Morley, Jacqueline. You Wouldn’t Want to be an American Pioneer! rev ed.

Morley, Jacqueline.  You Wouldn’t Want to be an American Pioneer!  rev ed. Scholastic/ Watts  34p            $21.75  978-0-531-27500-9         2013      ms           E-Bnes  series: You Wouldn't Want To Be  Nonfiction     

Comical illustrations support this children’s book about the journey westward over land.  Instead of painting the picture of an adventure which was worth the trip, the book describes the journey as it really was, fraught with hardship at every turn.  With visual aids that are uniquely humorous and educational, this book provides a look at the many obstacles facing the pioneer who wanted to venture west.  Other details include a look at the necessary equipment, the supportive role of animals, and the hardships faced by men, women and children who made the journey.  The timeline on the inside cover helps young readers establish a timeframe, and a map of the western trails shows the various routes that pioneers took to reach the western seaboard.  This book is as creative as a comic book with a glimpse at history thrown in!  The reader never feels inundated with information; instead, he or she enjoys a present-tense text that places him/her into an era of American history that is both adventurous and dangerous!  “Handy Hints” offers helpful advice along the way, but one of the best parts is the detail in each illustration.  Children will enjoy studying the visuals to see the facial expressions on both the animals and humans, to compare the text to the pictures, and to read the creative and often humorous dialogue.  Each two-page spread presents new information about topics like sandstorms, Indians, stampedes and mealtimes.  If the task of a social-studies teacher is to get children to enjoy reading and learning American history, this book provides the solution.  It is user-friendly, innovative and enjoyable!  The glossary and index are followed by the enumeration of a few of the factors that pushed Americans to venture west:  financial problems, epidemics, and the Civil War.  The contributions of top American pioneers are summarized, and some trivia about various trails concludes the volume.
American history-Westward expansion.                                                              --Martha Squaresky