ALA Booklist (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Combining fact and fiction effectively, this appealing book offers a window into the lives of pioneers. First published in Canada as A Pioneer Story: The Daily Life of a Canadian Family in 1840 it has just as much to offer American children as their Canadian counterparts. Greenwood offers fictional episodes about one family, the Robertsons, but between chapters about their adventures' there are sections giving background information about the period. For instance, in one story Meg goes to the general store to buy ribbons but decides to spend her money to help a neighbor who can't afford the postage due on a letter. The next few pages show what might be found at a village store; explain how to make a balance scale from yogurt containers and a coat hanger; discuss the post office and letter writing during pioneer days (including the information that the U.S. began using postage stamps in 1847); and give a recipe for homemade ink. Profusely illustrated with attractive pencil drawings, this book will prove a valuable resource for children studying the period. (Reviewed Apr. 1, 1995)

Horn Book (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Greenwood blends fiction and fact to provide the reader with a full picture of mid-nineteenth-century pioneer life. A narrative begins each section and is followed by information about the work the fictitious Robertson family members are engaged in and a project for the reader to try. The illustrations are clear and useful. Glos., ind.

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

Slaughtering hogs, making butter and telling time by the sun are all chronicled in the life of a pioneer family. PW said in a starred review: """"As a resource, it's a must-have for anyone with even the remotest interest in this period of American history."""" Ages 8-12. (Mar.)

School Library Journal (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Gr 5-8--Greenwood introduces the fictional Robertsons and, through the family's activities, describes the details of everyday life on the frontier circa 1840. This mix of story and information makes the book a natural for use in whole-language classrooms. Report writers in traditional programs will find useful facts and diagrams tucked in between the fictional segments. Food, clothing, schooling, social life, household equipment, building, and more are covered in the wide-ranging text. The detailed black-and-white drawings are both decorative and informative. Edwin Tunis covers a wider range of topics in Frontier Living (Crowell, 1976) for a slightly older audience. For younger readers, Raymond Bial's Frontier Home (Houghton, 1993) has a narrower focus; his full-color photographs of actual (and reproduced) artifacts add interest. Where pioneer living is part of the curriculum and for readers fascinated by the time period, Greenwood's title will be a welcome and useful addition.--Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, MA