These are the books we read to study the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Massachusetts. Who knew that they most likely did not land on Plymouth Rock? Most histories do not mention why the modern-day Thanksgiving celebration is offensive to Native Americans. The last book on the list does good job presenting this side of the story. I found all of these at my library and I hope you can, too!
Pilgrims at Plymouth, Living History with Photographs
Kate Waters wrote the following books. Russ Kendall photographed the staff and volunteers at Plimoth Plantation
Sarah Morton’s Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl, archive.org
“At sunup when the cockerel crows, young Sarah Morton’s day begins. Come and join her as she goes about her work and play in an early American settlement in the year 1627.There’s a fire to build, breakfast to cook, chickens to feed, goats to milk, and letters and scripture to learn. Between the chores, there is her best friend, Elizabeth, with whom she shares her hopes and dreams. But Sarah is worried about her new stepfather. Will she ever earn his love and learn to call him father?” (from Amazon)
Giving Thanks: The 1621 Harvest Feast
“Told by Dancing Moccasins, a 14-year-old Wampanoag boy, and Resolved White, a 6-year-old English boy, a fascinating historical book brings to life the harvest celebration between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people in 1621.” (from Amazon)
Reference-type Books:
Native Nations of the Northeast. This one has chapters on the Abenaki, Haudenosaunee, Lenape, Narragansett, Ojibwe, Pequot, Powhatan, and Wampanoag tribes.
If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620, archive.org
“If you sailed on the Mayflower
–What could you take with you?
–How would you keep clean?
–What would you do when you first got to shore? Get ready to go back in time to 1620 to discover what it was like to sail the Mayflower!” (from Amazon)
Pilgrims at Plymouth, Chapter Books
The Adventurous Life of Myles Standish and the Amazing-But-True Survival Story of Plymouth Colony, archive.org
“Students will discover all sorts of things they never knew before: that a teenage boy almost blew up the Mayflower and that the first Indian the Pilgrims met greeted them in English! They’ll learn more serious things, too: all about why they came, the hardships they suffered, the people they met, and the successes they achieved. Middle-graders will experience one of history’s great adventures as only Cheryl Harness can tell it.” (archive.org)
Who’s that Stepping on Plymouth Rock?, archive.org
“For years, Plymouth Rock lived a quiet life. Then in 1741, the people decided to make a fuss because the Pilgrims must have stepped on it when they arrived in America. And that’s when the adventures began. This entertaining book tells about Plymouth Rock’s humble origins before it rose to a place of historic prominence.” (from Amazon)
This is part of the History Smashers series, an attempt to uncover the whole truth, debunk false assumptions, and present both sides of history.
“Did you know that the pilgrims didn’t go straight from England to Plymouth? No, they made a stop along the way–and almost stayed forever! Did you know there was a second ship, called the Speedwell, that was too leaky to make the trip? No joke. And just wait until you learn the truth about Plymouth Rock.
“Through illustrations, graphic panels, photographs, sidebars, and more, acclaimed author Kate Messner smashes history by exploring the little-known details behind the legends of the Mayflower and the first Thanksgiving.” (from Amazon)