Books with author Alta Halverson Seymour

No one dreamed that the Nazis would ever bother Valcos, the sleepy little Norwegian fishing village on the edge of the deep fjord. However, its happy, carefree life ended when Nazi officers quartered themselves in the Engeland home with the intention of securing Captain Engeland’s influential help. Petra Engeland, only fourteen, had good reason then to transfer her resourcefulness in mischief to grimmer tasks involving life or death, and her first undertaking was to warn her father, still away with the larger of the fishing boats, of the trap awaiting him. Against a background of mountains, caves and fjords, Petra and her impetuous brother Martin—with numerous other Norwegians, young and old—take part in daring schemes right under the noses of the occupying forces. Published before WW II was at an end, this tale retains its sense of immediacy and courage in the face of great adversity.

On a wintry day a few weeks before Christmas, orphans Peter and Trudi arrive on their great aunt's doorstep hoping to find a home for the winter and a merry holiday with Tante Maria. But their aunt can barely support herself, much less care for two children and, while some of the Swiss townspeople are eager to help, others are much less encouraging. Peter must face crotchety Herr Klaus to ask for work and the meddling Fräulein Disch seems determined to see the children sent away. Nevertheless, the children are resolved on having a cheerful holiday and the captivating tiled stove in Tante's parlor, along with Trudi's unwavering trust in the Christkindli, provide them with a good beginning. Alta Halverson Seymour weaves an appealing tale of a traditional Swiss Christmas, full of courage and spirit and an engaging collection of memorable characters.

Originally published in 1961, this book tells the vivid story of 14-year-old Teresa Nagy and her family, as they join the Hungarian Freedom Fighters and live through the terror of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.The reader is taken on a dramatic journey and relives the dangers and excitement of one family’s flight to the safety of the Austrian border.A gripping read.

Just before warmhearted tomboy Tildy and her family—Mr. and Mrs. Gale, two older brothers and two older sisters and young Tommy—leave their home in Ohio for a tiny new settlement in the wilds of Wisconsin, Grandma says: “Lots of times, Tildy, things won’t seem very cheerful—they’ll seem pretty hard. Settlers in a new district have to learn to take things as they come and make the best of them. Lots of times you have to pretend you’re not scared when your knees will just hardly hold you up. Plenty of times you have to figure fast to find any way to turn. It’s your chore, Tildy, to keep folks out of the dumps—keep things kind of lively. You’re good at that.” Sad to be leaving her grandmother, it is a difficult responsibility for Tildy to undertake on her own, but she promises to do her best. That promise is pushed to the limit as the journey by wagon and oxcart unfolds—fire, quicksand pits, and marauding Indians. Finally, reaching the level valley where a log cabin home awaits them, the Gales plunge into all the duties of pioneer life—only to find that their trials are not over. At first, they are intrigued by the friendly Indians and the lonely French girl, Twanet, who lives with her mad uncle across the river, but when a hostile Indian tribe comes foraging for captives and food, and the mad Frenchman turns out to be in competition with Mr. Gale for the coveted mill site, exciting events happen thick and fast—with Tildy caught square in the middle.

No one dreamed that the Nazis would ever bother Valcos, the sleepy little Norwegian fishing village on the edge of the deep fjord. However, its happy, carefree life ended when Nazi officers quartered themselves in the Engeland home with the intention of securing Captain Engeland s influential help. Petra Engeland, only fourteen, had good reason then to transfer her resourcefulness in mischief to grimmer tasks involving life or death, and her first undertaking was to warn her father, still away with the larger of the fishing boats, of the trap awaiting him. Against a background of mountains, caves and fjords, Petra and her impetuous brother Martin with numerous other Norwegians, young and old take part in daring schemes right under the noses of the occupying forces. Published before WW II was at an end, this tale retains its sense of immediacy and courage in the face of great adversity.