Many details layer the pages of this book, which recounts 8 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2010 the travels of William Reed through journal entries, maps, and additional graphics

This fictional account of the Oregon Trail is great for children who are learning about the Oregon Trail. My favorite part was the easy to follow table of contents. The events are going chronologically across the page on a map of the Oregon Trail, from Springfield, IL to the ending spot in Portland, OR. Each spot that he stops at is noted on the map with a page number, the date, and the city he was in.

In fifth grade, I did a BIG project on the Oregon Trail because we had traveled across country twice and lived in Oregon for a summer. Until Alaska, this was hands-down my favorite vacation. Melissa sold me on this with her review at Kidliterate.

This is a fun book written for kids, but I think any adult would like this quick read. It is a journal of a fifteen year old writer traveling the Oregon Trail with his family in 1852. Someone sent it in to National Geographic (the publisher,) but they could never verify if this family actually existed. They experience many of the usual hardships of the trail. I have read other stories--they were all for children, but I guess its because they're studying that in school (usually fifth grade)--so I guess they're a good target audience. I liked all the pictures and the ledger attached. The writer of the journal sent parts of his journal to the newspaper in St. Joseph by people traveling that way. He also hoped to write for the Portland, Oregon paper, but ended up just selling it. This one got a Dewey classification of 978.02-OLS probably for its background truths and information at the end. ( )