From This Day Forward

by Kathleen Karr

What could be more precious than the gift of words - unless it was the man who brought them to her? Young Maggie McDonald was a thirst for knowledge, and books contained knowledge, but Maggie couldn't read! Then lively Johnny Stewart burst into the routine of her life on a farm in Western Ohio, bringing excitement and peddling the very thing she craved most in all the world, a McGuffy's Reader! The year Johnny taught Maggie to read was the year she fell in love with him, but it would be seven more before they would wed. Then, driven by wanderlust and a desire to share their knowledge of God, they trekked across the face of frontier America with their books and Bibles, leaving behind them strengthened spirits and a rich legacy of love.

192 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1985

About the author

Kathleen Karr was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and grew up on a chicken farm in Dorothy, New Jersey. After escaping to college, she worked in the film industry, and also taught in high school and college. She seriously began writing fiction on a dare from her husband. After honing her skills in women’s fiction, her children asked her to write a book for them, (It Ain’t Always Easy, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1990), and she discovered she loved writing for young readers.

Reviews

[Diane Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A charming historical inspirational romance. This is the beginning of a three-book series that tells the whole story of the hero and heroine. Perky, red-haired Meg McDonald fell in love with Johnny Stuart at age 10 when he and his father pulled their wagon of books into the McDonald farm. Each year Johnny returns to sell books to the family and to see Meg. They eventually marry and leave the area for greater adventures out West.

The reader sees the story through Meg's innocent and enthusiastic eyes. The Christian message is clear and strong, but is blended as a natural part of the characters' lives. Meg and Johnny are both so lovable and it is fun to see how they interact with other people -- including German immigrants and Native Americans. A lovely book.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

B. fiction, historical fiction, 19th c. frontier, from stash, keep

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so I really don't think it matters if you read book 1 first.

Ok so I wrote a review for book 1 and thought it just ended in the middle. Read his one and I couldn't put it down. I love how Johnny and Maggie met and the years that followed.