Daniel's Walk

The scene: 1844, Caldwell, Colorado, high in the Rocky Mountains. Fourteen-year-old Daniel LeBlanc lives with his aunt and uncle while his father is out hunting and fishing. Daniel's father is a Mountain Man, an experienced trapper who knows the mountains, forests, and streams like he knows the back of his hand. Then one day he disappears! No one can find any trace of him. Daniel is, understandably, hit hard by the loss of his father. He swears that he is hearing a voice --- a voice that is telling him frightening things about his father. He's also having severe dreams at night. Frightened by these hallucinations and omens, Daniel goes out to search for his father. Daniel has many escapades and adventures. One particular stormy night, Daniel sees a scar-faced man stealing horses. The thief sees Daniel, too, and Daniel barely escapes being shot. In fear, he joins a wagon train heading west. After many long months and many obstacles, Daniel finally finds his father. How does Daniel come to understand that he and his father aren't the only ones in danger? Read this book to find out! I like to learn about the lives of people in America's past, so I thought this book was really informative and awesome. I also liked this book because it was exciting and full of adventure and action, and I never knew what was going to happen next! If you want an exciting book to read then read this book! --- Reviewed by Ashley, age 13, Book Boss

(...) This is an adventure story, and on that level it works very well. In addition, the characters are diverse, rich, three-dimensional, funny, and complex. No simple formula writing here, though you can see the capture-escape-recapture-escape rhythm that you also see in the best of authors in this genre. Plus, it's a coming-of-age novel. Daniel goes off to find his father, and ends up finding himself. I'd compare it to Gary Paulsen's _Tucker_ series, or even (if you're old enough to remember) _True Grit_. Many YA readers and adult readers alike will find this book a very rewarding read. Furthermore, this book shows a more accurate picture of the impact of white settlement in the Amer West than most of the popular YA historical fiction. There is no whitewash of the settlers, and no romantic images of the native Americans, either. Compared to some of the "Dear America" books, for example, _Daniel's Walk_ is far and away more historically accurate. Students especially should get hold of it. (...) It's rare enough that we come across a decent story based on decent historical research.

Daniel's mother died in childbirth when he was just a small boy. After that, his father, a fur trapper, left Daniel to be raised by relatives in Missouri. Aunt Judith believes Daniel's father is a good-for-nothing responsible for her sister's death. She and her husband discourage Daniel from ever searching for his father. But a mysterious voice in the night warns Daniel that his father is in danger. Determined to save him, he sets out to cross the country and find his father in the Rocky Mountains. Daniel joins up with a wagon train and meets a headstrong girl named Rosalie as well as a horse thief determined to kill him. But even if Daniel survives the dangers of the overland journey, can he escape the horse thief's vengeance and find his father before it's too late? This was an exciting historical novel with a new perspective on the Oregon Trail.