''Dear America'' is a series of historical fiction novels for children published by Scholastic starting in 1996. By 1998, the series had 12 titles with 3.5 million copies in print. The series was canceled in 2004 with its final release, ''Hear My Sorrow''. However, it was relaunched in the fall of 2010. Each book is written in the form of a diary of a young woman's life during important events or time periods in American history. The ''Dear America'' series covers a wide range of topics, including: the Pilgrims' journey to the

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...

, the

Salem Witch Trials The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty, 19 of whom w ...

, the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

, the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

, the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

western expansion The United States of America was created on July 4, 1776, with the U.S. Declaration of Independence of thirteen British colonies in North America. In the Lee Resolution two days prior, the colonies resolved that they were free and independent ...

slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

immigration Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...

, nineteenth-century

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

life, the California Gold Rush of 1849, the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, Native Americans' experiences,

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...

coal mining Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

, the

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on Saturday, March 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city, and one of the deadliest in U.S. history. The ...

, the fight for

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

, the sinking of the RMS ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United ...

'', the

Battle of the Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Ant ...

, the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, and more. The breadth of

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

topics covered in these books through fiction makes the Dear America series a favorite teaching device of history schoolteachers around the country. The re-launch series and releases contain a new cover style and different pictures of the main characters than those of the original releases. Originally all the books had a ribbon inserted as a bookmark for the books but were removed in the later releases. Several of the stories were filmed and released on videotape.

Original series

There are thirty-six books in the original ''Dear America'' series: *'' A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple,

Mayflower ''Mayflower'' was an English ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After a grueling 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, r ...

, 1620'' by

Kathryn Lasky Kathryn Lasky (born June 24, 1944) is an American children's writer who also writes for adults under the names Kathryn Lasky Knight and E. L. Swann. Her children's books include several Dear America books, The Royal Diaries books, ''Sugaring Tim ...

(1996) *''The Winter of Red Snow: The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart,

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania The Village of Valley Forge is an unincorporated settlement located on the west side of Valley Forge National Historical Park at the confluence of Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania. The remaining village is in Schuylkill Tow ...

, 1777'' by

Kristiana Gregory Kristiana Gregory (born 1951) is an American children's author. Gregory grew up in a small town by the sea near Los Angeles with her parents and two younger siblings. Gregory is a popular author of children's historical fiction, including sever ...

(1996) * ''When Will This Cruel War Be Over?: The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson,

Gordonsville, Virginia Gordonsville is a town in Orange County, Virginia, Orange County in the U.S. state, Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Located about 19 miles northeast of Charlottesville, Virginia, Charlottesville and 65 miles northwest of Richmond, V ...

, 1864'' by Barry Denenberg (1996) *''

A Picture of Freedom ''A Picture of Freedom'' is a children's historical novel written by Patricia C. McKissack and published by Scholastic in 1997 as part of their Dear America series. Plot summary The book is written in the form of a diary kept by Clotee, a youn ...

: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl, Belmont Plantation, Virginia, 1859'' by

Patricia McKissack Patricia C. "Pat" McKissack (''née'' Carwell; August 9, 1944 – April 7, 2017) was a prolific African American children's writer. She was the author of over 100 books, including Dear America books '' A Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, ...

(1997) *''Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell, 1847'' by Kristiana Gregory (1997) *''So Far from Home: The Diary of Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill Girl,

Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Alongside Cambridge, It is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as of ...

, 1847'' by Barry Denenberg (1997) *'' I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: The Diary of Patsy, a Freed Girl,

Mars Bluff, South Carolina Mars Bluff is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Florence County, South Carolina, Florence County, South Carolina, United States that bears the distinction of having been inadvertently bombed with a nuclear weapon by the United S ...

, 1865'' by

Joyce Hansen Joyce Viola Hansen (born October 18, 1942) is an American writer and retired schoolteacher. She has earned recognition for her books for children and youth, particularly her historical fiction and non-fiction works about African-American history ...

(1997) *''West to a Land of Plenty: The Diary of Teresa Angelino Viscardi, New York to Idaho Territory, 1883'' by

Jim Murphy James Francis Murphy (born 23 August 1967) is a Scottish former politician who served as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party from 2014 to 2015 and Secretary of State for Scotland from 2008 to 2010. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for East Ren ...

