{"title":"Contemporary History","description":"\u003cp\u003eRoughly 1945 to the present\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-ark","title":"Ark","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eThis heartfelt \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/plumfieldmoms.com\/plumfield-moms-book-reviews\/the-ark\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ereview\u003c\/a\u003e from Plumfield Moms has made \u003cem\u003eThe Ark\u003c\/em\u003e one of our most popular stories.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eTwo rooms all to themselves⁠—it was almost too good to be true! For this was postwar Germany, filled with starving, homeless people trying to stay alive amidst the rubble, and to the Lechows the two freezing attic rooms in Mrs. Verduz’ house on Parsley Street were an unbelievable stroke of luck. No matter that every stick of furniture and even the cracked dishes were borrowed from a grudging but kind landlady, that food was so scarce they were nearly always hungry, that Matthias, loving the stars and growing things, was assigned to construction work by the Labor Office. Now that there was a roof over their heads, Joey and Andrea could attend school, and perhaps Father, if he was still alive, would find his way to them from the prison camp in Russia. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eIt was a makeshift arrangement at best, but somehow Mother made the cheerless rooms homelike, and soon there were good friends⁠—lovable, half wild Hans Ulrich who treasure hunted with Joey in the ruins of bombed out houses; musical Dieter; and plump, cheerful Lenchen⁠—to share their meager but merry Christmas celebration. Only shy, lonely Margret, who felt that half herself had died with her twin brother Christian in East Germany, made no special friend, unless one counted Caliph, Mrs. Verduz’ cat. But eventually it was Margret’s love of animals that led her to sprightly Mrs. Almut and Rowan Farm and, before the next Christmas, Matthias had exchanged his hated job for the hard but satisfying work of the farm. Margret, too, happily caring for Mrs. Almut’s Great Danes, was beginning to understand the inexorable cycle of life and death, and the Ark, an old railroad car on the farm converted into a home, was ready to receive a reunited family.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Ark\u003c\/em\u003e paints an honest, realistic picture of the terrible aftermath of war in a defeated country. Most of all, it is the story of courage⁠—the courage of real people who, caught up in the adversity that shattered their lives, can still look at the future with hope and at the past without bitterness. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.purplehousepress.com\/products\/rowan-farm\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRowan Farm\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e picks up a few days after where \u003cem\u003eThe Ark\u003c\/em\u003e leaves off. You won't want to miss this sequel!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*Worldwide titles: These titles may take up to 1-2 weeks to ship, or longer in November and December. Read why \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.purplehousepress.com\/collections\/worldwide-books\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Margot Benary-Isbert","offers":[{"title":"Worldwide paperback*","offer_id":46907187232982,"sku":"9798888181423","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Worldwide hardcover*","offer_id":47008512344278,"sku":"9798888181676","price":25.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0468\/3739\/9717\/files\/ark-web-cover.jpg?v=1747490507"},{"product_id":"rowan-farm","title":"Rowan Farm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eThis book is the sequel to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.purplehousepress.com\/products\/the-ark\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Ark.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e A delightful \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/plumfieldandpaideia.com\/rowan-farm\/\"\u003ereview\u003c\/a\u003e from Plumfield and Paidea has made many of you aware of \u003cem\u003eRowan Farm\u003c\/em\u003e and it's become one the most sought after books on our site this year.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eIn January 1948, with Father recently home from a Russian prison camp, the Lechow family is reunited at last, finding peace and security in the Ark—their repurposed railroad car home on Rowan Farm.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eFor Margret, life is finally finding its rhythm. Between training Mrs. Almut’s prize-winning Great Danes and nursing an abused Shetland pony back to health, she has found a sense of purpose in the animals she loves. Yet life remains complicated: her younger sister Andrea is in trouble at school, her brother Matthias is distracted by a superficial romance, and a determined young schoolmaster is working to transform a bombed-out farm into a home for veterans.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\u003eIn this heartfelt sequel to \u003cem\u003eThe Ark, \u003c\/em\u003eMargot Benary-Isbert captures the resilience of the human spirit in this timeless story of hope renewed and the joys of a family rebuilding their lives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Margot Benary-Isbert","offers":[{"title":"Worldwide paperback*","offer_id":48200086028502,"sku":"9798888182611","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0468\/3739\/9717\/products\/rowan-cover.jpg?v=1776740696"},{"product_id":"when-the-dikes-broke","title":"When the Dikes Broke","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eThe wind was screaming around their house, banging at the shutters and threatening the roof, when the Van Rossem family went to bed. They were accustomed to heavy winds, the house was strong and solid, and the dikes that held back the sea were strong too. But during the night they woke to the sound of shrieking sirens and clanging church bells. Even more frightening was the water splashing right inside the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eThat was the beginning of a night of terror, and dreadful days followed. People were swept off their roofs, and clung to anything they could find in hopes of being rescued. Through it all, the people of the Netherlands rallied to search for the missing, and the dike army worked non-stop to prevent further disaster.