New series - Lauraine Snelling

We have several books written by Lauraine Snelling.  She has a series called The Red River of the North.  There are six books in this set: 

Book 1 - An Untamed Land
Book 2 - A New Day Rising
Book 3 - A Land to Call Home
Book 4 - The Reapers Song
Book 5 - Tender Mercies
Book 6 - Blessing in Disguise

The story of all six books is about new immigrants from Norway  who come to America in 1880 with the promise of free land.  After landing in New York they have to navigate in a new land without the benefit of speaking the English language and without very much money.  They make the long journey westward by train and then by covered wagon until the Bjorklunds finally arrive in Dakota Territory and settle on the banks of the Red River.  They lived in a sod house made of ground so thick with dried vegetation that the settlers could cut into deep slabs to make their first houses.  They had to brave illness, blizzards, birthing babies, having few tools and machinery.  There were people who lost their lives and babies that died and one baby who was born deaf but what kept them going was watching out for each other and their strong faith.  I could hear my grandmother's voice in the Norwegian words sprinkled though out the books - uff da, mange takk (many thanks), Mor (mother), bestamor (grandmother), velbekamme (welcome), and the Norwegian table grace In Jesu navn.... which we would sing in Norwegian for family gatherings  - the same tune and meaning as Be present at our table Lord.  These are good stories with well drawn characters and make for good reading.