You Wouldn't Want To Be An American Colonist!

The Danger Zone

by Jacqueline Morley, David Salariya (Created by), David Antram (Illustrator)

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Chronicles the Roanoke and Jamestown English settlements in Virginia, describing the difficult life and relations with the neighboring Algonquian tribe.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Childrens, Picture Books, American History, 2nd Grade, Thanksgiving

32 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Jacqueline Morley studied English at Oxford University and has taught English and History. She is the author of numerous books, including award-winning historical nonfiction titles for children. Her books have won several TES Senior Information book awards.

Reviews

[Set · Rating 5 out of 5]

"America is huge and Spain can't control it all. The French, Dutch and English are there too exploring the north and staying out of Spain's way."

As possibly everyone remembers from History class in grade school; the colonist settle in Roanoke and attacked the Algonquian to find out where they were hiding their gold. "The colonists left behind are told to leave a message if they leave the settlement. When White returns three years later, he finds the buildings torn down and the settlement abandoned. The word "Croatoan" has been carved on a post, but nobody knows what has happened to the colonists."
More fun facts: The first baby born at Roanoke, the first English colony, is named Virginia, White's daughter. The Virginia company set sail again in 1607 to find a good place to settle; James Town, named after the new king, James I. "Captain John Smith, goes out to explore. He returns alone with a hair-raising story. Captured and condemned to death, he is saved in the nick of time by an Algonquian princess who begs her father to spare his life." This princess is Pocahontas. Pocahontas actually married John Rolfe and became Mrs. John Rolfe.
This was my favorite part of History class in grade school, the famine and Starvation of Jamestown. They ate horses, dogs, cats, rats, clothing and even each other.

The English took America from right under our noses (the Spanish). =/ Aside from the fact that Queen Elizabeth was a pirate queen and stole our treasures from the Americas. No point on crying over past defeats but imagine if America had been won by the Spanish. At least, we would've let the Indigenous people live if they converted. We were pretty horrible too, the Spanish in Cuba killed all the indigenous people in Cuba.

[Kate Foran · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has a very negative and false portrayal of the Algonquin people that colonists in Virginia interacted with. It also presents John Smith’s version of getting saved by Pocahontas as uncontested truth.

Even without racist stereotypes and factual issues, I couldn’t give this book a high rating because it’s not curious. This is a book called “You wouldn’t want to be an American Colonist,” so I was expecting gruesome descriptions of experiences and struggles — but what you get is things like...you could die of yellow fever, a lot of people did. No description of what yellow fever is or does or how it would kill a person.

So many opportunities to tell interesting stories and facts, but the book stays very superficial.

[Ch_hayley Medsker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is only one in the "You Wouldn't Want To..." historical series created by David Salariya. The book is divided into the following sections:
* Virginia - A Bit of History
* The Lost Colony
* Third Time Is a Charm?
* Settling In
* The Algonquins - Friends or Foes?
* Exploring the Territory
* Supply Ships - A Blessing or a Curse?
* Famine and Starvation
* The Colony Grows
* Success!
* Glossary (2 pages)
* Index (1 page)
While the above chapters indicate the type of facts and information provided in this text, intermediate readers will have to attend to the small captions and informative tidbits near each zany illustration. The layout is very comic like, but reader friendly. A definite lure to struggling or reluctant readers. The humorous nature of these series books are sure to entertain and teach readers essential content knowledge.

[Duane · Rating 3 out of 5]

"You Wouldn't Want to" series is a great series for reluctant readers who need/want to know more about a certain time/subject. This book focuses on the struggles that the first explorers endured while trying to create a "new world". The author does a great job of showing how they hurt themselves by making enemies with the local indians. The illustrations in this book are very entertaining and will capture the attention of young readers.

[Brittany Isbell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very bias and white washed history

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up and now again live in Virginia so this one I had to read. I love this series and I want to read all of them. So much information I didn't know and given in such a way that kids will love reading about the subject. Although I kept saying throughout the book "I thought it happened another way". For example, I thought John Smith was going to have his head chopped off but in this book it says that he was going to be beaten to death by tribe members with clubs. Well, that's a great way to get other books and find out what really happened. Plus I was lucky enough to live nearby to Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg so I got to walk on the same ground and go onto the replicas of the ships.

[Kim Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

There were some good things in this, but it was a bit young for my students. The formatting was also a smidge weird.

