Colonial New York

Children's Literature

This unique method of presenting history, part of the "A Travel Guide to" series, will inspire and encourage potential time travels (a.k.a. history students) to think like a 1793 New York City tourist. The book is written in the present tense and it takes a few pages to realize its not for a 21st century audience; the format clearly and realistically reflects life in the late 18th century. Our adventure begins with a brief history of the Lenape Indian Nation and culminates with shopping suggestions for the well to do. Nifty illustrations and the occasional photograph augment the text making this travel guide easily navigated, along with several side-tracks, encased in gray boxes. Take a tour of the islands—Gibbet, Staten, Bedloe, Governor's as well as Manhattan and Long Island to see how the wealthy live and play on their country estates. It is unfortunate New Yorkers in 2004 cannot experience the bucolic charm along with the luxuries of a big city within an afternoon's drive as New Yorkers did in the late 1700's. A horse-drawn wagon ride, that is! Not for young adults only, this is also a delightful escape for adults. 2004, Lucent Books/Thomson Gale, Ages 12 up.
—Elizabeth Young