The Lyon's Roar — M.L. Stainer

Book One of The Lyon Saga. In April, 1587, under the patronage of Sir Walter Ralegh, The Red Lyon set sail from England bound for the American colonies. Among its passengers were 14-year-old Jessabel Archarde and her family, seeking to do their part to establish the colonies for the glory of Queen Elizabeth I. Their destination was Chesapeake Bay, but a dispute between Captain John White and the ship's pilot resulted in the passengers being abandoned on Roanoke Island in North Carolina. Captain White returned to England for more supplies, leaving Jess and the other passengers to fend for themselves in unfamiliar territory and surrounded by danger.

The Lyon Saga, a series of five books covering 25 years, tells the story of these first colonists through the eyes of Jessabel Archarde. Her compelling story is skillfully interwoven with actual events of that time period as they happened, or might have happened, including roving Spanish soldiers, marauding Indians, diseases and other hardships. Action and adventure abound, and readers ages 12 and up will find themselves swept up in Jess's eventful life. The Lyon Saga books are a fictional treat and a perfect complement to the study of America's early colonial history.