School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-Fifteen members of a wagon train share their thoughts and experiences on an 1848 journey from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City. Preparations and anticipation, hopes and misgivings precede the reality of trail life. The wagon master's 13-year-old son, Carl, offers the first and last free-verse commentaries. Other young people and adults relate sorrows and joys along the way: a toddler's death, abandoned possessions to lighten the load, an Independence Day celebration, a wedding, a birth. Although some overlanders express fears of "savage" Indians, the only encounter is peaceful, with Nez Perce helping the travelers cross the Snake River and saving Carl from drowning. A Sioux scout observes the passing wagons and worries about the impact on his people. Day's paintings, particularly the spread of the entire wagon train, capture the panoramic prairie vistas and enhance the speakers' accounts. Detailed historical notes and a suggested reading list offer additional resources for readers and report writers. Without the unifying presence that the printer's errand boy supplied in Winters and Day's Colonial Voices (Dutton, 2008), the relationships among the speakers can get a bit tangled. However, the overall presentation of trail life offers another fine choice for students of history.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
One-page free-verse monologues describe perilous conditions, experiences (a wedding, a birth, several deaths), and a persevering determination to soldier on. Pen-and-ink and earth-toned watercolor illustrations offer a personalized view of the era, while the first-person accounts provide a glimpse into the hardships and joy of the journey from multiple perspectives, pioneer and Native American. Historical notes are appended. Reading list. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A series of illustrated fictional monologues introduces the history of the Oregon Trail. It's a good idea, and the beginning is great: Readers meet 13-year-old Carl Hawks, who is helping his father lead a wagon train from Independence, Mo., to Oregon City. Carl sets up the tale as he lists possible hardships along the trail and asks, "WHAT WILL HAPPEN THIS TIME?" In the next spread, Patience Mills bids a poignant farewell to her baby's grave as her family joins the wagon train. Now the text makes its fatal mistake: Hereafter, there is a dizzying parade of new names and relationships until the end, when Carl reappears to summarize the journey's calamities and declare the trip "not bad." The single-page monologues are attractively and appropriately set in Caslon Antique against a faded, faux burlap background. Unfortunately, the generic pen-and-ink-plus-watercolor illustrations are reminiscent of 1960s TV Westerns. The folksy free verse, although more informative than the art, fails in its too-ambitious attempt to delineate 16 different characters. Despite some good adventures, such as the fun of tossing buffalo chips and the thrill of climbing Laurel Hill, the combination of a one-voice-fits-all twang with too many names and characters is numbing rather than inspiring. (maps, historical notes, author's note, further reading) (Picture book. 7-10)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
As in Winters' Colonial Voices (2008) and Voices of Ancient Egypt (2003), the 17 free-verse poems here represent the points of view of fictional people in the past. Set in 1848, this large-format collection leads off with 13-year-old Carl Hawks. Proud that his father will lead the wagon train from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Carl also worries, wondering what they will face along the Oregon Trail and who will survive. Usually the verse gives voice to one of the wagon train travelers, including two mothers whose children have died. In one poem, a Sioux scout expresses his misgivings about the many settlers moving through the land. Each poem appears on a double-page spread along with a colorful illustration done in pencil, ink, watercolor, and gouache. Full of historical details, these attractive pictures will help students imagine the period setting. The endpapers include portraits of individuals as well as a map of the travelers' route. Useful mainly as an adjunct to the curriculum, the book offers a ready-made opportunity for readers' theater.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2014 Booklist
