Long ago in Oregon

by Claudia Louise Lewis

A collection of poems describing a year in the life of a young girl living with her family in a small Oregon town in 1917.

Genres: Poetry, Historical Fiction

53 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of all of the wonderful collections of poems out there, this would not be my preference. I’m sure it was great for it’s time and maybe it would work as part of a history lesson but there are so many other poetry books that I would choose over this.

[Carri Nowak · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would not recommend this book to anyone. It's rather dull and dated for students today. It's not interesting, exciting or captivating; a big disappointment even for the time that it was written in the 80's.

[Gale · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Peaceful Patchwork of a Precious Pioneer Childhood”

This short book in free verse style (like Out of the Dust) about childhood memories would be excellent in three areas: to read aloud in installments for quality bed time; to read in one sitting oneself; and to assign as a first book to be read by young students of the Westward Movement, who will then respond to easy questions and do minimal research. The simple pleasures and homespun concerns of life in rural Oregon are preserved in Lewis’ poetic journal, as she gradually realizes that her pre-war world is slipping into the past—impacting both her town and her family. Joel Fontaine’s beautiful b/w sketches create an aura of fragile and tender childhood, soft as pastels, which reflect Lewis’ poignant vignettes of a bygone era. This is a gentle introduction to historical journaling and the genre of historical fiction for elementary students.

(July 28, 2020. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)

[Katie White]

This is a really great book if you're doing a historical unit of life in Oregon. It's a book full of poems on how life used to be in Oregon in 1917, written from the viewpoint of a child. This is good for the students, as it gives them something they can relate to and find differences from their own lives now. I would probably read this aloud with 2nd to 3rd graders and keep it in the classroom library for any ages to read. The pictures make it accessible to the younger grades, and I always think there's a lack of poetry in schools, so this is a good resource to have, especially living in Oregon.