The Little Pioneer

November 20, 2017
“In the fall of 1849, Papa passed on.” Right from the start, Hancher’s account of a fictional family’s westward trek acknowledges the difficulties of life on the frontier. Narration comes from a redheaded girl who describes her journey across the plains to California with her mother and brothers, one of four families making the trip together. Along the way, the girl’s attitude toward Mr. Reed, the “gruff old mountain man” who is captaining the wagon train, softens; he rescues her when she gets washed into a surging river and teaches her skills that come in handy when she is separated from the group. Despite these hazards, the book generally strikes a romantic tone, due in large part to Hancher’s illustrations—his dusty, windswept landscapes emphasize the enormity of the journey and the vastness of the terrain the pioneers cross. Native Americans are never seen or mentioned, an omission that further leaves this tale feeling overly romanticized and divorced from historical realities. The artwork is charming and the narrator’s growth rewarding, but it’s not enough to offset the story’s drawbacks. Ages 4–8.

February 1, 2018

K-Gr 3-Set in 1849, the story follows a young girl's journey westward with her widowed mother and younger brothers in tow. Armed with just a glimmer of hope, the family loads all of their possessions onto an old wooden wagon and embarks on an uncertain trek across the Great Plains. A "gruff" old mountain man by the name of Mr. Reed leads them on their journey. Initially, he is thought of as being a wild man, and the girl avoids him at all cost. However, after being faced with several seemingly insurmountable obstacles, she soon learns that "it helps to know wild folks" in wild places. In the end, the child finds an unlikely hero in both herself and Mr. Reed. Told from the young girl's point of view, the story provides a realistic portrayal of the highs and lows of the budding pioneer's experiences. However, the true brilliance of this story is captured in the illustrations. As the story unfolds, images shift from light to dark, displaying a contrast between hope and despair. Broken dialect add a layer of realism and make characters more appealing. Likewise, a powerful message about hope and resilience serves as an overarching theme. VERDICT A spectacular visual journey through time, great for read-alouds.-Andrea Jamison, Lincoln Elementary School, Calumet City, IL

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