ALA Booklist (Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2001)

The story of the first permanent English settlement in North America is narrated here by an 18-year-old carpenter who in 1607, along with 104 other Englishmen, established the colony of Jamestown, Virginia. A typical double-page spread includes a striking illustration executed in watercolor and sepia ink, a few short paragraphs of narrative text and/or diary entries, and a quotation (including its source) that is generally, though not always, related to the picture. Despite the lightly fictionalized framework, Sewell doesn't prettify the facts. She records that some colonists ate the dead during the Starving Time and notes that John Smith's account of Pocahontas saving his life was not part of his original story of his stay with the Indians. The paintings are created with a certain loose, spontaneous effect seen to best advantage from a short distance. Quotations are sprinkled throughout the text without any indication of specific sources, other than a list of 11 books in an appended section called Selected Source Material. Also appended are a List of Characters (historical figures mentioned in the book), a glossary, and information about the settlers' three ships. Given the dearth of good children's books on Jamestown and the 400th anniversary of its founding only six years away, this will be an asset to many history collections serving children.

Horn Book (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1997)

This account of the travels of the seventeenth-century Japanese poet throughout his homeland emphasizes the simplicity of his lifestyle and his acute powers of observation that inspired his writing. The delicate illustrations, which resemble porcelain paintings, reflect the quiet tone of the text. Individual haiku, along with a Japanese character, appear on each spread. A map of the places Basho visited is appended.

Kirkus Reviews

What was it like on that first journey to Jamestown, or in the first years in the New World? Written as though in the words of one of the settlers, this strives to share that experience and includes actual quotes from the diaries and letters of 15 of them. The tale is filled with misadventures, hardships, and dangers right from the inauspicious beginning as ships set sail on Dec. 20, 1606, and then languish, " but by unprosperous winds, were kept six weekes in sight of England.' " It was not until April of 1607 that 104 men and boys reached shore where they were met by hostile Indians and several were wounded. Returning to their ships, they traveled further up the James River and in May reached a peninsula 40 miles up. There they named their settlement James Towne for King James. The settlement did not prosper; George Percy, a Gentleman, notes: " There were never Englishmen left in a foreigne Countrey in such miserie as wee were in this new discovered Virginia.' " Plagued by mosquitoes, hostile Indians, rotten food, fires that nearly destroyed the village, and gentlemen unable or unwilling to work; the colony nearly did not survive. Sewall, who is noted for her young American histories ( Pilgrims of Plimoth , 1986, etc.) weaves a fascinating story and illustrates the adventure with her signature watercolor-and-sepia-ink drawings. She concludes with a list of characters quoted, a glossary, and selected source material. The brief quotes from primary sources and the text that elaborates on the quotes make history come alive for young readers. (Nonfiction. 8-10)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Marcia Sewall's James Towne: Struggle for Survival, told from the point of view of a settler, tracks the early days of Jamestown, Va. An economical text and Sewall's dramatic watercolor-and-ink illustrations chronicle the 1606 voyage from England, Captain John Smith's election as president of the colony and Pocahontas's famous intervention on Smith's behalf. (May)

School Library Journal (Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2001)

Gr 3-5 Using the same format as in the People of the Breaking Day (Atheneum, 1990), Sewall offers a glimpse into life in the Jamestown Colony. Told through the voice of an 18-year-old carpenter, the narrative opens with a description of the departure of three ships from England on December 20, 1606. Readers follow the voyagers as they sail across the Atlantic, find landfall, establish a settlement, and meet with the native people. The clear narration retains the tone of 17th-century English. Short paragraphs, often defined by dates, tell of the difficult early years of the settlement. Quotes from diaries and letters (though not always identified as such) with authors and dates are often found at the bottom of the pages. Unfortunately, the narrative is somewhat dry and readers may not get a real sense of what it was like to be one of the first inhabitants of the settlement. Large, fluid watercolor-and-sepia-ink paintings illustrate the book. A few are unclear; the painting depicting Captain Smith's encounter with the Great Powhatan and Pocahontas would be difficult to decipher without the accompanying text. Helpful end material includes a map, glossary, list of characters, and information regarding the three ships. While Sewall's book offers a different angle than "The Thirteen Colonies" series (Children's) and is more attractive than the "Library of the 13 Colonies and the Lost Colony" series (Rosen), these titles offer a more comprehensive treatment of the subject. Supplemental for curriculum units. Susan Lissim, Dwight School, New York City