Bound for Oregon

by Jean Van Leeuwen, James Watling (Illustrator), R. W. Alley (Illustrator)

Overview

Bound For Oregon (PB)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780140383195
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	06/28/2003
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.13(w) x 7.75(h) x 0.45(d)
Lexile:	830L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

Editorial Reviews

Basing her story on the published accounts of her true-life heroine, Mary Ellen Todd, Van Leeuwen (Going West; the Oliver and Amanda Pig series) describes a family's tumultuous journey along the Oregon Trail in 1852. En route to a ``beautiful land of promise,'' nine-year-old Mary Ellen, her two sisters and her father and stepmother find themselves beset by all manner of dramas, from the dog being allowed an unprecedented ride in the wagon when his paws are sore to a near-fatal brush with cholera and an attack by Indians. Mary Ellen's first-person narration is innocent, fresh and heartfelt (``Never, I thought, had I seen a world so large,'' she says of the plains of Nebraska), and capable of conveying darker feelings as well. She is ``furious'' with her father for imperiling his family; when her stepmother frowns at her for dirtying her dress, she thinks, ``My real mother wouldn't care about a few grass stains.'' The novel ends on a sweet note, however, with the birth of a baby and the celebration of Christmas, when each family member thanks God for the family's safe arrival in Oregon (``I am thankful that Blackie gave us milk all the way through''). The contrast between the tenderness of Mary Ellen's perceptions and the hardships of the frontier is deeply moving. Ages 8-12. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Based on reminiscences of its true-life heroine, Bound for Oregon is the story of nine-year-old Mary Ellen Todd's journey to Oregon with her family in 1852. The hardships and insights of six months on the trail are described: hazardous river crossings, hunger, cholera, Indian incursions, and the joyous birth of a baby brother. This historically accurate, first person account is a competent addition to the Oregon Trail sagas from an award-winning author.

Children's Literature - Kathleen Karr

Gr 4-6-Adding details about events and people to an account of Mary Ellen Todd's 2,000-mile trek from Arkansas to Oregon in the 1850s as written down by Todd's daughter, Van Leeuwen has created a historical novel told in the voice of a 10-year-old child. The story begins with the preparations and the difficulty of leaving home and family. It chronicles the hardships the family encountered: raging rivers to cross, bad weather, sickness and death, limited food, and the constant push to beat the first snows of winter. There are also small pleasures, including the birth of a brother. Readers will see how choices made often make the difference between success or failure, life or death. Characterizations are well done, showing the varying personalities of people on the trail. For example, the determination and faith of the father are shown consistently as the basis for his actions. This is a convincing picture of a pioneer journey that does a good job of showing the tremendous sacrifices people made to follow their dream of a better life.-Jane Gardner Connor, South Carolina State Library, Columbia

School Library Journal