The Long Way Westward

By Joan Sandin

Book Overview

America, at last This classic early reader tells an exciting story and is also a good launching pad for classroom and home discussions.

The Long Way Westward relates the experiences of two young brothers and their family, immigrants from Sweden, from their arrival in New York through the journey to their new home in Minnesota.

This lively sequel to The Long Way to a New Land follows the fortunes of Carl Erik's family from New York City to the farmlands of Minnesota. "Historically accurate; will attract competent primary-grade readers and will be equally suitable for less able readers in intermediate grades." (School Library Journal)

As a fan of this book and its companion, The Long Way to a New Land, put it: "The books describe the difficulty and dangers of the journey in a way that is non-complaining and full of optimism for a new life in America. Teachers, these books are wonderful for integrating with other subjects and topics, such as immigration, westward expansion, steamships, trains, geography, and American life in the 1860s."

Author-artist Joan Sandin's grandfather was born in Sweden and immigrated to Wisconsin with his parents in 1882, when he was only two. Joan herself spent time in Sweden and did extensive research to create her well-loved classic books about the immigrant experience.

What did it take for a family to build a new life in a new land?

Children's Historical Fiction: Travel with brothers Carl Erik and Jonas by train and steamboat as they journey from New York to their new home in Minnesota in the 1860s.Immigration Story for Kids: Experience the hopes and challenges of a Swedish immigrant family leaving everything behind for the promise of America.Westward Expansion: A perfect introduction for young readers to a key period in American history, ideal for classroom and homeschool discussions.Early Reader Classic: With simple language and engaging illustrations, this beloved sequel to The Long Way to a New Land helps build reading confidence.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0064441989
• ISBN13: 9780064441988
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 64 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.9" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Perfect for Unit Study of Pioneer Days

This sequel to The Long Way to a New Land was the perfect choice for our family's unit study about the Westward Expansion. My first grader was able to read aloud easily, and my four year old was able to comprehend the story well when read to. The characters (Carl Erik, Jonas, and their family) are easy for children to connect to. With so many books written about this period featuring girls as the main characters, it was refreshing to offer my son interesting male characters.

Excellent for the Classroom

The Long Way to a New Land and The Long Way Westward are companion books that chronicle a family's journey from their Swedish farm, which is suffering from an extended drought, to a new home in Minnesota. The books describe the difficulty and dangers of the journey in a way that is non-complaining and full of optimism for a new life in America. Teachers, these books are wonderful for integrating with other subjects and topics, such as immigration, westward expansion, steamships, trains, geography, and American life in the 1860s.