Book Series · 20 Books

Dear America Books

In order from When Will This Cruel War Be Over? to Voyage on the Great Titanic.

When Will This Cruel War Be Over?

I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly

Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie

A Picture of Freedom

Voyage on the Great Titanic

Where the story begins

First Book in the Series

When Will This Cruel War Be Over?

Sale price

$1299

Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1996

When Will This Cruel War Be Over?

By Barry Denenberg

A young girl's life unravels as the Civil War engulfs her home, testing her hope and resilience.

176 pages· 20,827 words· Est. 3 hour read

Hardcover

Summary: Emma Simpson's Southern life is upended as the Civil War invades her world. With her father and brother at the front, Emma faces scarcity and loss. As Northern troops advance, even her home is seized. Amidst the chaos, Emma clings to hope, chronicling her struggles in a diary. Will her spirit endure the relentless trials of war?

The complete set

Dear America Series

20 books · Published 1996–2026

When Will This Cruel War Be Over?

Sale price

$1299

When Will This Cruel War Be Over?

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1996

A young girl's life unravels as the Civil War engulfs her home, testing her hope and resilience.

I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly

Sale price

$1248

I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly

Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 1997

A freed slave girl overcomes her past to inspire others.

Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie

Sale price

$1049

Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie

Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 1997

A young girl chronicles her family's perilous journey on the Oregon Trail.

A Picture of Freedom

Sale price

$1597

A Picture of Freedom

Chapter Book · Ages 8–14 · 1997

A young slave's secret literacy could lead to freedom or danger in 1859.

Voyage on the Great Titanic

Sale price

$1499

Voyage on the Great Titanic

Chapter Book · Ages 8–14 · 1998

A young girl faces peril on the doomed Titanic voyage.

Standing in the Light

Sale price

$1095

Standing in the Light

Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 1998

A Quaker girl's diary reveals her capture by Lenape Indians.

My Heart Is on the Ground

Sale price

$1095

My Heart Is on the Ground

Chapter Book · Ages 9–14 · 1999

A Sioux girl at a boarding school seeks a way to aid her people.

The Great Railroad Race

Sale price

$1095

The Great Railroad Race

Chapter Book · Ages 9–14 · 1999

A young girl chronicles the thrilling railroad construction of 1868.

The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow

Sale price

$1095

The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow

Chapter Book · Ages 9–14 · 1999

A Navajo girl faces the harrowing Long Walk to survive.

My Secret War

Sale price

$1095

My Secret War

Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2000

A girl discovers a German U-boat near her wartime home.

Color Me Dark

0

Color Me Dark

Chapter Book · 2000

A young girl chronicles her family's survival amid racial turmoil and migration in 1919.

One Eye Laughing, the Other Weeping

Sale price

$1295

One Eye Laughing, the Other Weeping

Chapter Book · Ages 9–14 · 2000

A young girl flees Nazi Austria, seeking safety and a new life in America.

Christmas After All

Sale price

$1095

Christmas After All

Chapter Book · Ages 9–14 · 2001

An orphan's arrival transforms a family during the Depression.

The Fences Between Us

Sale price

$1299

The Fences Between Us

Chapter Book · Ages 8–14 · 2010

A girl's life is upended by Pearl Harbor's attack and wartime upheaval.

Like the Willow Tree

Sale price

$1299

Like the Willow Tree

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2011

Orphaned by the flu, Lydia faces a new life in a strict Shaker community.

Cannons at Dawn

Sale price

$1299

Cannons at Dawn

Chapter Book · Ages 10–14 · 2011

A family faces war's trials, joining the fight for freedom.

With the Might of Angels

Sale price

$674

With the Might of Angels

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2011

A girl faces fierce opposition as she integrates an all-white school in the Civil Rights Era.

A Journey to the New World

Sale price

$958

A Journey to the New World

Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2026

A young girl braves a perilous voyage to a new world, seeking hope and friendship amidst adversity.

The Winter of Red Snow

Sale price

$958

The Winter of Red Snow

Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2026

A young girl's diary reveals the harsh realities of war at Valley Forge.

Voyage on the Great Titanic

Sale price

$958

Voyage on the Great Titanic

Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2026

An orphan's dream voyage turns into a fight for survival on the Titanic.

Good to know

Common Questions

How many books are in the Dear America series?

There are 20 books in the Dear America series. It began with When Will This Cruel War Be Over? in 1996, and the newest book, Voyage on the Great Titanic, was published in 2026.

What ages are the Dear America books best for?

The series is best for ages 8–14, based on the age ranges of the individual books.

The people

The Creatives Behind the Books

The authors and illustrators who bring Dear America to life.

Barry Denenberg

Joyce Hansen

Kristiana Gregory

Patricia C. McKissack

Ellen Emerson White

Mary Pope Osborne

Ann Rinaldi

Ann Turner

McKISSACK PATRICIA C.

Kathryn Lasky

Kirby Larson

Lois Lowry

Andrea Davis Pinkney

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