Tucket's Home (The Francis Tucket Books) [Paperback]

Gary Paulsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 12, 2002 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: The Francis Tucket Books (Book 5)

Francis Tucket, Lottie and Billy have survived extraordinary, hair-raising adventures in their quest to find Francis's family, lost when he was kidnapped from a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. Now they meet up with a British explorer, bloodthirsty soldiers, and in a tragic, heroic encounter, with Jason Grimes, the mountain man. Their way is made more treacherous still by the secret they carry, the ancient gold they discovered in a Spanish grave. In this final adventure they head home at last, and an epilogue tells what happens to them on the Oregon frontier.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-In this final book of the series, Paulsen completes the saga set in the 1840s. Francis Tucket, now 15, sticks to his goal of trying to find his family and keep a protective eye on his orphaned traveling companions, Billy and Lottie. The three youngsters face dangers and are challenged to use teamwork, skill, and spirit. Written in a simple, straightforward style, the book will appeal to intermediate readers who will come to know the harsh realities of life on the open plains and gain a realistic picture of that time in history. Myths about Native Americans are dispelled. Paulsen trusts his readers to handle sometimes graphically violent scenes and accept them. He tells a true adventure story in every sense of the word and ties it up with a happy ending. A perfect choice to supplement units on Westward expansion.
Victoria Kidd, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-8. In this fifth and final installment of the Tucket Adventures, Francis has finally recovered from his rattlesnake bite and, together with Lottie and Billy, continues the trek to Oregon. On this leg of the journey, they encounter a greenhorn English adventurer and his servants, Francis' old friend Jason Grimes, a band of murderous outlaws, and a wagon train of men heading west to establish farms for their families. As in the earlier volumes, authentic setting details, believable characters, and nearly non-stop action add up to an appealing adventure. Readers will also appreciate the afterword, which reveals how the three used their gold and silver and that Francis and Lottie marry. Paulsen offers enough background for this title to stand alone, but series fans are the most likely audience. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --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 (February 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440415586
• ISBN-13: 978-0440415589
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.4 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #201,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 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

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic! You should read all five!, May 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Tucket's Home (The Francis Tucket Books) (Paperback)

Gary Paulsen has done an absoulutly fantastic job on writing the Tucket Adventures. They sure are page turners. There is a lot of suspense. It is based on a boy and his adopted family. (two children he finds in a wagon) They try to find his family in Oregon after being captured by Indians. They have many Adventures together and the story is very exciting. Do yourself a favor! Read all five!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tucket's Home : A Constant Adventure, July 18, 2001

By 

heather cornett (Richmond, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tucket's Home (Francis Tucket Books) (Hardcover)

This the first and only Gary Paulsen book I've read, but I enjoyed Tucket's Home and all of Francis's adventures despite my lack of knowledge of its predecessors. As Francis and his friends Lottie and Billy search for Oregon in hope of finding Francis's family, they are contiuously running into some type of excitement. They meet an Englishman who knows little about life on the frontier, Francis's one-armed friend Mr. Grimes, a group of murederers . . . I could go on and on. The plot never slows down; there's always a new conflict and in the end, the conflicts are all resolved. The setting is described in detail, thus becoming very realistic and believable. Also, the end of the book includes a look into the future of Francis and his friends. The only complaint I have is the fact that the characters seem a bit too adult - like. As a 9-12 year old (the book's recommended age group) I don't think I could've related well to these characters.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tucket's Home : A Constant Adventure, July 18, 2001

By 

heather cornett (Richmond, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tucket's Home (Francis Tucket Books) (Hardcover)

This the first and only Gary Paulsen book I've read, but I enjoyed Tucket's Home and all of Francis's adventures despite my lack of knowledge of its predecessors. As Francis and his friends Lottie and Billy search for Oregon in hope of finding Francis's family, they are contiuously running into some type of excitement. They meet an Englishman who knows little about life on the frontier, Francis's one-armed friend Mr. Grimes, a group of murederers . . . I could go on and on. The plot never slows down; there's always a new conflict and in the end, the conflicts are all resolved. The setting is described in detail, thus becoming very relaistic and believable. Also, the end of hte book includes an insight into the future of Francis and his friends. The only complaint I have is the fact that the characters seem a bit too adult - like. As a 9-12 year old (the book's recommended age group) I don't think I could've related well to these characters.