What do you think?
Rate this book
Eleanor #1
Mary Elizabeth: Welcome to America
Mary Elizabeth's life undergoes a dramatic change when she leaves the only home she has known for another world far away in a place called America. The journey aboard the ship not only teaches her about perseverance but also that making a home in a a new world has its share of challenges. Join Mary Elizabeth as she lives one of the greatest adventures of a lifetime and learns the importance of family and the value of perseverance.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
187 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2007
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 16, 2025
3.5 stars, personally ⭐️ Christian Fiction - Middle-Grade - Historical
About this book:
“Mary Elizabeth's life undergoes a dramatic change when she leaves the only home she has known for another world far away in a place called America. The journey aboard the ship not only teaches her about perseverance but also that making a home in a a new world has its share of challenges. Join Mary Elizabeth as she lives one of the greatest adventures of a lifetime and learns the importance of family and the value of perseverance.”
Series: Book #1 in “The Eleanor” series.
Spiritual Content- James 1:12 in the acknowledgments; A few Scriptures are mentioned & quoted; In bonus content at the end, there are over a handful of Scriptures shared and a lesson on perseverance while telling about Joseph from the Bible; Prayers & Blessings over food; Talks about God, being able to worship Him freely, & Jesus dying for our sins; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mary Elizabeth’s family is moving to America to be able to worship God freely; Mary Elizabeth’s father leads her younger brother in a prayer to ask Jesus to come and live in his heart; Mentions of God, loving Him, & being able to worship Him freely; Mentions of prayers, praying, thanking and praising God, & blessings over food; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, & those and events in the Bible; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A few mentions of churches;
*Note: A mention of something smelling “heavenly”.
Negative Content- Some grief and missing family members and friends; Seasickness; Mary Elizabeth helps her mother kill chickens (which she dreads doing but preserves through it; barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of possible and near drownings & injuries; Mentions of grief & homesickness; A few mentions of deaths & illnesses (including the death of a child to smallpox); A couple mentions of Jennifer’s parents going through a divorce & her concern about possibly moving away; A couple mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of a tavern; A mention of tobacco; A mention of gamblers; A mention of jealousy; A mention of rumors;
*Note: Mary Elizabeth and her family see slaves being forced to board a ship and she is very bothered by how they are treated (they are in chains, Mary Elizabeth cries when one is whipped, and when she asks why that is happening, her parents are sad as well and tell her that there are “a great many things we won’t understand in this life”; Mary Elizabeth’s heart breaks and feels heavy, wishing she could do something and has the idea to pray for them); Mary Elizabeth’s mother is concerned about Indians in their new area, but it’s recalled in a letter later that when they met Indians for the first time, they were “quite nice”; In the Prologue, Jennifer thinks going to a tea party at her grandmother’s is immature for her age and doesn’t want to go (she rolls her eyes once and also says she’s too old for dolls; By the end of the Prologue, she is having fun with her cousins); In bonus content at the end, there is a mention of perseverance is being faithful to a friend “even when they have hurt you”, a quote from Helen Keller about perseverance, and mentions of classic books (Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Gone with the Wind); A few hints to a grandfather not doing well (forgetting things and calling someone by a different name); A mention of a Raggedy Ann doll.
Sexual Content- Seeing married couples share a few kisses (no true details; Mary Elizabeth blushes when her father kisses her mother and her mother says “not in front of the children”, but Mary Elizabeth’s father says that “I want them to know that I adore their Mam.”); Mary Elizabeth noticed a young woman blushing around a man and the man stammering when he speaks to her; A beautiful young woman attracts the attention of fellows in the ship;
*Note: A couple mentions of labor pains.
-Jennifer Jean, age 11
-Mary Elizabeth Powell, age 10
P.O.V. switches between them (Jennifer in Prologue & Epilogue only)
Set in present day (prologue & epilogue) & 1635
118 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Four Stars
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
This was a very solid middle-grade story! There’s also bonus content at the end that has some great tips and recipes for having a tea party that could work great for a book club too.
This book follows two girls: Jennifer Jean and Mary Elizabeth. Only the prologue and epilogue are in Jennifer Jean’s POV and the main part of this book was about Mary Elizabeth. At the beginning, I didn’t care for Jennifer Jean’s attitude and thinking she’s too old for hanging out with her grandmother and cousins with their dolls, but I was glad she started to have fun. We see her again in the epilogue and learn a little bit about how hearing about Mary Elizabeth’s perseverance helped her.
I’ve never really been interested in the 1600s time-period or books set then, so I was very surprised to have enjoyed Mary Elisabeth’s story so much! She was an absolute dear and the story was very wholesome. There was an emphasis on perseverance and having a good attitude.
This was a lovely start to a series I’m looking forward to continuing soon!
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“Mary Elizabeth's life undergoes a dramatic change when she leaves the only home she has known for another world far away in a place called America. The journey aboard the ship not only teaches her about perseverance but also that making a home in a a new world has its share of challenges. Join Mary Elizabeth as she lives one of the greatest adventures of a lifetime and learns the importance of family and the value of perseverance.”
