Title: Daniel Boone: Frontiersman
Author: Geoff & Janet Benge
Series: Heroes of History
Major Themes: Colonial America, Early Explorers, History
Synopsis: Daniel Boone led a very adventurous life, and very little slowed him down when he was determined to explore a new area of North America.
One question that’s been in our family for years—ever since my aunt started digging to figure out what our family tree looks like—is whether or not we’re related to Daniel Boone. She’s figured it out as far as one can, so it’s a reasonable guess that we might be related, but that may remain a mystery for the time being. However, family connection or no, Daniel Boone’s story is a fascinating one, a picture of what made Colonial America survive. So when Mom was going through this part of American history, she was thrilled to find Daniel Boone: Frontiersman on an audio streaming site we use.
Throughout his life, Daniel Boone faced one challenge after another. From a young age, he loved to explore the forest and wilderness, bringing in food for their family to eat. When the chance came for an exploring adventure, he was up for it—and rarely missed a chance. What really made his heart skip a beat was when he was able to go explore what would later become Kentucky. The land seemed very promising to him, even though part-way through their stay, Indians attacked and stole all the hard-earned pelts he and some other men had been working to save up to help out their family’s finances. He was ready to move long before his wife agreed to go, but she eventually capitulated—but life on the frontier wasn’t easy, and when his firstborn son was killed, she was ready to give up. Did Daniel Boone give up exploring then? What eventually became of this well-known figure in American history?
Daniel Boone: Frontiersman is told almost in a novel format, very easily read and understood. It’s so fascinating to see a picture of what life was like a while ago, and see that not much has changed in human ambitions and relationships in the intervening time. I loved getting to know some of the story surrounding the people we hear about so much, the things that made them tick and what they really wanted (and got as a result!) out of life. If you’re interested in studying Daniel Boone, or American history at any level, I’d recommend this book as a resource to help your children understand his life better. A great story!
WARNING: Due to the fact that we listened to this story, it was very difficult to take specific notes, so I apologize for the lack of them here! If we get this in paperback, I’ll try to amend this. Also, being a story from the colonial days of America, and because of the kind of life Daniel Boone led, there is a good amount of violence in the story. Here are the notes I have: The word “darn” was used in ch. 3. There is a description (somewhat graphic) of the French and Indian war in ch. 4 or 5. There was a pretty awful massacre with people brutally killed in ch. 8, and a man was mauled by a bear. In ch. 16, a man is killed, and the Battle of Blue Licks is described where there was an ambush and at least six people died (pretty awful). In ch. 18, a man is shot and killed by his son in law.
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 10 – 12, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
Book Depository: Paperback
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