SURVIVAL! Death Valley (California, 1849)
Grade 4-6-Jess and Will's family is traveling across the American West in a wagon train bound for California and dreams of gold. Their journey, however, is anything but a dream. There's the constant battle to find enough food and water, the struggle to keep tired animals moving, and the threat of Indian attacks. Along the way, Jess and Will's father is injured in an accident that Will believes he caused. Then Pa decides to take a short cut that separates them from the rest of their party. When an axle breaks on their wagon, he is too sick to move, and Will and Jess set off through Death Valley to seek help. While stories of families in danger in the Old West are nothing new, what makes this one a standout is how the children take matters into their own hands to save their family. What also sets this apart is the succinct detail, from the siblings' cracked lips and parched throats as they search for water to the hard-baked ground that crunches beneath their feet. The action moves quickly as each day becomes a more desperate attempt to survive and conquer the elements around them. This excellent addition to the series delivers on its promise of adventure.Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OHCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.