Tag: NetGalley

The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/blizzard-brings-tragedy-to-northwest-plains

The School Children’s Blizzard narrated by U. S. Senator from Nebraska -Ben Sasse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C0dKNgJ8z0

Coming January 12, 2021 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088F2ZFDL/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

The Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Immigrants to the Great Plains of America survived twisters, grasshoppers, fires and hailstorms; but the Children’s Blizzard of January 12, 1888 was different.

The Dakota Territory, Nebraska, and Minnesota were populated by Norwegians, Swedes, and Germans-most were lured to leave their European homes, based on vastly exaggerated promises of fertile farmland that would remain in families for generations to come.  Melanie Benjamin’s account of the Children’s Blizzard, as it came to be known, honors the teachers and students whose lives changed forever on this unusually warm, breezy day in January 1888. Parents sent children off to school in light sweaters, capes, and little girls even in dresses, which gave mothers a chance to “air out” woolens, heavy coats, and pants. With temperatures plummeting and the blizzard rapidly approaching, extremely young and inexperienced teachers, Gerda and Raina Olsen, were called upon to make instant decisions: send the students out with instructions to hurry straight home or keep them and pray they survive the blizzard with the food and fuel on hand in the schoolhouse.

Melanie Benjamin tracks the footsteps through the snow as these two young sisters make different choices for their students and chilled readers learn how those decisions impacted students and families forever. Bundled into the wintery aftermath is a servant girl, Anette-abandoned by her family, who becomes the lifeline to redemption for newspaper journalist, Gavin Woodson. (Gavin was so gifted at convincing the European families that the journey across the ocean would be worth risking their lives.) Readers will relish his change in outlook as the warmth and love for another human alters the lives of so many.

Readers will be wrapped in a two-sided blanket; one a coarse scratchy side of dread and fear, guilt and regret; that flips to a soft, cuddly, cozy side of forgiveness and redeeming love. *****

Melanie Benjamin’s historical fiction account of The School Children’s Blizzard of 1888, is supplemented in her Author’s Note with facts regarding meteorology and the National Weather Service, the Homestead Act of 1862 and its impact on the Native Americans, and the post-Civil War Indian Wars and the railroads.

Resources to continue reading:

The Children’s Blizzard, David Laskin, 2004-Nonfiction

In All Its Fury, a History of the Blizzard of January 12, 1888; 1947 -a collection of memories of survivors and witnesses

The Family Ship by Sonja Yoerg

Sonja Yoerg grew up in Stowe, Vermont, where she financed her college education by waitressing at the Trapp Family Lodge. She earned her Ph.D. in Biological Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley, and studied learning in blue jays, kangaroo rats and spotted hyenas, among other species. Her non-fiction book about animal intelligence, Clever as a Fox (Bloomsbury USA) was published in 2001.
While her two daughters were young, Sonja taught fine arts, computer skills and science in their California schools, and became a novelist after they fledged. She is the author of four novels: House Broken (Jan 2015), Middle of Somewhere (Sep 2015), All the Best People (May 2017) and True Places (Jan 2019).
Sonja lives with her husband in a house overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Together they run, garden, climb mountains, travel the world, drink wine, then run some more. https://www.sonjayoerg.com/about

“An enlightening read on SO many levels.” Dorothy Schwab, Grateful Reader

Coming February 23, 2021 For Praise & Pre-Order: https://www.sonjayoerg.com/the-family-ship

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

This is the amazing family saga of Arthur and Maeve, whose love for each other carries them through the storms of life-from the birth of 9 children; Jude all the way to baby Nellie. There really is a “ship” in the backyard- not sea-worthy- but an excellent setting for the family game of Navy; created by Father and Verity, to teach discipline and responsibility. This is a great metaphor for life and reveals many lessons to the “mates” on board and to the readers. The story unfolds chapter by chapter-from both the parents’ and each child’s point of view, which is a wonderful way for readers to gain perspective on family events and personalities. So many human emotions are revealed: overwhelming joy and grief, pangs of sibling jealousy, love frozen in time by guilt, unjust hatred, the unearned love of little ones for older siblings, and on and on! Readers will remember the Vergennes family for many years to come. Follow orders: Be a good “mate” and read The Family Ship. *****