There is another book I've read to my 8th graders called The Dreadful, Smelly Colonies. That one was written for a younger audience, too, but it was still something my 8th graders can enjoy. I don't see me reading this one to them. The last page with the laws was the best part of the whole book. :)

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly! True to form on these books, the kids always LOVE finding out the true horrors of real life that people before us went through to discover great things! Scalpings, mosquitoes, starvation...what's not to love!?! :/

[Meagan]

Deeply disturbing, albeit interesting look at life as an American Colonist in the 1600s. Mentions starvation, violence, cannibalism, disease, and other heavy topics. Truly our country had some horrible beginnings.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decently informative, mostly inoffensive addition to a fun series.

[Steven Vasco · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm fascinated by this time period but I definitely would not want to live it with them.

[Dakota Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to colonial America, with honest treatment of the extremely unglamorous and problematic issues of the time period. Engaging for readers of all ages.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book in the You Wouldn't Want To... series that explains with details, humor, and historical information why it would be a tough life to be an American Colonist in the early 1600s.

This book focuses on the colonies in Virginia, including Sir Walter Raleigh's first attempt in Virginia, the failed colony in Roanoke and the (eventually) successful colony at Jamestown. The illustrations are comical and there is just enough information provided to be factual, yet still entertaining and engaging for young schoolage children. We've read a few books in this series and will definitely look for more at our local library!

(We read this book during our road trip north to Massachusetts for Thanksgiving - I thought it would be an appropriate topic for the location and time of year.)

[Kwesi Frank]

You Wouldn't Want To Be an American Colonist: A settlement You'd Rather Not Start" Is a great book about the lives of the American colonists back in the 1500s to the 1600s. These various men and women were able ot travel to America f om other countries in order to get a better life. Although, America had not yet been established, so it wasn't the great country that we know and love today. New colonies were being created, since there were not any states being created yet. For example, Virginia was just being created. IT was named Virginia because of Queen Elizabeth, who was the virgin queen.

I liked this book very much. It had all the main areas that I learned about last year when we learned about how America was coming into existence. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about "Pre-America"

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You Wouldn't Want to Be an American Colonist" by Jacqueline Morley is a humorous book that tells the struggles the early American settlers faced in the 17th century. While reading this book, students will learn about Captain John Smith and Jamestown which serves as a nice introduction to the topic of colonists in America. Some students might be intimidated by history, but this book does a good job at making it light, as well as informative. I recommend this book for 4th or 5th grade when students begin to learn more about the colonies and the formation of America.

[Megan Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

-lighthearted, simple language and vocabulary and plenty of silly, explanatory illustrations for reluctant readers
-possible for center if have more copies
-obstacles colonists faced, how they used natural resources
-only colonists perspective, native Americans portrayed as bitter, hostile villains
-could have contained more information, less fluff

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the settling of Jamestown told through vivid, almost comic-like illustrations. A good choice for reluctant readers. There is a lot of information crammed into this book, and it is sure to spark some interest.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series (You Wouldn't Want to...) was recommended to us as an elementary age history resource, but I think that there are better ways to teach history (in fun ways) OTHER THAN by being so negative.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an adult, I find such humor in and love this series. Illustrations are fantastic and paired with silly fun facts from that period of time that made it not a fun place to be. Everything that was not so fun about a period in time. Really creative series.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good start for those investigating Jamestown and colonization. A bit too brief in some areas, but definitely portrays the brutal conditions involved in starting the colonies (cannibalism!). Familiar stories are touched upon in a way that demonstrates their importance in America's early timeline.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

I flipped thru this in the library and immediately returned it. There are plenty of better books out there about colonial America. Portrayal of Native Americans in this one is overwhelmingly negative and reinforces all the worst stereotypes.

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the humor in history it gives

[Danelle Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book about colonial life. Very funny and illustrations are great. grades 4-6

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of gory bits in this one! The kids were actually a little grossed out by some of the lengths the colonists had to go to to survive famine. But overall another good book in this series.

[Erienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent info and written in a way that kept us wanting to read more. (And we've decided it would be terrible to be an American colonist!!)

[Kelly Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for learning about Jamestown and the hardships the colonists faced.

[Karalee Hoge · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny take on what it was really like to be a Colonist in America.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sean and I agree, we really wouldn't want to be American Colonists!

[Savannah Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My group and I chose four stars because the book gave many details and a lot of information on the life the American colonists had to live. We liked the way the author composed the facts. The illustrations are very humorous because of the characters large noses. It could have been changed by adding more details about how they communicate with other people. Over all we thought it was a great book and we would recommend it to you if you like history.