Newbery Honor-winner Gary Schmidt tells the fascinating story of William Bradford, founder of Plymouth Colony.

Near starvation. Scurvy, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. Bitter cold. Daily deaths. This was the Pilgrims' first winter in Plymouth Colony. But thanks in large part to William Bradford, the colonists survived and went on to celebrate what we call Thanksgiving.

William Bradford came to the New World with the other Pilgrims in search of religious freedom. With great faith in God and in his own abilities, he established a stable colony, doing his best to be just and fair to his fellow colonists as well as to the Native Americans living in the area. After he became governor of the colony, he was reelected more than thirty times.

Filled with maps, paintings, and historical illustrations, this biography for young readers by Newbery Honor-winning author Gary Schmidt introduces readers to the dramatic story of the man who founded Plymouth Colony.