BENEATH OLD GLORY by Aren Lerner
BOOK 1: FORT ORPHANS
Lizzy Rogers and Andrew Black, two orphans working for their keep at Fort Raven under a gruff and demanding army captain, are convinced that their lives will always stay the same. But changes begin when the Civil War breaks out in the East and a friendly young couple from Kansas arrives at the fort. The fort garrison is soon sent farther west to protect the Union’s gold mines, and they all set out on an exciting journey, one that will take them far into the mountains of Montana Territory, while bringing them some new experiences, new friends, and some surprising new perspectives on life.
ISBN: 978-1-939655-00-4 Published May 31, 2013 – 408 pages, paperback, 5.25″ x 8″, juvenile historical fiction, for all ages, approximately 10 and up!
Published by Sorrel Mountain Press and distributed by Ingram Book Company. Available from quality online booksellers, or from your local bookstore!
BOOK 2: POTATOES, TEARS, AND WILD ROSES
At the fort in Montana Territory, in 1867, Lizzy Rogers and Andrew Black have only a few more years of service under Captain Steven until they are free to go their separate ways. They have always looked forward to that day, but as it draws near they find themselves apprehensive of the future. Suddenly they feel they are being faced with too many changes, changes in their world of Flathead Valley, but even more importantly, changes in themselves. With their friends, James, Isabel, and the Marshes, taking new steps in life, they must make important decisions of their own, decisions they aren’t sure they are ready to make.
ISBN: 978-1-939655-01-1 Published May 20, 2014 – 344 pages, paperback, 5.25″ x 8″, juvenile historical fiction, for all ages, approximately 10 and up!
BOOK 3: ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS
Newly married and starting out with nothing but a covered wagon and their dreams, Lizzy and Andrew Black set off over the mountains to begin a new life in Kansas, along with the Marsh family, James and Isabel Brown, and James’ younger brother, Matthew. Between treacherous river crossings, encounters with the Indians, supplies running low, and unlooked for surprises along the way, the journey proves anything but monotonous. At their destination, they all find unexpected neighborly assistance awaiting them, and the Blacks are soon able to settle into the first home of their own.
ISBN: 978-1-939655-02-8 – Published June 30, 2015 – 348 pages, paperback, 5.25″ x 8″, juvenile historical fiction, for all ages, approximately 10 and up!
BOOK 4: SODDY TALES
Things are not easy for Andrew and Lizzy Black in their new home in Kansas. The prairie is in the grip of drought, and the farm is not yielding enough to support them. Andrew is forced to go find work in the East for the summer, and Lizzy is left at home to care for the soddy and wilting garden, to fend off the coyotes and wolves that ravage the farm in search of food, and to struggle to keep up her spirits in the face of loneliness. The next year brings even more hardships to the prairie farm community, and everyone is fighting to survive. Yet even in the midst of their many trials, there are still good times.
ISBN: 978-1-939655-03-5 – Published December 1, 2015 – 348 pages, paperback, 5.25″ x 8″, juvenile historical fiction, for all ages, approximately 10 and up!
BOOK 5: Taming the Land
It is 1874 and Andrew and Lizzy Black are well established on their farm in Greenville, Kansas, with a growing family and bright hopes for the future despite the continuing drought, political crises, and Indian troubles. Confronted with the challenges that face the developing country, the Blacks and their faithful friends, the Marsh family, find themselves stepping into new roles and accepting new responsibilities. Standing firm against the odds for what they believe in, the Blacks are surprised to find themselves becoming respected members of the community and influencing the world around them.
ISBN: 978-1-939655-04-2 Published May 31, 2017 – 353 pages, paperback, 5.25″ x 8″, juvenile historical fiction, for all ages, approximately 10 and up!
BOOK 6: NEW HORIZONS
It’s 1879 and a new decade is about to begin and life on the Kansas farm of the Blacks and the Marshes is filled with continuity and change. The families are thriving, with new members, new adventures as the children grow and explore, and new opportunities as the nation flourishes around them. Meanwhile, the first of the next generation are facing important choices for their own futures, with Emma eagerly stepping forth into adulthood teaching at a nearby new school and a courtship on her horizon, while Francis and Paul study and work toward their dream of seminary.
ISBN: 978-1939655059 – Published December 31, 2021 – 366 pages, paperback, 5.25″ x 8″, juvenile historical fiction, for all ages, approximately 10 and up!