Rachel's Journal: The Story of a Pioneer Girl

Just like Marissa Moss' "Amelia" books, this was a hand-written, journal-style book, with lots of pictures. It is the journal of ten-year-old Rachel, who travels with her family of pioneers from Illinois to California in search of a better place to live. In her journal, she records the trip and there are many details! It has humor thrown in, great pictures, and a nice journal format. I've enjoyed reading this book, and I can't wait to read all of Marissa Moss' other historical journals.

Moss brings to this book a thoroughly delightful 'hand written' format along with marginal and textual illustrations to dramatize the effect that it is the actual journal of Rachel, a young girl who records her thoughts and observations along the trail. This book should be on the shelves of any family whose proud heritage goes back to those who ventured West to take up roots in the Great American frontier of the nineteenth century. Moss draws her readers into an excitement filled, seven month journey along the famed Oregon trail. The subject has enormous appeal to a wide range of young readers, especially when we approach the years 2004 - 2006, the 200th anniversary of the famed corps of discovery, which started the Westward movement.Such a book would be a keepsake to pass on to succeeding generations, who often times fail to completely grasp the hardships ancestors had to endure so that they could have a more comfortable life. Part of the author's extensive research included examinations of the unpublished journals collection, covering the years 1846 through 1868, forming part of the collection of Bancroft Library at the University of California at Berkeley.She succeeded admirably in accomplishing her goal to weave in documented episodes of travel and its dangers along the famed Oregon trail. And others will surely get the flavor of the pioneer spirit within the pages of this truly wonderful keepsake.

This book was quite interesting. It is a story of a young girl, Rachel who is traveling by covered wagon from Illinois to California with her family in the 1850's. She keeps a journal/scrapbook of their adventures/disasters. Her illustrations or "doodles" in this journal were very well done. They clearly defined a great deal of what life was like for any family back then and the courage that they had in order to seek what they thought was going to "better" their way of living.

I think that kids of all ages should read this book, it is really good. She draws all over the pages and makes doodles. Now that I have read this book I want to make a journal when I go on our Christmas Vacation. Also read Amelia's Notebook (it is funnier), it is by the same author Marissa Moss.

This book was interesting. It was the journal and scrapbook of a ten year old girl travelling by covered wagon from Illinois to California with her parents and brothers in 1850. Rachel has many adventures on the trail and records them all in her journal. This book could have been a bit longer, but other then that it was very good. I can't wait to read the next book in this series, Emma's Journal, about a Colonial girl caught up in the Revolutionary War in Boston.