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eAlta Halverson Seymour wrote this gripping tale a short five years after the great flood swept over the Netherlands on January 31, 1953—one of their worst floods in over five hundred years. Through it all, the Dutch people showed great courage reclaiming homes and farms, in an agelong battle against the sea. Twelve illustrations by Al Schmidt.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eTo see more of what really happened in the flood of 1953, watch this \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/XcX5wb1k9UM\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/XcX5wb1k9UM\"\u003enewsreel\u003c\/a\u003e containing 20 minutes of footage on the flood aftermath. It was released to the Dutch people soon after the storm and is titled \"The First Footage of the Storm Disaster.\" You can read more extensively about floods in the Netherlands going back to 1404 at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.deltawerken.com\/The-flood-of-1953\/89.html\" data-mce-href=\"http:\/\/www.deltawerken.com\/The-flood-of-1953\/89.html\"\u003eDeltewerkan\u003c\/a\u003e (Delta Works) and from 838 at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_floods_in_the_Netherlands\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_floods_in_the_Netherlands\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c\/a\u003e. Delta Works describes the 1953 storm conditions \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.deltawerken.com\/Climatic-circumstances\/483.html\"\u003ehere,\u003c\/a\u003e and states that the sea broke through 89 dikes covering 116 miles of Dutch coastline with wind speeds of gale force 9 (47-54 mph) measured for 20 consecutive hours.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eAnother great resource is \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/watersnoodmuseum.nl\/en\/knowledgecentre\/the-dikes-break\/\"\u003eWatersnood Museum\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eMonument in the village of Wieringerwerf before and during the flood, showing the water level rising to the second floor of the buildings in the background, from Delta Works.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0468\/3739\/9717\/files\/flood_level.jpg?v=1626613751\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n*Worldwide titles: These titles may take up to 1-2 weeks to ship, or longer in November and December. Read why \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.purplehousepress.com\/collections\/worldwide-books\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Alta Halverson Seymour","offers":[{"title":"Worldwide paperback*","offer_id":46359244701910,"sku":"9781948959391","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0468\/3739\/9717\/products\/db-cover.jpg?v=1626624889"},{"product_id":"toward-morning","title":"Toward Morning","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003e In Budapest, fourteen-year-old Teresa and her family live through the terror of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Her brother, Janos, leads a small band of Freedom Fighters as they bravely help defend their city from Russian soldiers. The boys’ effective guerrilla tactics prompt the Russians to ruthlessly hunt them down, forcing the group and their families to flee the city. Teresa’s clever ways play a crucial role in this engrossing story of their dangerous flight to freedom and the safety of the Austrian border.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003ePlumfield and Paideia has an \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/plumfieldandpaideia.com\/toward-morning-a-story-of-the-hungarian-freedom-fighters\/\"\u003eexcellent review\u003c\/a\u003e of the book!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n*Worldwide titles: These titles may take up to 1-2 weeks to ship, or longer in November and December. Read why \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.purplehousepress.com\/collections\/worldwide-books\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Alta Halverson Seymour","offers":[{"title":"Worldwide paperback*","offer_id":46359214391510,"sku":"9798888180167","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0468\/3739\/9717\/products\/tm-cover-web.jpg?v=1675536520"},{"product_id":"a-friend-for-rachel","title":"Friend for Rachel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eThis book is perfect for young girls, what could better than a \u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blossomingthroughbooks.online\/review\/a-friend-for-rachel\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003efree book club guide for girls\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eto \u003cem\u003eA Friend for Rachel\u003c\/em\u003e from Renee at Blossoming Through Books?!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003e\"Now I've done it,\" the mouse thought, looking straight at her. \"I've really done it, this time.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eIt really is happening, thought Rachel. Things that only happen in stories can happen to me. Anything can happen, because this mouse is talking.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eThe St. Michael's Mice are no ordinary mice, but it takes Rachel a while to find out just how wonderful they are. When Rachel's father moves to a new church, so much goes wrong that sometimes Rachel doesn't think things will ever work out. Rachel is lonely; her father is having a difficult time; and her mother is unwell. But when the mice appear, Rachel finds she has a marvelous, incredible secret to keep. Plus a mystery to solve, which only she can.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eRachel wants to do the special task that the mice have for her, and she really wants a friend. A new best friend.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eThe first book written by the author of \u003cem\u003eThe Mistmantle Chronicles,\u003c\/em\u003e M.I. McAllister.