Call Me Francis Tucket (The Francis Tucket Books) [Paperback]

Gary Paulsen (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: The Francis Tucket Books

Alone. Francis Tucket now feels more confident that he can handle almost anything. A year ago, on the wagon train, he was kidnapped from his family by a Pawnee hunting party. Then he escaped with the help of the mountain man, Mr. Grimes. Now that he and Mr. Grimes have parted ways, Francis is heading west on his Indian pony, crossing the endless prairie, trying to find his family.

After a year with Mr. Grimes, Francis has learned to live by the harsh code of the wilderness. He can cause a stampede, survive his own mistakes, and face up to desperadoes. But when he rescues a little girl and her younger brother, Francis takes on more than he bargained for.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a starred review of this follow-up to Mr. Tucket, PW said that Paulsen "weaves in a wealth of information about pioneer travel, adding historical value to this heart-stopping good read." Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8?In this spirited sequel to Mr. Tuckett (Delacorte, 1994), Paulsen recounts the continuing frontier adventures of Francis Tuckett, 15. Heading west by wagon train with his family a year before, Francis had been captured by the Pawnees and rescued by a savvy, one-armed mountain man. Now on his own, he is determined to return to civilization. Armed with a rifle and knowledge of the wilderness, he hunts deer and buffalo, survives a stampede, and outwits a pair of outlaws. When an abandoned wagon reveals two orphans, he takes charge, taking the children to a trading post and hesitantly leaving them with the cold, calculating owner. Traveling 10 miles, the young man is haunted by his own loss of family and returns to find Lottie and Billy beaten and burdened with chores. With fierce determination, he reclaims them and together they continue their westward journey. Francis is an understated, appealing character. His remarkable independence, resourcefulness, and perseverance are tempered by bouts of adolescent insecurity and an emotional need for family. Sharply etched characters, vivid scenery, and dramatic encounters make this book an entertaining read for young adventurers.?Gerry Larson, Neal Middle School, Durham, NC
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440412706
• ISBN-13: 978-0440412700
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.4 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,845 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( P ) > Paulsen, Gary

More About the Author

Gary Paulsen is one of the most honored writers of contemporary literature for young readers. He has written more than one hundred book for adults and young readers, and is the author of three Newberry Honor titles: Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room. He divides his time among Alaska, New Mexico, Minnesota, and the Pacific.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Call Me Francis Tucket Review, January 11, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Call Me Francis Tucket (Francis Tucket Books) (Hardcover)

This was a very entertaining book with lots of action and adventure. It starts out where it leaves off at the first book, "Mr. Tucket". Francis Tucket is with the wagon train Mr. Grimes left him with. Then he decides to go out hunting on the prairie. After finding a large herd of buffalo, his Indian pony goes into the herd. He makes a big mistake by shooting his rifle while in the middle of the buffalo. The buffalo go into a wild stampede with Mr. Tucket in it. The stampede finally ends in the middle of the Great Plains. He sleeps the night and wakes up with two men pointing his rifle at him. They take all his food, ammunition, and even the shirt off his back. So he is stranded in the middle of nowhere with nothing but a skinny donkey. I liked this book a lot except the abrupt ending. Otherwise, the book is a great sequel and has lots of interesting situations. I would recommend reading the first book before reading this one. There are also three sequels in the Tucket books. This is an excellent book if you like the Oregon Trail or the frontier, or if you like Gary Paulsen books.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tucket rides again, May 7, 2002

By 

microjoe - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Call Me Francis Tucket (The Francis Tucket Books) (Paperback)

Francis is much more grown up in this adventurous sequel to the first book in the series, "Mr. Tucket". Francis is on his own, having learned so many survival skills from Mr. Grimes in the previous book. Once again he is forced to have his posessions (horse, rifle, clothes) taken from him by force. But the outcome is different this time, since Francis is much wiser even if he is 14. He is able to take care of himself just as well as any adult. Francis helps some kids, hunts buffalo, meets with Indians, and other frontier activity. The mule in this book steals the show by the way.

The only bad thing about this book is it is short. I read it in about an hour, and it is half the size of the first book. Don't get me wrong though, I sped through the book because you can't wait to turn the page and see what happens next. Mr. Grimes is not in this story. I can't wait to read the next book. I strongly reccommend reading the book that comes first in the series before reading this, the second one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great and exciting, December 7, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Call Me Francis Tucket (The Francis Tucket Books) (Paperback)

i really enjoyed reading this book. i wasn't wanting to at first but a id in my class took the book i wanted to read for his book report. I feel lucky thought because I realized that he hated his book and the chapters were long. Even if this reveiw isnt very good i hope you please reas this book its great!