Notes from The Radical Reader:

• Noble Characters: When Anna and Caleb’s mother dies, they and their father are left grieving and broken. After posting an advertisement asking for a wife and mother, Sarah Wheaton responds. She explains that she loves the sea and her life in Maine, but she is willing to leave it to come out to the prairie. But after spending a month with the family, will she continue to love it? Or will she leave and return to her home by the sea?
• Captivating Plots: They need a mother. She needs a home. These five stories chronicle the life of the Witting family told from the first person perspectives of the three children, Anna, Caleb, and (later) Cassie. Through their eyes, we get to see life on the Wittings’ farm unfold in vivid detail as they face drought, fires, family divisions, weddings, and even death. Their stories are simple yet beautiful.
• Elaborate Worlds: Reading these books gives a unique view of the historical era where the role of both a mother and father was essential for a farm to thrive. The first story takes place in the late 1800s, and the saga of the Witting family continues into World War I, the Spanish flu epidemic, and later. These stories are a glimpse into a unique time in history and a beautiful picture of a strong and joyful family.