Books in We were there... series

Travel back to the 1860s to witness the dramatic track-laying contest between the Union and Central Pacific Railroads. Join Irish immigrants Sheamus and Nora Cullen and their children, Mike and Feena, as the family travels westward by freight car and riverboat to begin a new life on the American frontier.The We Were There series brings history to life for young readers with engaging, action-packed entertainment. These illustrated tales combine fictional and real-life characters in settings of landmark events from the past. All of the books are reviewed for accuracy and approved by expert historical consultants.

We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades, is the sixteenth book in the We Were There series. "In allowing yourself to be easily defeated, you conserve your strength for the final battle. Remember, it is always the final victory that counts." Stern words, these. But young Guy of Faversham listened carefully to every word. For the man who spoke was Richard the Lionhearted, King of England, crusader bound for the Holy Land -- and Guy was to be his squire in battle! The year was 1189. For three years, the Saracens had held Jerusalem. Now Richard, upon his oath, would lead his forces with those of the French king, Philip, against Saladin and his hordes. The trek from France, across to Sicily, by sea to Cyprus, then at last to the Holy Land, was hard ever endangered by marauders, storms, and enemies of the King. But Guy and his friend Gladwyn served their King well. Even Drusilla, Guy's elfin sister, lady-in-waiting to Richard's queen, had to be held back from performing daring feats of heroism on the field of battle. Messina . . . Limassol . . . Acre . . . Arsuf -- in every battle Guy swung his battle-axe and Gladwyn his quareterstaff with valour. Yet Guy little realized that the way home to England would bear even greater trials for the valiant King and his loyal squire than ever did the Saracen-held plains of the Holy Land. We Were There books are easy to read and provide exciting, entertaining stories, based upon true historic events. Each story is checked for factual accuracy by an outstanding authority on this particular phase of our history. Though written simply enough for young readers, they make interesting reading for boys and girls well into their teens.

We Were There at the Battle of the Alamo, the eighteenth book in the We Were There series, tells the tale of Will Campbell and his role in a decisive period of American history. It was still fairly dark the morning young Will Campbell slipped away from Aunt Elvira and Uncle Todd's farm outside Nacogdoches to find his Alamo-bound brother, Buck. The Alamo was in San Antonio. And Will, whether he knew it or not, was running straight for one of the biggest fights of the century. The year was 1836, and people were still arguing about just who was running Texas -- the Texans or the Mexican Santa Anna. But as far as Davy Crockett, Colonel William B. Travis, and Jim Bowie were concerned there was little doubt of the outcome. It would be "Victory or Death." Will caught up with Buck and the rest of Colonel Crockett's volunteers in time to ride with them into the Alamo mission, with Will perched on the back of a young, balky, and completely unpredictable burro named Pedro. Then on February 23, the siege began -- one hundred and seventy-five fighting Texans against over 4,000 of Santa Anna's troops. But every man, woman, and child, from Crockett's Tennessee volunteers to little Lupe Mendoza, stood behind Colonel Travis and his fighting men to the very end. When the smoke cleared not one soldier was left to fight again. But Will, marching with Sam Houston's army a month later at San Jacinto, was to help turn defeat into victory with the cry of "Remember the Alamo!" We Were There books are easy to read and provide exciting, entertaining stories, based upon true historic events. Each story is checked for factual accuracy by an outstanding authority on this particular phase of our history. Though written simply enough for young readers, they make interesting reading for boys and girls well into their teens.