Land of the
Pilgrims' Pride

Author, Callista Gingrich

pilgrims' pride is
fun & informative!

by Emily Anderson,
Apache Junction School

Ellis the Elephant sets off to learn all he can about how the first 13 colonies in our country were set up. He travels back in time and learns how each one was established.

The book is written by Callista Gingrich in a fun rhyming format, and the illustrations are colorful with Ellis the Elephant in every scene. Ellis learns the first American flag with only 13 stars represented the first 13 colonies, and the book touches on important historical events from the early days of our country, like Pocahontas rescuing Capt. John Smith, the Pilgrims signing the Mayflower Compact, the purchase of the Manhattan Island for only 60 Dutch coins and Ben Franklin discovering electricity.

At the back of the book is a resource guide that gives more history about the early colonies and lists historical places in each of the original states. Did you know that a local native named Squanto helped the Pilgrims communicate with the surrounding natives in 1620, and this helped the Pilgrims survive their first winter in Massachusetts? The Pilgrims joined with the Native Americans to celebrate their good fortune at the first Thanksgiving. The new book is recommended for kids ages 4–8. It’s entertaining and packed with information.