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Bound for Oregon

January 26, 2026 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

26 Jan

Title: Bound for Oregon
Author: Jean Van Leeuwen
Major Themes: Pioneers, Oregon Trail
Synopsis: Mary Ann and her family stuck together, helping each other and others, all the way to Oregon.

About eight years ago, on one of our trips to the United States to visit family, I bought all the books we needed for a study of American History with Sonlight Curriculum. One of those was Bound for Oregon. It has been on the shelf ever since, but I never got around to reading it until now. I had just read a different book about the Oregon Trail, about the Sager children’s tragic story, and wasn’t sure I wanted to read this one so soon, but it was on top of my stack, so I started reading it.

Publisher’s description:

With only a guidebook to show them the way, the Todd family sets out from their Arkansas home on a two-thousand-mile trek to claim unchartered Oregon Territory. Crossing rough terrain and encountering hostile people, the Todds show their true pioneering spirit. But as winter draws near, will the Todds have the strength to complete their journey? And if they make it, will Oregon fulfill their dreams?

My thoughts:

I was pleasantly surprised with Bound for Oregon. Especially in comparison with the last book I read about the Oregon Trail, it was fairly gentle. There are a number of deaths briefly described along the way, and several of the animals died, but I would have no problems reading it to my children. I felt like the author portrayed the dangers of the trail realistically, but discreetly enough for almost all children. I was delighted to reach the end of the book and learn from the author’s note about the basis for the story.

Mary Ann is the main character of Bound for Oregon. She is nine years old throughout the story, and does what she can to help her mother and care for her younger siblings. She is old enough to know the dangers of the trail, but young enough to enjoy life along the way, spending time with her friends whenever she can—until they take a different trail!

One topic that shows up a few times is slavery. There was a family on the same wagon trail as the Todds for a while who had had slaves, and they struggled to know how to take care of themselves now that they were without them. It was interesting to see how many people turned back, not able to handle the hardships of the trail, long before reaching their destination.

If you are looking for wonderful stories about the pioneers or the Oregon Trail, don’t miss out on Bound for Oregon. This one can be read to and enjoyed by the whole family. It is one of the best I have come across.

WARNING: A cow was swept down the river, and an ox died. Several neighbors died along the trail, and one man went insane.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 8 – 12, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, 12 – 15

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

The Diddakoi

January 23, 2026 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

23 Jan

Title: The Diddakoi
Author: Rumer Godden
Major Themes: Gypsies, England, Bullying
Synopsis: When Kizzy’s ancient Gypsy grandmother died, where would the girl live—and could the English villagers accept her?

Last year sometime, I found The Diddakoi at a thrift shop. I didn’t know anything about this book, but we had one already on the shelf by this author and enjoyed it, so I picked up this one. Finally, I got around to reading it—what a wonderful surprise!

Publisher’s description:

Everyone in Kizzy’s town hates her because she’s half-gypsy—a diddakoi. But Kizzy doesn’t care. All she needs is Gran and her horse, Joe. But when Gran dies and their wagon burns down, Kizzy is all alone. No one wants to look after her, and her beloved Joe might get sent to the knacker’s yard. Can Kizzy survive in a hostile world—and save Joe?

My thoughts:

The Diddakoi is a wonderful story of a little girl who didn’t fit into the world she suddenly found herself thrust into without warning. An orphan who couldn’t remember her parents or grandparents, she lived with her great-grandmother in a wagon. Then, the town busybody discovered her, and she was forced to go to school, where, because she was a gypsy, the other girls bullied her unmercifully. When Gran died, the town decided what had to happen with Kizzy.

It was wonderful to see the transformation that unconditional love made in Kizzy’s life. Other lives in the village were transformed, as well. I loved the gentle romance that made a minor plot line. Several themes run through this story; it includes family, friendship, and bullying, all wrapped up in an engaging story of a lonely, confused little girl. I will be watching secondhand shops for more books by Rumer Godden!

WARNING: Gran dies, the horse dies of old age, Kizzy is hurt by bullies, and someone nearly dies in a house fire.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 10 – 12, 12 – 15, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 10 – 12, 12 – 15

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Blue Willow

January 21, 2026 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

21 Jan

Title: Blue Willow
Author: Doris Gates
Major Themes: California, Great Depression, Dust Bowl, Migrant Workers
Synopsis: Janey held on to her mother’s willow plate as a symbol of the home she badly wanted to have—but would the plate ever be in a real house?

Long ago, probably some 20 years ago, I read Blue Willow. Then, we moved overseas, and I didn’t bring that book along, but found another copy later. It languished on the shelf for many years, with no one touching it. In fact, someone in my family asked me one time if we should just discard that one because it didn’t appear interesting. I said no, that it was used by Sonlight Curriculum, and their books are generally good, so we were keeping it—although I couldn’t remember the story at all.

Publisher’s description:

To Janey Larkin, the blue willow plate was the most beautiful thing in her life, a symbol of the home she could only dimly remember. Now that her father was an itinerant worker, Janey didn’t have a home she could call her own or any real friends, as her family had to keep moving, following the crops from farm to farm. Someday, Janey promised, the willow plate, with its picture of a real house, her family would once again be able to set down roots in a community.