(1998) *''Dreams in the Golden Country: The Diary of Zipporah Feldman, a Jewish Immigrant Girl,

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, 1903'' by Kathryn Lasky (1998) *''Standing in the Light: The Captive Diary of Catharine Carey Logan, Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania, 1763'' by

Mary Pope Osborne Mary Pope Osborne (born May 20, 1949) is an American author of children's books. She is best known as the author of the ''Magic Tree House'' series, which sold more than 134 million copies worldwide. Both the series and Osborne have won awards, ...

(1998) *'' Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, RMS Titanic, 1912'' by

Ellen Emerson White Ellen Emerson White is an American author who has written a number of young adult fiction novels. Writing Ms. White's first book, ''Friends for Life'' (1983) was published while she was a senior at Tufts University. White grew up in Narragans ...

(1998) *''A Line in the Sand: The Alamo Diary of Lucinda Lawrence,

Gonzales, Texas Gonzales is a city in Gonzales County, Texas, United States. It is the county seat. The population was 7,165 at the 2020 census. The "Come and Take It" flag in the War for Texas Independence from Mexico originated in Gonzales. Its economy is enh ...

, 1836'' by Sherry Garland (1998) *''My Heart Is on the Ground: The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl, Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880'' by Ann Rinaldi (1999) *''The Great Railroad Race: The Diary of Libby West,

Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th state. ...

, 1868'' by Kristiana Gregory (1999) *''A Light in the Storm: The Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin,

Fenwick Island, Delaware Fenwick Island is a coastal resort town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2020 census figures, the population of the town is 355, a 2.6% decrease over the last decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropo ...

, 1861'' by

Karen Hesse Karen S. Hesse (born August 29, 1952) is an American author of children's literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings. She won the Newbery Medal for ''Out of the Dust'' (1997). Early years and education Karen Hess ...

(1999) *''

The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow ''The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow'' (1999) is a book by Ann Turner which is part of the ''Dear America'' book series. It tells the story of the removal of the Navajos from their land by the U.S. Government – a 400-mile (640 km) forced ...

: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl, New Mexico, 1864'' by Ann Turner (1999) *''A Coal Miner's Bride: The Diary of Anetka Kaminska,

Lattimer, Pennsylvania Lattimer is a village and census-designated place (CDP) in Hazle Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 554 at the 2010 census. History The Lattimer massacre took place in the village on September 10, 1897; it re ...

, 1896'' by

Susan Campbell Bartoletti Susan Campbell Bartoletti (born 1958) is an American writer of children's literature whose work includes ''Kids on Strike!'' and '' Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow''. She was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, but eventually the famil ...

(2000) *'' Color Me Dark: The Diary of Nellie Lee Love, the Great Migration North,

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, 1919'' by Patricia McKissack (2000) *''One Eye Laughing, the Other Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss, Vienna, Austria to New York, 1938'' by Barry Denenberg (2000) *''My Secret War: The World War II Diary of Madeline Beck, Long Island, New York, 1941'' by Mary Pope Osborne (2000) *''Valley of the Moon: The Diary Of Maria Rosalia de Milagros, Sonoma Valley, Alta California, 1846'' by Sherry Garland (2001) *''Seeds of Hope: The Gold Rush Diary of Susanna Fairchild, California Territory, 1849'' by Kristiana Gregory (2001) *''Christmas After All: The Great Depression Diary of Minnie Swift,

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

, 1932'' by Kathryn Lasky (2001) *''Early Sunday Morning: The Pearl Harbor Diary of Amber Billows,

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

, 1941'' by Barry Denenberg (2001) *''My Face to the Wind: The Diary of Sarah Jane Price, a Prairie Teacher,

Broken Bow, Nebraska Broken Bow is a city in Custer County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 3,559 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Custer County. History Broken Bow was platted in 1882. Its name, likely suggested by a settler who found a b ...

, 1881'' by Jim Murphy (2001) *''Where Have All the Flowers Gone? The Diary of Molly MacKenzie Flaherty, Boston, Massachusetts, 1968'' by Ellen Emerson White (2002) *''A Time for Courage: The Suffragette Diary of Kathleen Bowen, Washington, D.C., 1917'' by Kathryn Lasky (2002) *''Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: The Diary of Bess Brennan,

Perkins School for the Blind Perkins School for the Blind, in Watertown, Massachusetts, was founded in 1829 and is the oldest school for the blind in the United States. It has also been known as the Perkins Institution for the Blind. Perkins manufactures its own Perkins Br ...

