Twelve Travelers, Twenty Horses [Paperback]

Harriette Gillem Robinet (Author)

Book Description

On the eve of the 1860 presidential election, and in front of a courthouse of American justice, Jacob Israel Christmas stands for sale at the third slave auction of his life. At thirteen, he has been separated from his mother for three years, has run away, and then been captured, all the while wondering, When will I be free? If Abraham Lincoln is elected, Jacob knows there's a chance for freedom; if not, slavery could spread west, all the way to California.

When a rich, young prospector named Honorable Mister Clarence Higgenboom buys ten slaves -- reuniting Jacob with his mother and friends -- Jacob can't believe his luck. But when Jacob suspects the Honorable Mister of being a dishonorable murderer and thief, who plans to rob a stagecoach carrying Pony Express wages, Jacob knows he must stop him! Without wages, the Pony Express will refuse to ride...and they've got the important job of carrying the election results to California.

As the master, his pregnant wife, and his ten slaves set out on a two-thousand-mile trip from Missouri to California, a harsh winter descends on the country. Despite the cold, Jacob never loses sight of his purpose: to make sure that the Pony Express rides...no matter what.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Jacob, a 13-year-old slave, is to be sold after setting a fire, and though he longs to protect Solomon, who never speaks and is also on the auction block, the odds are stacked against them staying together. Surprisingly, when they arrive at the sale, Jacob finds his mother whom he hasn't seen for years and many other people he knows. Without speaking, a group of 10 forms, and just as suddenly a naive white man steps up and buys them all at once, without bargaining. This opening sets the stage for an exciting trek west with the Honorable Mister Clarence Higgenboom, who reveals himself so slowly that neither Jacob nor readers can tell if he is inexperienced and stupid or a clever criminal. Robinet packs in lots of history throughout the story of the group's travels west from Missouri late in the fall of 1860. The politics that set the stage for the Civil War, the dramatic importance of the Pony Express, and the critical role that California's gold is expected to play are all factors that influence the plot, but never overbalance the human characters at the heart of the story. The revelation of the true character of "Honorable Mister" parallels the slaves' increasing awareness that they are capable of deciding their own fates, and that they work well together as a team. The details of the difficulties on the trail and the mini-mysteries regarding gold and murder both serve to ratchet up the thrill level. While valuable for curriculum support, the true gift of this historical adventure is its offering of a slave narrative that builds esteem rather than pity.
Carol A. Edwards, Sonoma County Library, Santa Rosa, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. Thirteen-year-old Jacob Israel Christmas' hope for freedom fades when a new, rich master buys him and nine other slaves at auction. When Honorable Mister, who seems both naive and foolish, sets out from Missouri on a 2,000-mile trip to California with his pregnant wife, three coaches, 20 horses, and his slaves, plenty of trouble lies ahead. When Jacob overhears Honorable's plot to rob a Pony Express rider to steal wages and prevent 1860 election news from reaching the west, he determines to thwart the plan, save California for the Union, and, with Lincoln's election, gain his freedom. With help from a nine-year-old mute child named Simon, Jacob overcomes danger from Indians, harsh winter weather, and road agents to achieve his goal. Characters border on stock, but a quick pace (once the trip starts) pulls the elements together to narrate a page in history. A lengthy author's note adds more historical background. Julie Cummins
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

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (January 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689876076
• ISBN-13: 978-0689876073
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,521,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Historical Book, December 29, 2003

By 

Sam Henry "SHenry" (Tulsa, Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Twelve Travelers, Twenty Horses (Hardcover)

Take a step back from books that have bad words or relate to bad things. Twelve Travelers, Twenty Horses is a wonderful historical book and I'm proud to say it has only one very slight bad word, thats all! Jacob Israel Christmas, the main character, reunites with his mother and nine others of his closet friends and some new friends, too as they are sold to the wealthy man named The Honorable Mister Clarance Higginboom. See how a weathly man, who doesn't know the first thing about buying and having slaves around, treats the people as the prepare and go on a bumpy ride to the great state of California.

+ See if the election results get to California.
+ Can they make it to California without being looted by Indians or outlaws?
+ Find out what MAJOR event happens to the slaves that can affect the rest of their life.

Their master has a wife who is pregnant when this journey begins. See how see makes it with their new children and a long lost relative they find along the way.

Harriette Robinet, I have no complaints to you! You wrote a wonderful, clean, easy reading novel.

To happy reading!

I hope all of you enjoy(ed) this book as much as I did!

NOTE: I enjoy how Honorable Mister Clarance Higginboom calls his slaves MEN AND WOMEN OF LABOR.