Go west, young pioneer - your journey begins here! In this first leg of your trek on the Oregon Trail, you need to find your way to Chimney Rock - but not without unpredictable challenges ahead. This is the first installment of four books that will take you all the way to Oregon Territory - if you make the right choices. In book one of this exciting choose-your-own-adventure series, it's 1850 and your first goal is to get your family, covered wagon full of supplies, and oxen to Chimney Rock on time. But hurry - you'll need to make it through the rugged mountains before winter snow hits. Plus, there are wild animals, natural disasters, unpredictable weather, fast-flowing rivers, strangers, and sickness that will be sure to stand between you and your destination! Which path will get you safely across the prairie? With twenty-two possible endings, choose wrong and you'll never make it to Chimney Rock on time. Choose right and blaze a trail that gets you closer to Oregon City! AGES: 7 to 10
Can I give the book four stars if I haven't made it to Chimney Rock yet? On the bright side, I haven't died every time I failed; sometimes I just chose to quit and settle somewhere besides Oregon!
The book is a little info-dumpy in a way I find heavy-handed as someone who already knows about the Oregon Trail (and about the Oregon Trail computer game), but I think younger readers will get a lot out of learning about the different ways of surviving/dying on the trail. There's not much of a narrative besides moving from one place to another, but that's arguably not the point anyway.
Reading updates
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5 September, 2018:
Reviewed