, 1932'' by Barry Denenberg (2002) *''Survival in the Storm: The Dust Bowl Diary of Grace Edwards,

Dalhart, Texas Dalhart is a city in Dallam and Hartley counties in the U.S. state of Texas, and the county seat of Dallam County. The population was 7,930 at the 2010 census. History Founded in 1901, Dalhart is named for its location on the border of Dalla ...

, 1935'' by Katelan Janke (2002) *''When Christmas Comes Again: The World War I Diary of Simone Spencer, New York City to the Western Front, 1917'' by Beth Seidel Levine (2002) *''Land of the Buffalo Bones: The Diary of Mary Ann Elizabeth Rodgers, an English Girl in Minnesota, New Yeovil,

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, 1873'' by

Marion Dane Bauer Marion Dane Bauer (born November 20, 1938) is an American children's author. Bauer was born on November 20, 1938, and brought up in Oglesby, a small prairie town in Northern Illinois. She was educated at LaSalle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College, the ...

(2002) *''Love Thy Neighbor: The Tory Diary of Prudence Emerson, Green Marsh,

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, 1774'' by Ann Turner (2003) *''All the Stars in the Sky: The Santa Fe Trail Diary of Florrie Mack Ryder, The Santa Fe Trail, 1848'' by

Megan McDonald Megan Jo McDonald is an American children's literature author. Her most popular works is the series of books which concern a third grade girl named Judy Moody (written for grades 2–4). McDonald has also written many picture books for younger c ...

(2003) *''Look to the Hills: The Diary of Lozette Moreau, a French Slave Girl, New York Colony, 1763'' by Patricia McKissack (2004) *''I Walk in Dread: The Diary of Deliverance Trembley, Witness to the Salem Witch Trials, Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1691'' by

Lisa Rowe Fraustino Lisa Rowe Fraustino is an American writer and editor of children's literature. Biography In 1961 Lisa was born in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine. She currently lives with her husband in Connecticut where she teaches at Eastern Connecticut State Univ ...

(2004) *''Hear My Sorrow: The Diary of Angela Denoto, a Shirtwaist Worker, New York City, 1909'' by

Deborah Hopkinson Deborah Hopkinson is an American writer of children's books, primarily historical fiction, nonfiction and picture books. She was born in Lowell, Massachusetts. Selected books *''Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt'' (1993) *''Maria's Comet'' (1999) ...

(2004)

2010 Re-launch

The Dear America series was relaunched in September 2010 with their first new book since 2004, ''The Fences Between Us'' by

Kirby Larson Kirby Lane Larson from Kenmore, Washington is an American writer of children's books including Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award-winner ''The Magic Kerchief'', illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger. Her book, ''Hattie Big Sky'', was a finalist for ...

