Prairie Skies: Pioneer Summer

Prairie Skies #1

by Deborah Hopkinson, Patrick Faricy

When his abolitionist parents decide to move to Kansas territory to help Kansas enter the Union as a free state, Charlie Keller, forced to leave his Massachusetts home and beloved dog behind, must learn to come to terms with prairie life. Simultaneous.

Genres: Historical Fiction

80 pages, Library Binding

First published May 1, 2002

About the author

I write nonfiction and historical fiction, picture books, and Golden Books. I speak at school, libraries, and conferences. I also love to garden and offer manuscript critiques. (Deborahhopkinson@yahoo.com)

NEW books in 2024 include DETERMINED DREAMER: THE STORY OF MARIE CURIE, illus by Jen Hill, ON A SUMMER NIGHT, illus by Kenard Pak, TRIM HELPS OUT and TRIM SAILS the STORM, illus by Kristy Caldwell, EVIDENCE! illustrated by Nik Henderson, and a nonfiction work called THEY SAVED THE STALLIONS. I'm delighted to say that Trim Helps Out, Trim Sails the Storm, On a Summer Night and Evidence! are all Junior Library Guild selections.

I live and work in Oregon and travel all over to speak to young readers and writers.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction set in Kansas during the 1850s during the time known as “Bleeding Kansas.”

Abby: 3.5/4
Grace: 5

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good Ready -for- Chapters book. The information in the book is really nice. It is fiction but, the reader can get an idea of what it was like coming out from the East to make Kansas a free state. I like how it is a series book so, the reader can see how the family grows and changes over time while living in Kansas. This story does take place in Lawrence so, that makes it more relate-able to the children. This book and others in the series would be good books to have going on in Literature Circles while in Social Studies you are covering Westward Expansion and free and slave states. Students at the end of second grade to could read these books as well as, lower level third graders.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a children's early chapter book, yet I read for a library summer challenge. A good book for children...involved, active, engaging, and fun read. This is book #1 in a series. The book is not too long and yet not too short for the beginning reader. Words are simple and basic enough that the reader will understand what is happening. Once the story has "ended" in the book, the reader is left wanting to know what happens next. Highly recommended to all ages.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

gr 2-4 71 pgs


1855, Kansas. 8 year old Charlie wishes his family was still back in Massachusetts. Instead to help prevent Kansas from becoming a slave state, his family has moved to Kansas.

continued in Bk 2 Cabin in the Snow and Bk 3 Our Kansas Home

[Cws]

JEAR3-Hop

[Kate Hastings]

RL540

[Ratforcekids · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Prairie Skies series. If you like history, you will certainly like the series of books about the pioneers who helped to settle America.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book One of the Trilogy
0315: The boys and I are loving it! This one is teaching us about the early settling of Kansas as well as how Kansas fought against slavery even before the Civil War.