The American frontier and the pioneers who settled it are emblematic of the American spirit. From east to west, our country brought determined people of all backgrounds together in pursuit of the American dream.
‘Paul Bunyan’ by Steven Kellogg
Pass on the story of a beloved figure of American folklore, with Steven Kellogg’s entertaining picture book, “Paul Bunyan.” The book provides readers with a biography of the lumberjack, beginning with his youth as a larger-than-life baby with a dream of helping in his family’s logging business. As Paul Bunyan grows (and grows), his adventures include grappling with grizzly bears and adopting Babe, his faithful blue ox. Paul Bunyan moves west, taking a logging camp and Babe with him. His travels take him all over America, introducing readers to the Appalachian Mountains, the plains of the Midwest, and the heat of Texas and Arizona.
‘Sarah Plain and Tall’ by Patricia MacLachlan
Another classic children’s story, which features a character leaving Maine and going west, is “Sarah, Plain and Tall” by Patricia MacLachlan. Charming in its gentle simplicity, this book tells the story of Anna and Caleb, two children growing up on a prairie homestead, as they come to love a newcomer in their lives, Sarah. A mail-order bride who might marry their Papa, Sarah arrives with an independent spirit, a cat named Seal, and stories of the sea. Sarah’s affection for her old home is clear and the landscape she describes is so different from Anna and Caleb’s home, that the children worry that she may miss the sea too much to ever be content with living amid endless hay fields.
Although “Sarah, Plain and Tall” touches on themes of loss, the story abounds with love, both within Anna and Caleb’s family and in the way the prairie and coast are described. MacLachlan’s writing poignantly communicates Sarah’s love of the sea and also shows the beauty of the prairie as if seen through eyes as fresh and honest as Sarah’s.
Love and affection are also emphasized between Anna and Caleb and their father, and the hopeful attitude with which they look forward to Sarah’s arrival is a refreshing alternative to the meanness often present in stories that feature a possible stepmother.
‘O Pioneers!’ by Willa Cather
Set on the Nebraska prairie, the narrative of Willa Cather’s novel “O Pioneers!” stretches over decades to show the hardships and successes of Alexandra Bergson, who, as a teenager, was charged with working the land her immigrant father sacrificed for.
Although the novel starts slowly, readers will soon become invested in Alexandra’s story and the stories of those around her. While practical-minded Alexandra was always well equipped to handle the droughts and snow storms that threatened her homestead in her youth, as she ages, the conflicting desires of those around her and the reappearance of a childhood friend pose challenges that she feels less confident in overcoming.
This novel brings together many elements of American culture worth celebrating. Alexandra is a heroine admirable for her industry and determination, belief in innovation, and unshakeable moral compass. “O Pioneers!” provides readers with a glimpse into America’s diverse roots. The plains of Nebraska that Cather describes are populated by Norwegians, Bohemians, and the French; the different communities, although characterized by unique traits, all seem to complement each other.
