Readers gaze into the lives of
America's pioneering settlers,
through the eyes of two separated sisters,
in Linnie's Letters

11-year old Linnie lives in California with her Mama and Papa, but her older sister Phoebe lives on the prairie in the Nebraska territory. Linnie misses Phoebe so much!  She can't believe they have to be apart! And all because of that ridiculous argument between Phoebe and their Papa on the prairie that sad day on the family's trek westward in the covered wagon train. 

Perfection Learning's new Cover-to-Cover Historical Fiction Novel Linnie's Letters begins with a blast of happiness for Linnie when she receives her first letter from Phoebe!  Linnie reads it, crying with joy.  Phoebe is safe!  She's alive!  She's made a home as a prairie settler.   But, at the end of the letter, Phoebe forbids Linnie from telling their parents about the letter.  She writes, "I believe I will never be able to forgive Papa for what he did."  And, "I cannot forgive Mama either."

Linnie is torn!  She hates the idea of keeping such important news from her parents!  She knows they're worried sick about Phoebe and the divisive way they parted on the prairie.  But, she can't break her promise to Phoebe either.  So, Linnie and Phoebe correspond, in secret, until, by the end of the book, a miraculous turn of events occurs!  Along the way, reluctant readers will learn many important life lessons,  including:

•  forgiveness and communication are imperative in every situation;
•  keeping a difficult secret can cause physical illness;
•  it's important for family to stay together as much as possible;
•  sometimes, people must make tough choices between things of    value.
•  community support was crucial to the success of pioneers.

Readers will also be compelled by the details of Linnie's and Phoebe's lives as early settlers, such as what kind of establishments were found in a California gold prospecting town and how prairie settlers built houses out of sod and burned 'buffalo chips' for fuel instead of wood.

As with every Cover-to-Cover title, Perfection Learning has used its decades-long experience in literature-based teaching materials to create a companion Portals to Reading Teacher Resource.  Each Portals to Reading contains approximately 30 reproducible activities to strengthen word attack, comprehension skills, creativity, spelling, vocabulary and writing skills, as well as a story synopsis, author information, and home/school enrichment activities. 

Candri Hodges is also the author of Perfection Learning's Almost Sisters.