The Last Ride of Caleb O'Toole - Softcover

Pierpoint, Eric

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1402281714 ISBN 13: 9781402281716

Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers, 2013

Synopsis

Children's Book Winner of the Reading the West Book Award!

"I need you to be strong."

Caleb O'Toole could hear his mother's last words as clearly as if she was sitting right next to him. He promised her he'd keep his sisters safe. But safety is over a thousand miles away in the rugged Bitteroot Mountains―past dust-choked deserts and thorny tumbleweeds and as sun so hot, it's hard to breathe. Tornadoes and hungry wolves wait for them on the path ahead. But with the infamous Blackstone Gang hot on their trail, Caleb has no choice but to keep going. There's no telling how far the gang will go to keep their latest murder a secret. And Caleb is the number one witness to their crime.

Caleb O'Toole can hear his mother's last words: "I need you to be strong." and he can't let her down.

About this title

About the Author

Eric Pierpoint is a veteran Hollywood character actor who’s begun a writing career with several screenplays in development.His ancestors came west on the Oregon Trail in the mid 1800s, so Eric and his dog, Joey, followed in their wagon wheel tracks and traveled cross-country researching The Last Ride of Caleb O’Toole. Visit www.ericpierpoint.net

Reviews

Gr 5-8–Recently orphaned in a cholera epidemic, 12-year-old Caleb O'Toole, his two sisters, and their dog flee their Kansas town to seek their Aunt Sarah in Montana as per their dying mother's instructions. Before leaving, Caleb witnesses a murder by the infamous Blackstone brothers, who then pursue him on his journey. Add a mysterious and helpful stranger on a mission of revenge and you've got the elements of a classic western. On the Oregon Trail, the youngsters survive a flood, tornado, buffalo stampede, Indian attacks, thieves, and more. Unfortunately, the characters are one-dimensional and not much is left to surprise. Caleb is an expert horseman and sharpshooter (with a seemingly endless supply of bullets) whose moral values reflect modern sensibilities as he laments the senseless slaughter of buffalo, the plight of the Indians, etc. His adventure is rife with violence, including several scenes of graphic animal abuse. At times, the language is clichéd enough to sound like a dime-store novel from yesteryear (“the brave men and women, these dreamers from all lands, fought like they had never fought before”). Cameos by Chiefs Joseph, Sitting Bull, and Touch the Clouds put the story over-the-top. If readers simply want nonstop action, they'll find it here. For a more realistic, thought-provoking (and no less action-packed) tale about teen orphans on the Oregon Trail, try Victoria McKernan's The Devil's Paintbox (Knopf, 2009).–Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Libraryα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

When the parents of Caleb O’Toole succumb to a cholera epidemic, he and his two sisters set out on their own for their aunt’s ranch, more than 1,000 miles away. In this action-packed debut novel by actor Pierpoint, the kids are dogged by every conceivable trouble on their way to Montana Territory. Pierpoint sets his story in the summer of 1877, when a railroad strike sent travelers back to the difficult Oregon Trail. Caleb and his sisters have to transport as well as protect themselves, and Pierpoint entertainingly describes how Caleb masters sharpshooting while riding a horse. His older sister, Julie, in turn learns how to treat bullet and knife wounds. Although the writing includes some stock phrasings as well as some anachronisms, Pierpont has created a suspenseful, enlightening read featuring worthy allies (including several tribes of Native Americans) and wicked enemies (including a bad sheriff and his murderous brothers). The book comes complete with helpful historical notes and a map showing the O’Tooles’ dangerous journey. Grades 4-6. --Abby Nolan

Edition details

• Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1402281714
• ISBN 13: 9781402281716
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304