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"Based on real letters and memoirs, 'My Way West' presents true historical stories and experiences from kids on the Oregon and California Trails in the mid to late 1800s"--
About the author
Elizabeth Goss is an illustrator and designer whose work has been published in books, galleries, advertisements and more. She earned her BFA in Illustration and a minor in English and Textual Studies from Syracuse University. With a passion in history and art, Liz is a member of the Oregon Historical Society and currently serving as a VP of Exhibits for the Guild of American Papercutters. My Way West is the first book she's both written and illustrated. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon.
Summary
For kids who want to learn about what life was like on the Oregon and California Trails between 1840 and 1869, this fascinating history book features beautiful papercut illustrations to reveal the true experiences of real children who had traveled west. The book shows how these children's courage, determination, perseverance, and hope defined the West for what it represents today.
Between 1841 and 1884, more than 300,000 people—40,000 of whom were children—moved over land across North America in search for a new start and better life. The journey presented challenges at every turn, from the initial preparations to the months-long trip, and even after when the travelers reached their final destinations. Young emigrants played large roles throughout it all, with responsibilities ranging from hunting animals to gathering buffalo dung, or even caring for babies.
Relying on real letters and memoirs of actual children on the trail, My Way West offers a fresh perspective so that readers, too, can smell the campfire smoke and see the dust kicked up by the wagon wheels. Learn about seven-year-old Benjamin Bonney from Illinois who was introduced to a new type of bread by Native Americans he met on the trail; how thirteen-year-old Heber McBride and his family from England were able to keep up with their traveling group; what ten-year-old Thocmetony of the Northern Paiute in Nevada thought of the travelers passing by her home; what the difficulties twelve-year-old Owen Bush met when his family, including his free African American father, finally reached Oregon; and more.
Including a bibliography and gorgeously illustrated in vibrant, masterful papercut art, this book presents true stories plus quotes so that young readers can share the emigrant kids’ triumphs and tragedies as they make their journey west.
Foreword
AWARDS: Entered for CBC and ALSC Notables, Ezra Keats, Reluctant Reader, and OR Battle of the Books.
EVENTS: Online and in-person events with Indies, schools, and museums in Oregon trail states Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon.
ONLINE: Social media posts and YouTube book trailer will be animated and engaging.
PROMOTION: Giveaways on Goodreads and Librarything and on Oregon Trails Days in July.
REVIEWS: Targeted in regional, national trade, and special interest media like Scholastic Teacher.
TRADESHOWS: PNBA author feature and galleys and giveaways at BookExpo, ALA, MPIBA, regional library shows, etc.
Additional text
"What was it like to be a child traveling on the Oregon and California trails in the years between 1841 and 1884? Focusing mostly on the stories of emigrants, also called overlanders, this introductory title highlights the stories of 15 young people ages 6 to 14 gleaned from both primary and secondary sources, such as contemporary newspaper articles... Historically accurate... begins to disrupt the dominant narrative."
