Little Bits of Life: Kregel Publications Goldtown Beginnings Series Review

Its book time!!! Kregel Publications has sent us two of the first books from the new Goldtown Beginnings. Jem Strikes Gold and Jem's Frog Fiasco You can find the hole series https://www.kregel.com/series/goldtown-beginnings. We have read several other book series by Kregel Publications so we were excited to give these a try. I found that the price of the series is quite reasonable and I was happy to discover some great free age appropriate learning activities at www.circlecsteppingstones.com.

The girls jumped right into these books. I think they had the first one finished before the end of the day they just couldn't put it down. The books are set in California in the year 1859. Anyone who remembers a little California history knows in 1859 thousands of settlers were coming to California for the gold rush. In the book this great kid named Jem and his family are trying to survive during the gold rush. The family pans for gold and sells pie to try and make enough money to survive. Jem runs into some trouble with a bully and finds a unique ways to deal with him. I don't want to give the hole story away but the girls just knew Jem and his little sister were going to get to keep that little dog.

In the second book Jem's Frog Fiasco. Jem has to find a way to feed his dog and ends up getting hired to catch bullfrogs for the local Café. Jem's little sister try's to help but like so many siblings arguments he thinks she is just getting in the way. After an argument little sis disappears and the search is on. The girls were on the edge of there seats for this book. One thought she was going to be kidnaped and the other thought they were going to find her hiding at the neighbors. If you want to find out what happens to the little sister your going to have to read the book because I'm not giving it away!

These are both really great books Both books sturdy soft cover books we had zero issues with the book construction. The cover is very appealing and in full color. We found a few pencil drawings in each book. The girls were excited to find pictures in the books many chapter books do not include pictures. The girls like see if the characters looked like they were imagining them to look or if they were completely off base. I love that each story teaches a different values. They are good hardy books that both boys and girls would love. I feel like the target age for the series is spot on neither to hard or to easy to read. The only complaint the girls had was the books were too short. I think the books were so good they just were not ready for them to end.