Dreams on the Oregon Trail - Softcover

Barbara J. Linsley

Softcover

ISBN 10: 193512207X ISBN 13: 9781935122074

Publisher: Whitehall Publishing, 2008

Synopsis

Author Barbara J. Linsley has created a wonderful, exciting and compelling fact-based fiction work which parallels the journeys of two young girls along the Oregon Trail. Becky, who travels in a wagon train on the Trail in the 1840's and her modern-day counterpart Jenna who travels the Trail in modern times with her mother in their truck and camper. This story is based on facts taken from actual diaries of travelers on the Oregon Trail and the extensive study of history books. This makes perfect sense since Barbara J. Linsley is a trained school teacher who has worked in the New York school system for more than 20 years, helping students learn to love the study of history.

About this title

About the Author:

Barbara Linsley was born in Hamilton, New York. Both of her parents were educators so it was only natural that after considering careers in espionage and in law enforcement, Barbara became a teacher. As a child, she and her family traveled extensively, both in the USA and abroad. This is where Barbara's fascination with history and travel were born. College was attended at University of Arizona in Tucson. Barbara's two mutt horses went with her to explore the deserts and arroyos of the region. After college, it was off to Michigan, with the horses still in tow. When her brother offered to let her live in an old farmhouse with 125 acres of fields and woods that he'd bought back in Upstate New York, she was off again with the horses. She has lived in this rolling farm country for the past 25 years. Barbara has been teaching fifth graders in the New York school system since 1990. After spending each school year sharing her love of learning with her class, she packs her dogs in the car and takes off exploring and learning, following different threads of our history as well as searching for beauty, camera in hand.

Review:

Modern day Jenna and her ancestor Becky tell parallel stories while traveling the Oregon Trail. Jenna travels in comfort, Becky travels in hardship. As their stories converge and overlap, the reader will be dazzled by Linsely's vision and skill. A winner! Lynda Durrant has published six historic fiction novels with Clarion Books with a seventh scheduled for release later this year. Her books have received starred reviews, four American Library Association's Best Books of the Year in the Field of Society Studies, an Amelia Bloomer award, two Parent's Choice awards, and three New York City Library's Best 100 Books for Reading and Sharing. --Lynda Durrant , Award Winning Author.

Linsley s depiction of real life on the Oregon Trail makes this first novel both a page-turner and a historical treasure. No reader, young or old, male or female, will come away unmoved by the hardships nor unchanged by how the world has evolved. Teachers will be grateful for this book, and kids will not be able to stop talking about all the ways they connect to its characters. Marni Gillard, 35-year educator, professional storyteller, and author of Storyteller, Storyteacher: Discovering the Power of Storytelling for Teaching and Living, published by Stenhouse. --Marni Gillard, 35-year educator, professional storyteller

Linsley created an eclectic group of characters that take you on majestic journey through history. Dreams on the Oregon Trail is a cornucopia of experiences along the historical Oregon Trail. This is a must read for all school children and adults of all academic backgrounds. Josh Higby, Seventh grade history teacher. --Josh Higby, Seventh Grade History Teacher.

About this edition

• Publisher: Whitehall Publishing
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 193512207X
• ISBN 13: 9781935122074
• Binding: Perfect Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192
• Editor: Susan Stafford
• Illustrator: Jeanette Robertson, Chris Goerner