Journey to La Salle’s Settlement

Mr. Barrington's Mysterious Trunk #5

by Melodie A. Cuate

"Now don’t change history while I’m gone,” Mr. B had said before leaving Hannah and Nick to lock the trunk in the classroom closet. Despite Hannah’s pledge to comply, a trickle of beach sand and a slosh of seawater turn to a flood tide after she lifts the lid. The siblings, along with their friend Jackie, find themselves in a wooden canoe off the seventeenth-century Texas coast—with a gale approaching and nothing to get them home but a magic ring and a list of riddles. No sooner does their rescuer, Sébastien, haul the trio aboard ship than they are pressed into service on the doomed French bark La Belle. Blamed for shipwreck, attacked on shore by arrow-firing Karankawa warriors, and chased by alligators, Hannah, Jackie, and Nick rush to complete the scavenger hunt with the aid of the settlement’s resourceful colonists. From the Talon family they learn survival skills in the dense, dangerous woods—as they teach a few lessons of their own. But when a feverish Hannah collapses on the night of La Salle’s long-awaited return, will a gold coin turn up in time to redeem her life?

Genres: Historical Fiction

184 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Melodie A. Cuate writes books about Texas history for children.

Reviews

[Adriana]

I read it with my 7th grade classes. It was included in our curriculum as part of the Spanish and French explorers in Texas unit. Students really enjoyed it. They liked how the author used kids their age traveling back in time to explore and experience historical events.

[Tara]

Fun way to learn somethings about Texas history

[Megan]

When Jackie, Nick, and Hannah open Mr. Barrington's mysterious trunk, they are transported to another time and place. This time, they find themselves aboard La Salle's La Belle, one of the three boats headed to La Salle's settlement. They find a list of items that they must find to return back home. On their scavenger hunt, they meet the Talon children, hunt buffalo, and learn about life on a ship. Will they find the items so they can return home?
Of Melodie Cuate's Mr. Barrington's Trunk Series, I found Journey to La Salle's Settlement to be the best. It had a good plot/mission, to find the items on the list, and it was easy to follow. I was not a fan of the other books, but this was actually decent. The vocabulary was advanced but not too difficult, and the characterization was organized and notable. This book tells of friendship, perseverance, and includes a subtle but enjoyable history lesson. I would recommend this book to 5th-7th graders who like not-too-historical historical fiction.

[Lukav]

Journey to La Salle's Settlement, by Melodie A. Cuate, is about Nick and Hannah, a brother and sister, with Jackie, Hannah's friend go back in time to La Salle's settlement, after opening their teacher's mysterious trunk. They must collect a series of items before time runs out, otherwise they will be forever trapped in La Salle's time.

Journey to La Salle's Settlement is the last book in a series of five books (as of the time I am writing this). I would recommend this book to young Texas history fanatics.

[Carolyn Sill]

What a great way to learn about Texas history! This book brought 3 kids back in time to La Salle's Settlement where they discover the struggles and blessings of the settlers. Great book for kids. Well done.

[Deborah Morgan]

Even though the three kids travel back in time, I still classify this as historical fiction. In book five of this series Hannah, Nick, and Jackie travel back for the ship wreck of the La Salle and to see La Salle himself return from his first adventure from the settlement.