My thoughts:

We have finally read Blue Willow together. It turned out to be a wonderful story of a girl who wanted a home. When the story begins, her family has just moved into a shack, and Janey meets the girl who lives across the road. Is this her chance to find a real friend, after years of moving from place to place so often that she can’t really become friends with anyone?

I loved the themes in this book. The main theme seemed to be home, but family is also a very strong thread that runs through it, as well as friendship. One wonderful thing about the friendship is that Janey’s friend across the road is a Mexican girl, and that fact makes no difference to the way they interact. I also liked the way justice happened, when a crooked man was found out and got what he deserved. Then there was the beautiful picture of sacrificing a dream for another’s good…so beautiful! Don’t miss this story.

WARNING: Chapter 6: Heck, no; mention of a Negro competing with a white man.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, 12 – 15, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, 12 – 15

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Library Binding
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Night Preacher

January 19, 2026 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

19 Jan

Title: Night Preacher
Author: Louise A. Vernon
Major Themes: Anabaptists, Netherlands, Menno Simons, Persecution
Synopsis: Bettje and Jan didn’t understand why their family was always on the run, and why they were not to tell anyone that their father was Menno Simons.

When I was very young, my parents bought several of Louise A. Vernon’s books for children about famous Christians from Reformation times. I read them over and over, loving those glimpses into life hundreds of years ago. One that I particularly remember reading was Night Preacher, about Menno Simons.

Publisher’s description:

This story is told through the eyes of Bettje and Jan, children of Menno Simons, who lived almost 500 years ago. Menno Simons was first a Catholic priest. As he read and studied the Bible, Menno began to understand the Christian life in a different way. Eventually, he became an Anabaptist preacher. It was against the laws of that time for him to preach, so Menno’s preaching was done in secret at night to small groups. Soon, Menno Simons became the leader of the Anabaptists, now known as Mennonites.

My thoughts:

I would say that Night Preacher was probably one of the first historical fiction books I ever read. It made Menno Simons very real to me, along with the beginning of the Anabaptist movement. I will say, though, that I was a bit annoyed with Louise A. Vernon; in one scene in the middle of this book, she has Bettje and her mother using a churn to make cheese! Because I learned to make butter at a very young age, I knew that was wrong. Other than that little glitch, however, I would say that the book is probably fairly accurate as far as the time and the history.

Night Preacher is an engaging story about a family. Bettje and Jan couldn’t understand why they had to be secretive about their father, and why their family was always on the run, but eventually they learned the reason. I liked the way they cared for their sick mother and their little sister, and did what they could to protect their family. This book is a good choice for those who love historical fiction!

No warnings!

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Walk Two Moons

January 16, 2026 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

16 Jan

Title: Walk Two Moons
Author: Sharon Creech
Major Themes: Grief, Friends, Family, Friends
Synopsis: As Sal travels to Idaho with her eccentric grandparents to track down her missing mother, she tells them the story of her friend, whose mother also went missing.

One reason that I do reading challenges is so that I will actually read some of the books that have been on our shelves without being read for a long time. One of those recently was Walk Two Moons. I bought it over five years ago on a clearance sale, and put it on the shelf to wait its turn. That time never came…until I had the prompt “space.” The author of the challenge said that it could mean science fiction about anything having to do with space, or a word in the title that had to do with space. Well, the moon is in space, right? So, finally, I read this book.

Publisher’s description:

Thirteen-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle, proud of her country roots and the “Indian-ness in her blood,” travels from Ohio to Idaho with her eccentric grandparents. Along the way, she tells them of the story of Phoebe Winterbottom, who received mysterious messages, who met a “potential lunatic,” and whose mother disappeared.

As Sal entertains her grandparents with Phoebe’s outrageous story, her own story begins to unfold—the story of a thirteen-year-old girl whose only wish is to be reunited with her missing mother.

My thoughts:

What a story. I didn’t want to set Walk Two Moons down while I was reading it, and stayed awake a bit later than usual one night to finish it. When I got to the end, I realized that I had a wrong impression about someone in the story, all the way through! There were hints dropped here and there about an important event in Sal’s back story, but I didn’t pick up on what those hints meant until the third-to-last chapter. All the way through, little tiny bits of the story were revealed, building up a full picture, but masterfully concealing the truth.

The same was true about Sal’s friend Phoebe Winterbottom. (What a name! That was another thing I loved, the creative surnames.) I was aggravated with her all the way through the book, but when the truth about her family came out, in one of the last chapters, she was understandable, too—and I had to feel sorry for her. After reading this book, I would like to read more by Sharon Creech!

WARNING: Sal’s grandfather swore almost every time he talked, saying gol-dang, dang, and hell. Sal prayed to trees, because she couldn’t see God. Throughout, a boy wooed Sal and tried to kiss her; they kissed two times. Phoebe said gosh in chapter 9 and golly in chapter 26. Her father said blast it in chapter 25 and to hell in chapter 39. A woman was seen kissing a younger man in chapter 36. Someone talked about a helluva thing in chapter 41.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 12 – 15
Reading Independently—Ages 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com