The Devil's Paintbox [Hardcover]

Victoria McKernan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 13, 2009

When orphans Aiden and Maddy Lynch first meet trailrider Jefferson J. Jackson in the spring of 1865, they’re struggling to survive on their family’s drought-ravaged Kansas farm. So when Jackson offers an escape—a 2000-mile journey across the roughest country in the world—Aiden knows it’s their only choice.

They say there are a hundred ways to die on the Oregon Trail, and the long wagon journey is broken only by catastrophe: wolf attacks, rattlesnakes, deadly river crossings, Indians, and the looming threat of smallpox, “the devil’s paint.” Through it all, Aiden and Maddy and a hundred fellow travelers move forward with a growing hope, and the promise of a new life in the Washington Territory. But one question haunts them: who will survive the journey?

In an adventure-filled and historically accurate new novel, Victoria McKernan captures both the peril and the stunning beauty of the frontier West. Shackleton’s Stowaway (“Truly thrilling” according to The Washington Post) was Victoria McKernan’s first novel for young adults. She lives in Washington, D.C..

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Set in 1865, McKernan's (Shackleton's Stowaway) gripping novel follows the westward journey of 16-year-old Aiden, with his younger sister, Maddie, from their late parents' farm in Kansas. Harsh conditions and a devastating fire have prompted the exodus of most of the townsfolk, and the siblings have nearly starved to death when the story begins. New opportunity comes in the form of a wagon train and its guide, who offers Aiden a chance to pay off the cost of his and Maddie's trip with labor at a logging camp. Traveling across the country and deep into Aiden's experiences of despair and hope reborn, McKernan's supple prose (a bowl of jam shimmers in the sun like a pot of melted rubies) immerses readers in a sometimes brutal history; a story line about the threat to Indians from smallpox (the devil's paintbox) and the policy of denying them vaccines, builds to a powerful conclusion. Flawless attention to detail and steady pacing keep readers fully engaged. While the Indians Aiden meets may come off idealized, the other characters are fully fledged. Readers will be riveted. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)
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From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 6–9—Orphans Aiden and Maddy, 15 and 13, are starving on what's left of their parents' drought-devastated ranch in Kansas, 1866. When a gruff yet likable trail guide, Jefferson J. Jackson, shows up, Aiden indentures himself as a logger in exchange for their passage to a new life in the Pacific Northwest via wagon train. What ensues is a harrowing journey across the continent during which Aiden is not only physically challenged but also beset by personal tragedy and moral conflict involving a group of Nez Perce Indians. The plot ultimately revolves around his interaction with his Native friend, Tupic, and the tribe's quest to get the vaccine for the smallpox virus, or "the devil's paintbox." This carefully researched novel describes actual historical events, such as the Sand Creek massacre, and includes an author's note about the controversy over whether or not Native Americans were deliberately infected with the virus. References to abortion, alcohol, and drug use (such as opium and laudanum), and a brief encounter with a prostitute, make this a vivid yet still teen-friendly read depicting the harsh realities of frontier life. The interactions between Aiden and Tupic, though somewhat unlikely, are fascinating as are the descriptions of life in an early lumber camp. This action-packed novel has all the elements of a good Western, including lively fight scenes and a main character who becomes a rugged individualist, risking life and limb for a cause he believes in. Fans of wilderness survival stories or adventure sagas will appreciate it most.—Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (January 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375837507
• ISBN-13: 978-0375837500
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 1.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,210,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deadwood for Younger Readers, February 14, 2009

By 

Jeffrey Sharlet (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Devil's Paintbox (Hardcover)

The Devil's Paintbox is a handsomely made novel with the power of a John Ford western and the same deep insight into young people and adventure I find in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. That this is a novel ostensibly written for young people shouldn't deter adults. Like Pullman's work, this is simply fine literature. Ideally, I think, it should be read with a smart pre-teen or an adolescent. I picked it up because I'm familiar with McKernan's "adult" work, but I'll be sending a copy to my nephew and stocking a copy away for when my own child is old enough to read it. The Devil's Paintbox won't please parents who want sugar coated stories for their children -- this is a realistic portrayal of the old West, of disease, of fear, and of courage. It's written with humor and lyrical attention to detail on every page. ("Down in the valleys, they lived in shadows with no horizons, the sun only dappled light through the trees.") It's not a difficult book, but a challenging one -- the best kind. I imagine young readers will remember into adulthood, as I still remember the Narnia and the Tolkien books and novels like A Separate Peace.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Devil's Paintbox, January 19, 2010

By 

Jill T. (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Devil's Paintbox (Hardcover)

While some of the content is for a little older audience (which I edited for my 7 year old), I read this book to my 7 year old for our evening read. He was absolutely enthalled, as was I. We cried and laughed together. We wondered how much more hardship this young person could endure. We talked about the treatment of the indiginous people. We tracked the travel on the Oregon Trail on his big wall map. We discussed the Civil War. This book offered so much that at the end my 7 year old declared it to be one of the best books ever (and it is competing with the Lightning Thief series) and that he would like to read it again when he gets older. That I think is the best review any book can get.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I liked it, February 7, 2009

By 

Tina "Tina" (Montreal, Quebec) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Devil's Paintbox (Hardcover)

I am not a big fan of any novel set in the West - but I made an exception this time because I thought the storyline sounded very interesting.

I was right! Devil's Paintbox is way beyond the basics of a "western" novel. The storyline is very deep and moving and the main characters are extremely well drawn up and are vivid in the storyline.

The basic storyline features Jefferson Jackson and the novel is set in 1865 on the Oregon Trail. We find Jackson meeting up with two orphans who are desperately trying to survive. Striking a deal with them, Jackson finds himself involved with Maddie and Aiden and all three of them will learn some important life lessons as they board the wagon train and try to survive in the rough terrain that is the Oregon Trail.

While this novel does describe the harsh ways of the time period, it also does a fine job of focusing on its main characters and is definitely a character driven storyline.

I enjoyed reading this book way more than I thought I would and I am happy that I decided to "take a chance on it".