Westward To Home: Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary [Paperback]

Patricia Hermes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2002 | Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: My America (Book 1)

Now in paperback, Patricia Hermes tells the story of Joshua McCullough's experiences ashead West in a wagon train in Book One of his diary of life on the Oregon Trail..

It is 1848 when Joshua McCullough and his family leave their home in St. Joseph, Missouri, and set off for Oregon on a wagon train. Though many of the other families on the trail suffer devastating losses during their long journey, Joshua's is spared. However, Joshua must conquer his fear of water during one dramatic crossing, when he heroically dives into a rushing river to save his younger sister Becky. The battered wagon train finally reaches Oregon after traveling over two thousand miles.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (August 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439388996
• ISBN-13: 978-0439388993
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #157,957 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Patricia Hermes is the author of almost fifty books for readers from early middle grades through young adult, as well as two nonfiction books for adults. Her books have won many awards and recognitions: American Library Association Best Book, Smithsonian Notable Book, C.S. Lewis Honor Book, Ira Children's Choice, as well as many state awards, four of them for the novel,You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye.

As a lecturer and speaker at schools and libraries, she engages her audience with her lively presentations, underscoring key qualities of good writing, and, of course, good rewriting. (She has been known to revise her books ten times!) She has researched and written six historical novels in the Scholastic Dear America/My America series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is the bomb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, January 5, 2005

By 

James R Cribbins (Saint James, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Westward To Home: Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary (Paperback)

I'm in 3rd grade and I read Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary (book 1.) When I read it, I just fell in love with it! I suggest this book to anyone who likes adventure, excitement, and realistic historical fiction.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Joshua's Diary, December 20, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Westward To Home: Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary (Paperback)

The book Joshua's Diary is about a boy and his family who are traveling on the Oregon Trail. I enjoyed this book because it has so many wonderful details that make you feel as if you were with them. This is a very good book, but has very sad and frightening parts.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Westward to Home Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary, September 29, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Westward To Home: Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary (Paperback)

This book was good enough for me to keep reading it in one day. It was full of excitement and I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. For example, was Joshua going to save his drowning sister? Would they make it to Oregon before all the people died of illness or falling into the raging river? I suggest that you read this book if you want to know about the Oregon Trail -- a trail that starts in Missouri and continues through tons of states to Oregon.