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*Worldwide titles: These titles may take up to 1-2 weeks to ship, or longer in November and December. Read why \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.purplehousepress.com\/collections\/worldwide-books\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"M.I. (Margaret) McAllister","offers":[{"title":"Worldwide paperback*","offer_id":46359123427542,"sku":"9798888180273","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0468\/3739\/9717\/files\/rachel-draft-cover2.jpg?v=1685492826"},{"product_id":"sabre-jet-ace","title":"Sabre Jet Ace","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSabre Jet Ace\u003c\/em\u003e is a story based upon the military records and flying deeds of the world's first triple jet ace—Captain Joseph McConnell, Jr. This is Mac's story. But it is also the story of daring young airmen, fighting their battles high in the sky—of blazing machine guns—of planes falling in flames. \u003cem\u003eSabre Jet Ace\u003c\/em\u003e is more than a war story of men and planes. It is a story of all brave men fighting for what is right and good—freedom. With m\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eore than 60 original illustrations by Rod Ruth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eBefore Mac was a fighter pilot in the Korean War, he started his military career in the Army as a medic in World War II. You can read more about the life of medics in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.purplehousepress.com\/products\/medical-corps-heroes-of-world-war-ii\"\u003eMedical Corps Heroes of WWII\u003c\/a\u003e!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003eCapt. Joseph McConnell is pictured here in a photo from May 18, 1953, taken at Suwon Air Base, the day he shot down his three last MiGs on his final day in combat. In the photo to the right, F-86F Sabre fighter jets from the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing \u003cem\u003eCheckertails\u003c\/em\u003e, with which he was a Flight Leader, are readied for combat during the Korean War at Suwon Air Base. Photo credits US Air Force.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0468\/3739\/9717\/files\/mcconnel-and-suwon-photo.jpg?v=1711479845\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\u003eOriginally published by Wheeler during the 1940s-1960s, as part of their American Adventure series.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*Worldwide titles: These titles may take up to 1-2 weeks to ship, or longer in November and December. Read why \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.purplehousepress.com\/collections\/worldwide-books\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Charles Coombs","offers":[{"title":"Worldwide paperback*","offer_id":45151463014614,"sku":"9798888180648","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Worldwide hardcover*","offer_id":45151463047382,"sku":"9798888180655","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0468\/3739\/9717\/files\/sabre-web-cover.jpg?v=1720213631"},{"product_id":"through-the-wall","title":"Through the Wall","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\u003eTwelve-year-old Hansi must find his way through the Berlin Wall\u003cspan lang=\"en\" class=\"BxUVEf ILfuVd\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"hgKElc\"\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ethe concrete wall topped with barbed wire that callously divides the German people. It is his parents' wish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\u003eDetermined to escape from communist-controlled East Berlin, to safety and freedom in West Berlin, Hansi searches for the right spot and the right moment, although he's gripped by both fear and hunger. His father has been unjustly shipped to Siberia by the People's Police, his mother is gone. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\u003eThe conflict between East and West Berlin, of the German people divided, illustrates the difference between \u003cspan\u003edemocracies of the free world\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\u003e and the communist world controlled by Russia. W\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\u003eith realism and understanding, Alida Sims Malkus writes of this historical 1960s event which is not often mentioned in children's literature.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\u003eThe events in this book take place starting in the summer of 1962, less than a year after construction of the Berlin Wall began on August 13, 1961, by the East German government. 1962 is also when the author wrote this novel.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\u003eOriginal illustrations by Victor A. Prezio, and a two page map of East-West Berlin by Charles E. Pont. I've updated the map so the flow of the River Spree, the Teltow Canal, and the Havel River are more accurate. The layout is crucial to the story and the map should match the author's words, since her description is correct! The changes were based on a map of Berlin that was printed circa 1965-1968. Image credit to Boston Rare Maps.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-description\"\u003e*Worldwide titles: These titles may take up to 1-2 weeks to ship, or longer in November and December. Read why\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.purplehousepress.com\/collections\/worldwide-books\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0468\/3739\/9717\/files\/BRM4299-Berlin_recto_lowres-3000x2192.jpg?v=1756985727\" alt=\"\" style=\"float: none;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Alida Sims Malkus","offers":[{"title":"Worldwide paperback*","offer_id":47235450896598,"sku":"9798888182185","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Worldwide hardcover*","offer_id":47235450929366,"sku":"9798888182192","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0468\/3739\/9717\/files\/Through-the-Wall-web-cover.jpg?v=1757116227"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.purplehousepress.com\/collections\/contemporary-history.oembed","provider":"Purple House Press — Classic Books for Kids","version":"1.0","type":"link"}