Can you imagine being placed in an orphanage while your parents are still alive? That’s what happens to Nettie and Nellie Crook, who are only five years old in 1910 when they are removed from their home in New York. No one tells Nettie and Nellie why their parents can no longer care for them, and later, no one explains why the orphans are put on a train headed west. The girls soon find themselves put on display in various small towns, where prospective parents examine and select children for adoption. Nettie and Nellie are taken by Mr. and Mrs. Chapin—will this be a happy ending for the twins? Based on a True Story books are exciting historical fiction about real children who lived through extraordinary times in American History. This title has Common Core connections.

Twin sisters Nettie and Nellie Crook are taken away from their disfunctional parents in 1910 when they are only five years old and placed in an orphanage--at six they are put on the orphan train by the Children's Aid Society and moved from New York City to Kansas, ending up in a household where they are treated more as servants than children.

What would you do if your country was counting on you to deliver a message? That's sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington’s urgent mission. In 1777, Sybil and her family believe the American colonies should be free from British control. Sybil’s father leads a regiment of New York militiamen, and everyone in the family is dedicated to the Patriot cause. Using spy tactics and codes, the Ludingtons gather intelligence, hoping to stay one step ahead of their enemies. When British troops raid nearby Danbury, Connecticut, Sybil gallops through the night to call out her father's men. But the journey is dangerous for a girl who’s all alone. With obstacles at every turn, will she make it in time to stop the British? Based on a True Story books are exciting historical fiction about real children who lived through extraordinary times in American History. This title has Common Core connections.

Would you ever run off to join the army, leaving your family behind? That's what nine-year-old John Lincoln Clem does in 1861. Determined to fight for his country, Johnny sneaks onto a train filled with men from the 3rd Ohio Union Regiment. Taken in by the older soldiers, Johnny becomes a drummer boy, and later, takes up his own musket. As the war rages on, Johnny experiences the brutalities of battle as well as the rampant illness and gnawing hunger in between. But the most dangerous part of Johnny’s journey is yet to come. Based on a True Story books are exciting historical fiction about real children who lived through extraordinary times in American History. This title has Common Core connections.

Since their mama died and their pa left, Ethan, Alice, Simon, and Will Cooper have not known much of a home. But now that the orphan train has taken them to Mr. and Mrs. Rush in Nebraska, their dreams of home may become a reality. The kids discover that life on a farm is full of challenges. Ethan learns how to drive a plow, watch for snakes, and deal with bullies at the country school. Alice learns to slop the hogs and live with a big sister who isn’t exactly welcoming. Will seems to be the only one of the four that their new mother likes. And Simon disappears—again. The third book in the Beyond the Orphan Train series, Prairie Homestead is an adventure in new beginnings and lasting faith.

In the midst of an innocent lakeside campout, five modern-day children are transported back into the time of George Washington. Humorous, historical fiction that middle graders will enjoy.

The bloodiest battle in American history is under way . . . It's 1863, and Thomas and his little sister, Birdie, have fled the farm where they were born and raised as slaves. Following the North Star, looking for freedom, they soon cross paths with a Union soldier. Everything changes: Corporal Henry Green brings Thomas and Birdie back to his regiment, and suddenly it feels like they've found a new home. Best of all, they don't have to find their way north alone--they're marching with the army.But then orders come through: The men are called to battle in Pennsylvania. Thomas has made it so far . . . but does he have what it takes to survive Gettysburg?