What are your plans this weekend? Our city park has an annual festival called the "day of merry-making", and its taking place this weekend. My kids and I really look forward to it. Our favorite part is the hot air balloon that gives rides to all the kids! Both my kids and I are not the biggest fan of heights, but none of us want to miss out on the opportunity for such adventure so close to our own backyard so the word I chose for this weekend is brave.

Brave is also how I would describe today's book pick. The pioneers who left the comforts of home to travel west had to be some of the bravest people in American history! Reading this fund and informative book will surely make any reader agree.

We have a lot of this "if you were . . ." historical series, and I love the way they are set up. Firstly, they put the reader in the shoes of the real people in the specific time period, so reading this will truly teach you what your life would be like on the Western prairie. Secondly, I like the way the text is broken up into questions and answers, so the material is digestable and not too lengthy. Some of the questions they answer are really unusual and interesting like the one below. Why were pioneers afraid of grasshoppers?

If you enjoy this selection, we have others in the series like one about the underground railroad, the civil war, women's rights, and the Sioux Indian tribe.

Whatever you do this weekend, take some time to read a good book!