Life on the Oregon Trail

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-A thorough and appealing account of the journey from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean in the mid-1800s. Blackwood covers the pilgrimage from its planning stages through the pioneers' final destinations. Numerous diary excerpts tell of an unmerciful life on the trail where disease caused 9 out of every 10 emigrants' deaths and virtually every family suffered the loss of a child. The text details how the travelers "came to grief" and "what they found to enjoy." Interestingly enough, many of them thought the Indians more of a nuisance than a threat. Blackwood reports on resourceful individuals who created roadside telegraphs by carving and painting messages for fellow travelers on rocks and bones near the trail; one young couple managed to keep their romance a secret from disapproving fathers with this method. Inserts, maps, and black-and-white reproductions effectively augment the narrative. Well organized and extremely informative, this book is well suited for reports.-Laura Glaser, Euless Junior High School, TX Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.