Dec. 12, 2008 - Salem Ridge Press
I received permission from Shanna to post her review of Salem Ridge Press. I was so excited to find out about this publisher that I wanted to share it with all my friends and those who happen upon my blog. I can't wait to get my hands on one of their books to read aloud to my kids. If it appeals to you as much as it did me, be sure to hurry over to Shanna's blog for a chance to win a book from Salem Ridge Press or one of the other companies she is reviewing products from.
The following is from Shanna:
Salem Ridge Press is a publishing company that reprints quality books from the 1800's and early 1900's. They 'strive to republish books that are well-written, interesting and wholesome'. Believe me when I say, they have achieved their goal! I was sent three of their books to review and I will definitely be going back to order more books from this company again and again.
Mary Jane: Her Book is a charming and simple tale all about the activities of five year old Mary Jane. We joined her as she mourned for a broken doll, performed an errand for her mother, helped a nest of baby robins, visited with her aunt, and more. My girls especially liked listening to her sweet stories and laughing at her antics. She often reminded me of my three year old and we enjoyed reading this book set in a simpler time. This book was originally published in 1918 and has a sequel as well.
You will find three brave heroes in the young twins, Sally and Roger, and their mother Mrs. Priestley in The American Twins of the Revolution by Lucy Fitch Perkins. Originally published in 1926 and set in 1776, this book is based on a true story of heroism directly from our own American history. Why in the world would anyone teach history from a textbook when there are such wonderful living history books such as this one? Sally and Roger along with their mother and two loyal slaves brave British spies and soldiers while traveling to deliver gold and supplies to General Washington and the American soldiers. The suggested ages for this book is age 8 to adult, but I plan to read this aloud to all of my children when we study the Revolutionary War in the Spring.
Glaucia The Greek Slave was written by Emma Leslie in 1874 and is the exciting telling of the story of Glaucia, a young girl sold into slavery to pay her father's debt after he dies. Her brother Laon is desperate to find her and free her. And they are both on a quest to find the God who loves even the slaves. The story is set in first century Athens and I totally agree with the age recommendation of age 10 to adult. Like The Twins book, I did not want to put this book down. It reminded me so much of one of my favorite series, The Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers, that I had to wonder if Ms. Rivers had read this fascinating little book and been inspired by it.
I guess what I love about Salem Ridge Press, is that having read these three books and enjoyed them so well, I now feel that I have a trusted source to go to find quality literature for my children. They do not offer a very long list of books, currently only 23 titles. But their website offers you the ability to search alphabetically, by time period and location, by author, or by age range. The books retail for about $10-$13 for softcover and about $25 for hardcover. You can order them from your local bookstore or at other retail vendors including Amazon.
Comments
Dec. 12, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by reptilequeen
have you ever heard of lamplighter publishing? they are a similar company but have over 100 titles. from 1600's to early 1900's.
http://www.lamplighterpublishing.com
Dec. 12, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by jillconnelly
I love Lamplighter. I own a few books from them. They are pricey but they have such wonderful, quality books, as well!
Edited by jillconnelly on Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Dec. 24, 2008 - Hi
Posted by momofsix
I just bought Mary Jane.
Jan. 31, 2009 - Thank you
Posted by imlne
for visiting my blog and returning a comment. I see by this post that you are fellow book lover, and a fellow seeker of good books-ones that make a difference in our lives and our chidren's lives. Thanks for sharing about this publisher.
Melanie
