The Second "Texas Frontier Girl" Adventure
Rating:
5 / 5
"With Morning Star trotting along behind, the girls guided their horses to the wooded, north pasture. In a small clearing near a stream, they dismounted and walked toward a white picket fence enclosure surrounded by yellow sunflowers and a cluster of brightly colored Indian paintbrushes. A few baby blue eyes lingered among the shady cedars and live oaks." pg. 15 Evelyn Horan is a native Texan who has spent many years as a teacher-counselor. Over 200 of her children's articles have appeared in over 80 periodicals and publications. Her grandparents told her many stories about their adventures, traditions and customs in an earlier time. Evelyn wanted to write about these memories so children would know what life was like in the 1880s. This is the second book in a four book series set in the Texas frontier. Books 1-4 were written for children and grown-ups who love to read about the Texas Frontier. In Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Book Two, we find Jeannie and her friend are now 13 and 14. (In Book three they are 15 and by book four they are 20 years of age. The content remains appropriate for younger readers.) The second book is a continuing tale of friendship and adventure. Jeannie has two new playful puppies to look after and the start of the book presents a cute situation where "Princess" and "Junior" play near a braided rug by the stone hearth as Pa, Ma and Jeannie enjoy the puppies antics. The reader is immediately drawn into the story as we read about Jeannie's brother and her parents. Jeannie wishes she could be more like her mother because she is such a great cook and is a real frontier woman who knows how to make a delicious aromatic vegetable soup. She can't wait for Helga to visit and together they remember Jeannie's experience when she met a mountain lion. Henry, Billy Joe, Helga and Jeannie go fishing and catch a catfish and Ma shows Jeannie how to fry the filets in a black iron skillet. Ma also makes a blackberry cobbler. You can just imagine a table filled with food as the aroma of freshly baked cobbler mingles with the crisp evening air.
There are stories about visiting Mr. Wasserman's store, piano lessons, drinking punch at a party and a Christmas Eve Nativity play. This was a time when people made strings of popcorn for their Christmas trees. One of my first memories of Christmas was making a string of colored popcorn for a tree, so this book brought back some memories of my own more recent childhood. Evelyn also writes about childhood memories from the 1800s, like "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll, published in 1865. In this book you will find out:
1. How the girls help a family in need.
2. How Eagle Feather changes Jeannie's ideas about the Comanche Indians There is a West Texas Map from the 1800s and this shows where Jeannie and Helga live. The locations of the Church, school, creek and Trading post are all on the map. Evelyn Horan is today's " Laura Ingalls Wilder" and she has created unique books that not only capture the excitement of living on a frontier, she also focuses on daily life and has a flair for writing about cooking! Her descriptive writing is something I look forward to and I can't wait for the third book!
In Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Book Three, Helga trains Morning Star and Jeannie's dreams of her horse ranch start coming true. ~TheRebeccaReview.com
KidZLit Loves Jeannie!
Rating:
5 / 5
The exiciting adventures of little Jennie continues in Book 2 with Jeannie growing into a frontier teen. The fun continues with Jeannie and her friend Helga learning to do women's work. Jeannie still longs for her own horse ranch and there is a good chance that her dream may come true, but you'll have to read the book to find out how. Horan is a fromer teacher and counselor who has spun a good story, including some "faction" from her family history about frontier life. She has managed to create characters that jump off the page and demand that you remember them. You simply cannot get Jeannie out of your head. Now that's writing! --jcpinkerton
Another great book, by a great author!
Rating:
5 / 5
In Book Two of 'Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl,' only good things can be said about it! A very simple story involving a very complicated girl; Jeannie! Turning fourteen, Jeannie is getting to be a mature, young lady. Many things are in store for her this year. Her best friend, Helga, also turned fourteen and has a a young male caller, Billy Joe. Jeannie can't be troubled by boys and kissing, she's only interested in having a farm ranch and raising horses. All winter and summer, the girls learn to cook, sew, crochet and take care of Helga's new baby brother. These new skills will help them in the future. Living in the 1880's is hard work. You learn to grow up fast. Jeannie's wish might be coming true soon enough. She has always dreamed of having her own farm ranch. Her mother just inherited some money from a relative so Jeannie has a sizable amount in her savings. Will she be old enough next year to have a ranch? Who will she want to work on her farm with her? She might have someone in mind! Look for Book Three, coming soon!
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