, set during World War II, as well as re-releases of earlier books. New books for 2011 include ''Like the Willow Tree'', ''Cannons at Dawn'' (the sequel to ''The Winter of Red Snow'' and the first sequel in the series), ''With the Might of Angels'', ''Behind the Masks'', ''A City Tossed and Broken'', and ''Down the Rabbit Hole''. There have also been new editions of several earlier books released in 2011. Books in the relaunched Dear America series: *''A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple, Mayflower, 1620'' by Kathryn Lasky (September 2010) *''The Winter of Red Snow: The Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1777'' by Kristiana Gregory (September 2010) *''The Fences Between Us: The Diary of Piper Davis, Seattle, Washington, 1941'' by Kirby Larson (September 2010) *''Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, RMS Titanic, 1912'' by Ellen Emerson White (November 2010) *''A Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl, Belmont Plantation, Virginia, 1859'' by Patricia McKissack (January 2011) *''Like the Willow Tree: The Diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce, Portland, Maine, 1918'' by Lois Lowry (January 2011) *''A Light in the Storm: The Diary of Amelia Martin, Fenwick Island, Delaware, 1861'' by Karen Hesse (March 2011) *''When Will This Cruel War Be Over?: The Diary of Emma Simpson, Gordonsville, Virginia, 1864'' by Barry Denenberg (April 2011) *''Cannons at Dawn: The Second Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1779'' by Kristiana Gregory (May 2011) *''Standing in the Light: The Diary of Catharine Carey Logan, Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania, 1763'' by Mary Pope Osborne (May 2011) *''I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: The Diary of Patsy, a Freed Girl, Mars Bluff, South Carolina, 1865'' by Joyce Hansen (July 2011) *''With the Might of Angels: The Diary of Dawnie Rae Johnson, Hadley, Virginia, 1954'' by Andrea Davis Pinkney (September 2011) *''I Walk in Dread: The Diary of Deliverance Trembley, Witness to the Salem Witch Trials, Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1691'' by Lisa Rowe Fraustino (September 2011) *''Behind the Masks: The Diary of Angeline Reddy, Bodie, California, 1880'' by Susan Patron (January 2012) *''Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Diary of Hattie Campbell, The Oregon Trail, 1847'' by Kristiana Gregory (April 2012) *''Christmas After All: The Diary of Minnie Swift, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1932'' by Kathryn Lasky (September 2012) *''A City Tossed and Broken: The Diary of Minnie Bonner, San Francisco, California, 1906'' by Judy Blundell (March 2013) *''Down the Rabbit Hole: The Diary of Pringle Rose, Chicago, Illinois, 1871'' by Susan Campbell Bartoletti (March 2013) *''Hear My Sorrow: The Diary of Angela Denoto, a Shirtwaist Worker, New York City, 1909'' by Deborah Hopkinson (January 2014)

Spin-offs

Three other book series, like Dear America, were also published by Scholastic: *

My Name is America ''My Name Is America'' is a series of historical novels published by Scholastic Press. Each book is written in the form of a journal of a fictional young man's life during an important event or time period in American history. The series was dis ...

, a series of fictional journals of young men during American history *

My America ''My America'' is a series of fictional diaries of children that take place during significant moments in American history. Created by Scholastic Corporation, Scholastic, it is a spin-off of the series, ''Dear America'', geared toward younger chil ...

, a series of fictional diaries of young children during American history *

The Royal Diaries ''The Royal Diaries'' is a series of 20 books published by Scholastic Press from 1999 to 2005. In each of the books, a fictional diary of a real female figure of royalty as a child throughout world history was written by the author. ''The Royal Diar ...

, a series of fictional journals about the teenage years of famous royal women throughout world history. Most of the "America" or "Royal" diaries are women and girls experinces. In addition, several of Scholastic's international divisions have published series inspired by the Dear America series: *

Dear Canada ''Dear Canada'' is a series of historical novels marketed at kids first published in 2001 and continuing to the present. The books are published by Scholastic Canada Ltd. They are similar to the ''Dear America'' series, with each book written in ...

, published by Scholastic Canada *

I Am Canada ''I Am Canada'' is a series of Canadian historical novels marketed at older boys, with the first book being published in September 2010. The series is written by a variety of Canadian authors and is published by Scholastic Canada Ltd. The book ...

, published by Scholastic Canada * My Story published by Scholastic UK. This series re-publishes at least three of the Dear America books: ''A Journey to the New World'' (as ''Mayflower''), ''A Picture of Freedom'' (as ''Slave Girl''), and ''Voyage on the Great Titanic''. *

My Australian Story ''My Australian Story'' is a series of historical novels for older children published by Scholastic Australia which was inspired by ''Dear America''. Each book is written in the form of a fictional diary of a young person living during an import ...

published by Scholastic Australia * My Story published by Scholastic New Zealand *Dear India and A Princess's Diary published by Scholastic India Other, Non-Scholastic series, spin-offs include: *Diarios Mexicanos published by Planeta (Spanish only) *

Mon Histoire Mon Histoire is a French series based on the Dear America and Dear Canada series. The books are written in French and each one is in the style of a diary based on true events. While most of the characters are fictional, some of them are based on his ...

published by Gallimard jeunesse (French only)

References

External links

Scholastic's ''Dear America'' website
* * * * * * * * *{{IMDb title, id=0253021, title=Dear America: Color Me Dark Series of children's books Children's historical novels American children's novels American historical novels Fictional diaries