Abram Berry-A North Dakota Legend

Sometimes we forget that history is full of personal stories. And though the United States may be one of the world's youngest nations, it still has plenty of stories to tell. Author Doreen Berry Frost dips into her own family history to shed light on a critical part of America's history-the movement west in the late 1800s.

"Abram Berry: A North Dakota Legend" tells the true tale of Frost's great-grandfather, who moved from New Jersey to North Dakota with his wife, Annie, and their two young daughters, Maple and Dorothy. Leaving behind his parents, siblings, and everything familiar, he embraced the western frontier as home and settled down in Taylor, on the outskirts of the Badlands, where he ran the town's hotel and eventually became president of the county school board, justice of the peace of Stark County, and a land baron.

Experience the everyday life of an American family in 1884, discover the hard work and social expectations tied to homesteading, farming, and ranching, and watch America grow before your very eyes. A humorous, poignant, and informative account that brings life to America's past in a personal way, this spirited story makes a great history text for teens.