This is a great book to supplement Oregon Trail studies! It's an interesting take on informational picture books - instead of simply listing facts or promoting the Oregon Trail, it actively tells students that they wouldn't want to be a pioneer and lists all difficulties using funny cartoon-like illustrations. My students would love the comical take on pioneer life. I definitely did! ( )

While history class may talk about territories and treaties when covering the westward expansion, this title fills readers in on the nitty-gritty details of the life of a pioneer. From eating spoiled bacon to the importance of keeping the animals hauling the wagon healthy, this title is filled with fun facts. Though I had seen these titles frequently in the library, I had not previously read any books in the series. I can now see why these are often history favorites. The illustrations are quite amusing, even when the topic is disturbing. The text also presents facts from an interesting perspective. It puts the reader in the position of being the pioneer. Written in second person, the text tells the reader what he or she must do or not do, be aware of, avoid, etc. Appropriate for kids in 3rd to 6th grade, I would recommend this title as a supplement for reports on American Pioneers. While I would not recommend this title as being the only source for a report, the perspective and details of this book interesting additional information. Kids into gritty details may appreciate this title as well.

This book is perfect for teaching students about what it was like for pioneers who were traveling west in the 1800s. This book was very informative about things the pioneers had to go through. The book is written almost as if to make the reader feel that he or she is preparing to go on a journey west. It has a really interesting point of view that draws the reader into it and keeps them engaged. All throughout the book, there are helpful hints for travel and tools for your journey west. I feel like the author of this book does a great job of drawing the reader in while at the same time informing them of important history. The illustrations in this book were really cute. The pictures were kind of cartoon like but also had some traits of a comic book look as well. I think the pictures in this book make it more of a fun read and make it more interesting and engaging. As a teacher I would definitely incorporate this book into my classroom. ( )