn’t want to be a part of Mexico anymore so they signed a paper. Sam put his name on it. Sam was the head of the army that was going to fight Mexico. They killed people at the Alamo. When Sam knew his men weren’t ready to fight he refused to fight and was called a coward. When they were ready the surprised the Mexican Army. It was a short battle and finally Texas was free. The first president of Texas was Sam and he worked hard. When his term was finished he took some time off and went to Alabama. It was there that he met Margaret and married her.

Sam was president one more time before Texas became part of the US. He was elected as senator and went to Washington for 13 years. Margaret stayed behind to take care of the eight children and the house. He was well known in Washington. When states talked about leaving the US Sam would give them speeches about how it was a bad idea. At 67 years old he was elected governor. Shortly after that Texas wanted to leave the US and Sam didn’t agree so he wasn’t governor. Sam moved back to Huntsville. Then in 1863 Sam died at the age of 70. Texas became a strong state because of him.

Michael had a hard time with the book and he didn’t understand alot of what the story was about and lost interest in the book. I thought it was an interesting story and enjoyed reading it.

Thanks to Elaine for sending the book to us.

TITLE: Emily the Chickadee: Emily Waits For Her Family
AUTHOR: Carol Zelaya
PUB DATE: October 2007

TITLE: Caring for Emily’s Family
AUTHOR: Carol Zelaya
PUB DATE: August 2008

TITLE: Emily’s New Home
AUTHOR: Carol Zeleya
PUB DATE: November 2008

Thank you to Elaine for contacting me to see if I would be interested in reading this and I am so happy I said yes. This is a beautiful three book series. My son loved the books. These are a great children’s book. They are all a true stories. They are all written in a easy to read rhyme.

The first book we follow the chickadee and a little girl. The little girl spots the chickadee in a tree and calls her Emily. The chickadee is a mommy and she is building a nest. She makes the nest in a window box. The little girl watches all this. The chickadee has laid three eggs. Twelve days late the birds are born. A few weeks later the little birds are flying on their own.

The second book is a continuation of the series. The chickadee family has returned to the little girls yard. The little girl makes sure that they have seeds in the feeder to eat and water too. She has built them a birdhouse to sleep in. She makes sure they have a birdbath to have fun in.

The third book is the final book in the series. The little girl is moving away to the country. She misses the chickadees and wonders how they will find her. Then the Spring comes and one day when the little girl comes home she sees twigs and straw on the step and looks up to see a chickadee building her nest in the wreath on the door. Could this be Emily. She thinks it is and is happy. The little girl gives them seed and water and lots of love cause she knows they will stay.

These are really cute books. We have read them over and over again. A great set of books to have in a child’s collection.