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49th out of 71 books
—
102 voters
The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party
On April 14, 1846, the Donner Party set out from Springfield, Illinois, in search of a better life in the largely unsettled California territory. The trip started well but eventually questionable choices and infighting delayed pioneers' attempt to cross the Sierra Nevada until winter. As the impassable snows closed in and their supplies dwindled to nothing, the group faced...more
Hardcover, 192 pages
Published
March 29th 1999
by Clarion Books
(first published 1999)
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This is a child's book, so I selected it because I expected it would treat the subject gently enough for children. I didn't want to read something that would dwell on the repulsive. What I really wanted to learn was the entire story from beginning to end. I got what I was hoping for. It begins in Illinois explaining why the families decided to go and how they packed to leave. The last chapter tells how all of the survivors spent their lives until they eventually died. While it didn't dwell on th...more
Apr 03, 2012
Starlate
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Nobody!
Recommended to Starlate by:
my teacher
This book makes me want: puke cry hide puke shudder not take for granted the invention of cars, airplanes and trains puke. They EAT! PEOPLE! HUMANS! Who used to be alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gasp! Barf! Faint! I have a strong stomach, but this? This was revolting. Too much snow for me. It snows so much in the mountains, which from the cover obviously makes you know something went horribly wrong there. Too wrong for me. This book had me wondering what it was like to eat people, people you knew, and...more
Here are the types of children who will benefit from reading this book, although a combination of all three types would probably be best.
#1. The Precocious And Brave History Nerd. Fearless pioneers partaking in manifest destiny forge through the unforgiving wilderness of the Wild West. Will they hack through the impenetrable Wasatch Mountains in time? Should they befriend the Natives? Will the forty-mile desert destroy or invigorate the pioneers? The first two-thirds of this book is for you , PA...more
#1. The Precocious And Brave History Nerd. Fearless pioneers partaking in manifest destiny forge through the unforgiving wilderness of the Wild West. Will they hack through the impenetrable Wasatch Mountains in time? Should they befriend the Natives? Will the forty-mile desert destroy or invigorate the pioneers? The first two-thirds of this book is for you , PA...more
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This review was originally posted at OlyForums - now a part of Everyday Olympia.
***
When it comes to reading books and writing reviews about them I have Goodreads to show off my blurbs and star ratings, and a unfortunately semi-defunct blog called The Taze Files where I put a bit more effort into it.
However, due to a irrefusable request from my good friend Onry, I'll share my thoughts onThe Perilous Journey of The Donner Party by Marian Calabro right here - an Olyforums exclusive!
Most people know...more
***
When it comes to reading books and writing reviews about them I have Goodreads to show off my blurbs and star ratings, and a unfortunately semi-defunct blog called The Taze Files where I put a bit more effort into it.
However, due to a irrefusable request from my good friend Onry, I'll share my thoughts onThe Perilous Journey of The Donner Party by Marian Calabro right here - an Olyforums exclusive!
Most people know...more
From Virginia Reed's (age 13ish?) letter dated May 16, 1847, Napa Valley, California, to her cousin Mary back in Springfield, Illinois:
"O Mary I have not rote you half of the truble we have had but I have rote you anuf to let you now that you dont now what truble is... Dont let this letter dishaten [dishearten] anybody never take no cutofs and hury along as fast as you can."
"O Mary I have not rote you half of the truble we have had but I have rote you anuf to let you now that you dont now what truble is... Dont let this letter dishaten [dishearten] anybody never take no cutofs and hury along as fast as you can."
I thought I knew the basics of this tragic piece of American history but like most things in life I was wrong. How these people survived at all astounds me. I would have been dead and probably not even deemed fit to eat before the end of week one. Made me feel selfish for complaining about the cold while I sat under my electric blanket eating a brownie.
This book does a great job at stating the facts and staying neutral from calling the Donner Party names! I liked that hindsight is 20/20, this is a perfect example of events you'd wish to avoid. The author does a great job researching and using as many stories as possible.
Of course I knew the basic story of the Donner Party, but I learned so much through reading this book. I want to travel their route to California!
Nothing like a little cannibalism to make a history lesson more interesting!
Intrigue lead me to read this book. Very interesting and very tragic.
Incredibly informational for a "children's" book. A great read with great historical photos.
Feb 27, 2009
Stephanie
marked it as to-read
I love with this book <3 <3 ,3
skimed through.
It's hard to imagine an actual child reading this book all the way through, but if they did, they'd find a thoroughly-researched and unfussy account of the Donner Party story. Definitely does not shy away from the cannibalism issue like that wimpy My Name Is America I worked on at Scholastic that prances around the issue with the "forbidden meat" thing.
An accounts of the Donner party's trip in covered wagons to California. They encountered bad weather and bad advice along the way. Many members of the group did not survive and others were traumatized by the events and the choices they were forced to make. Maps and photos.
A thrilling and poignant tragedy, ably told and helpfully illustrated. I was shelving this book at the library, started flipping through it, and found that I couldn't stop. The story of the Donner Party is a better and longer story than I'd ever imagined.
Very interesting, would love to go visit the monument. I liked how the book told what happened to the survivors in their life in California.
I really enjoyed this book. I had known a little about the Donner Party, but this book really explained the events on the trail without being too graphic.
I bought this from a school book order when I was eight or nine. Sometimes I really wonder about myself as a child.
Atali and I read this together. A great way to tell the Donner party story to a child.
Nov 09, 2008
Jen
marked it as to-read
Yes, this a Young Readers book about the Donner Party!
May 12, 2013
Bonsai
added it
Feb 15, 2013
Michelle Russell
marked it as to-read
Feb 09, 2013
Safi
marked it as to-read
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