Series: Book #1 in “The Eleanor” series.
Spiritual Content- James 1:12 in the acknowledgments; A few Scriptures are mentioned & quoted; In bonus content at the end, there are over a handful of Scriptures shared and a lesson on perseverance while telling about Joseph from the Bible; Prayers & Blessings over food; Talks about God, being able to worship Him freely, & Jesus dying for our sins; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mary Elizabeth’s family is moving to America to be able to worship God freely; Mary Elizabeth’s father leads her younger brother in a prayer to ask Jesus to come and live in his heart; Mentions of God, loving Him, & being able to worship Him freely; Mentions of prayers, praying, thanking and praising God, & blessings over food; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, & those and events in the Bible; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A few mentions of churches;
*Note: A mention of something smelling “heavenly”.
Negative Content- Some grief and missing family members and friends; Seasickness; Mary Elizabeth helps her mother kill chickens (which she dreads doing but preserves through it; barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of possible and near drownings & injuries; Mentions of grief & homesickness; A few mentions of deaths & illnesses (including the death of a child to smallpox); A couple mentions of Jennifer’s parents going through a divorce & her concern about possibly moving away; A couple mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of a tavern; A mention of tobacco; A mention of gamblers; A mention of jealousy; A mention of rumors;
*Note: Mary Elizabeth and her family see slaves being forced to board a ship and she is very bothered by how they are treated (they are in chains, Mary Elizabeth cries when one is whipped, and when she asks why that is happening, her parents are sad as well and tell her that there are “a great many things we won’t understand in this life”; Mary Elizabeth’s heart breaks and feels heavy, wishing she could do something and has the idea to pray for them); Mary Elizabeth’s mother is concerned about Indians in their new area, but it’s recalled in a letter later that when they met Indians for the first time, they were “quite nice”; In the Prologue, Jennifer thinks going to a tea party at her grandmother’s is immature for her age and doesn’t want to go (she rolls her eyes once and also says she’s too old for dolls; By the end of the Prologue, she is having fun with her cousins); In bonus content at the end, there is a mention of perseverance is being faithful to a friend “even when they have hurt you”, a quote from Helen Keller about perseverance, and mentions of classic books (Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Gone with the Wind); A few hints to a grandfather not doing well (forgetting things and calling someone by a different name); A mention of a Raggedy Ann doll.
Sexual Content- Seeing married couples share a few kisses (no true details; Mary Elizabeth blushes when her father kisses her mother and her mother says “not in front of the children”, but Mary Elizabeth’s father says that “I want them to know that I adore their Mam.”); Mary Elizabeth noticed a young woman blushing around a man and the man stammering when he speaks to her; A beautiful young woman attracts the attention of fellows in the ship;
*Note: A couple mentions of labor pains.
-Jennifer Jean, age 11
-Mary Elizabeth Powell, age 10
P.O.V. switches between them (Jennifer in Prologue & Epilogue only)
Set in present day (prologue & epilogue) & 1635
118 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Four Stars
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
This was a very solid middle-grade story! There’s also bonus content at the end that has some great tips and recipes for having a tea party that could work great for a book club too.
This book follows two girls: Jennifer Jean and Mary Elizabeth. Only the prologue and epilogue are in Jennifer Jean’s POV and the main part of this book was about Mary Elizabeth. At the beginning, I didn’t care for Jennifer Jean’s attitude and thinking she’s too old for hanging out with her grandmother and cousins with their dolls, but I was glad she started to have fun. We see her again in the epilogue and learn a little bit about how hearing about Mary Elizabeth’s perseverance helped her.
I’ve never really been interested in the 1600s time-period or books set then, so I was very surprised to have enjoyed Mary Elisabeth’s story so much! She was an absolute dear and the story was very wholesome. There was an emphasis on perseverance and having a good attitude.
This was a lovely start to a series I’m looking forward to continuing soon!
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
September 11, 2025
🧡🧡🧡
This book was cute! It wasn’t one of my favorites, probably because it’s for middle grade readers, but it was still fun.
𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼
⤷ 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓎 𝐸𝓁𝒾𝓏𝒶𝒷𝑒𝓉𝒽
I didn’t really like Mary Elizabeth… I just didn’t feel attached to her, really. I also feel like she was acting way too grown up for a 10 year old.
⤷ 𝐿𝒾𝒶𝓂
Liam was probably one of my favorite characters! He was just sooo adorable and funny. But it was dumb of him to go to the river and ALMOST DROWN after Mary Elizabeth told him not to. 🤨🤨🤨
⤷ 𝑀𝒶𝓂
Mam was such a good mother! And when she gave birth to Virginia, I was just inwardly saying “AWWWW”
⤷ 𝒯𝒶𝒹
Ugh… the classic perfect, unblemished, amazing dad scenario here. He just was… too perfect for my taste? Just he somehow cheered everyone up, saved Liam AT JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT, and… yeah, just no.
𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼
Overall, a really chill and cute book! I liked it, and I’m gonna try to continue the rest of the series. It’s a middle grade book series, so I’m probably going to be struggling, but I’m determined to finish it!
𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰
2.25⭐️
This book was cute! It wasn’t one of my favorites, probably because it’s for middle grade readers, but it was still fun.
𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼
⤷ 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓎 𝐸𝓁𝒾𝓏𝒶𝒷𝑒𝓉𝒽
I didn’t really like Mary Elizabeth… I just didn’t feel attached to her, really. I also feel like she was acting way too grown up for a 10 year old.
⤷ 𝐿𝒾𝒶𝓂
Liam was probably one of my favorite characters! He was just sooo adorable and funny. But it was dumb of him to go to the river and ALMOST DROWN after Mary Elizabeth told him not to. 🤨🤨🤨
⤷ 𝑀𝒶𝓂
Mam was such a good mother! And when she gave birth to Virginia, I was just inwardly saying “AWWWW”
⤷ 𝒯𝒶𝒹
Ugh… the classic perfect, unblemished, amazing dad scenario here. He just was… too perfect for my taste? Just he somehow cheered everyone up, saved Liam AT JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT, and… yeah, just no.
𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼
Overall, a really chill and cute book! I liked it, and I’m gonna try to continue the rest of the series. It’s a middle grade book series, so I’m probably going to be struggling, but I’m determined to finish it!
𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰
2.25⭐️
July 13, 2019
A sweet, old-fashioned story with a purpose!
Not only is this a story of perseverance set early in our American history, but it’s a guide to festive tea parties for young ladies! With the information in the back of the novel, girls can plan for their own tea with the history weaving through. A good traditional, all-American story!
Not only is this a story of perseverance set early in our American history, but it’s a guide to festive tea parties for young ladies! With the information in the back of the novel, girls can plan for their own tea with the history weaving through. A good traditional, all-American story!
July 12, 2019
Loved this book! Great life lessons and touches on religion. Lots of history!
July 22, 2012
As a fan of the Dear America series, I figured this would be up my alley.
No.
I had several issues with the book, sadly.
1. The best word I can come up with for this is saccharine. Everyone is always happy, always getting along. Everyone they meet loves them. They never fight or argue. SERIOUSLY?
2. Implausibility. They have an indentured servant, which was fine. But one day, the mother decides to teach the servant Welsh cooking. I had issues with this. a) the servant was Welsh and probably would have KNOWN it already, b) the servant was POOR, and therefore most likely would have known it out of necessity.
3. Historical whitewash: This was one of the most grievous issues for me. The worst thing to happen to anyone on their journey and first year in America was a few days of seasickness and spying shackled slaves from afar. What the heck? Liam fell in the river, but Tad was there to pull him back out. All the indians were friendly. No delays or disasters or even serious hardship appeared to have befallen them. It trivialized the dangers and hardships we all know the first settlers experienced.
4. Periodically, it is mentioned that religious freedom was the primary reason for their coming to America. Yet, the family didn't come across as a particularly pious one. Aside from a few passages of scripture sprinkled in (which felt more like the AUTHOR'S desire more than the characters) it was pretty clear that these people weren't dying to catch up on their worship.
5. The whole "perseverance" thing. Why the emphasis on this when hardly anything bad happened to them at all?
I'll not be continuing this series. There are far better options out there if you're interested in history. And as far as "clean Christian reading" (which I'll admit I wasn't necessarily LOOKING for) I'm sure there are better options out there too, if that's what you want. At least some that have historical plausibility. Sheesh.
No.
I had several issues with the book, sadly.
1. The best word I can come up with for this is saccharine. Everyone is always happy, always getting along. Everyone they meet loves them. They never fight or argue. SERIOUSLY?
2. Implausibility. They have an indentured servant, which was fine. But one day, the mother decides to teach the servant Welsh cooking. I had issues with this. a) the servant was Welsh and probably would have KNOWN it already, b) the servant was POOR, and therefore most likely would have known it out of necessity.
3. Historical whitewash: This was one of the most grievous issues for me. The worst thing to happen to anyone on their journey and first year in America was a few days of seasickness and spying shackled slaves from afar. What the heck? Liam fell in the river, but Tad was there to pull him back out. All the indians were friendly. No delays or disasters or even serious hardship appeared to have befallen them. It trivialized the dangers and hardships we all know the first settlers experienced.
4. Periodically, it is mentioned that religious freedom was the primary reason for their coming to America. Yet, the family didn't come across as a particularly pious one. Aside from a few passages of scripture sprinkled in (which felt more like the AUTHOR'S desire more than the characters) it was pretty clear that these people weren't dying to catch up on their worship.
5. The whole "perseverance" thing. Why the emphasis on this when hardly anything bad happened to them at all?
I'll not be continuing this series. There are far better options out there if you're interested in history. And as far as "clean Christian reading" (which I'll admit I wasn't necessarily LOOKING for) I'm sure there are better options out there too, if that's what you want. At least some that have historical plausibility. Sheesh.
May 13, 2015
Excellent book about perseverance got young and old alike.
December 21, 2016
Cute little book, great for elementary aged girls. Includes how to host a tea party as well as recipes.
July 3, 2023
I absolutely love this series
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews