The Journal of C.J. Jackson: A Dust Bowl Migrant

This is a good book. It's about this boy named C.J Jackson who lives in Oklahoma during the dust bowl in 1935. He moves to California with his family where he experiences hardships and prejudice. This book is a good history book, that teaches about this era.

I never knew I liked historical fiction until I started reading the "My name is America" series. This book does an excellent job of putting the reader into the life of a 13 year old boy who is trying to be a kid, but trying to help his parents with all their worries during the depression and a drought hitting his farming community. Complete with a foldout map outlining the journey across the plains, this book does a good job of explaining what the historical, cultural, and political views of the time were and how they affect the lives of the migrant workers as they arrive in California. The epilogue of the book shows historical photos and documents from the time giving the reader a real feel for the actual lives of those who lived through this desperate hour of American history.

"The Journal of C. J. Jackson, a Dust Bowl Migrant, Oklahoma to California, 1935" is such a great book, because I doubt many people know about the dust bowl in Oklahoma. I surely didn't, and I learned a great deal while reading this. I would have never thought that American's would discriminate American's, by calling Oklahoma residents "Okies." But, it's not much different today, if you stop and think about it. That just stuck out in my mind while reading it. The entrees were realistic (although it made me wonder, with C.J. being only 13-years-old, and with minimal schooling, how he could have written so well), and easy to read. You'll walk away with a greater sense of early American history. I recommend.

Thirteen-year-old C.J. Jackson lives in the Oklahoma Panhandle where the Dust Bowl has affected everyone's lives. Years with drought have caused crops to fail and C.J.'s family can hardly keep up. Many of their close friends have already moved on west, to places where they hope there is better opportunites. For C.J.'s family the dust storms that come almost every other day makes things even worse. When C.J.'s Grandpa dies of dust pneumonia the family finally has to leave their farm and move to the San Joaquin Valley in California. As the C.J., his parents, two sister, Olive and Belle, and two brothers, Lester and Dalton travel on Route 66 they face many troubles but are finally rewarded when they reach the rich fields of California. Little do they know the hardships ahead as they find themselves working as migrant workers and scraping for every penny they can get. Will C.J.'s family survive their new environment?

This book captures the spirit of the plains and the perilous journey that confronted Dust Bowl migrants who headed for California. Route 66 comes to life. The characters are real, and the voice of the narrator is convincing.