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Liberty Letters series Review by Heidi Strawser
Nancy LeSourdZonderKidz (a division of Zondervan)
5300 Patterson AvenueSE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
http://www.zondervan.com/
Liberty Letters is a series of 4 books, written by Nancy LeSourd. The four books in this series include Adventures in Jamestown (set in 1613), Escape on the Underground Railroad (set in 1858), Secrets of the Civil War Spies (set in 1862), and Attack at Pearl Harbor (set in 1941). These books are listed as "juvenile fiction" and recommended for ages 9-12. Each book is written from the perspective of two friends living in that time period, writing letters to each other about the thing that are happening in their lives. For example, Adventures in Jamestown contains letters written by Elizabeth (who is living in London, England) and her friend Abigail (who has set sail for the New World, and faces all the dangers and trials that entails).
We have been enjoying using these books as read-alouds. My 15-year-old daughter and I take turns reading them (as a certain character), so the books read almost like a play (with only 2 characters). My 8-year-old listens in and enjoys the stories. Because of this, I would recommend these books for a wider target audience than the publisher suggests. Though they are works of fiction, they are based on fact, and would make wonderful supplements for anyone who is studying these time periods in history, especially for those who enjoy using living books.
Though these books are not written specifically for homeschoolers, they are definitely well worth adding to any homeschooler's library. The publisher does recommend them for educators and homeschoolers, and I agree. Again, though they are works of fiction, they are both interesting and educational. Because all the main characters in the books are girls, I would think that the target audience would be more girls than boys, though boys will certainly enjoy listening in, I'm sure.
These books sell for $7.99 each and can be found wherever Christian books are sold. I would definitely recommend them, and will definitely purchase more (if more books are written in the series). They would also make wonderful gifts for that pre-teen or young teen girl in your life.
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