The Last Ride of Caleb O'Toole

Gr 5–8—Recently orphaned in a cholera epidemic, 12-year-old Caleb O'Toole, his two sisters, and their dog flee their Kansas town to seek their Aunt Sarah in Montana as per their dying mother's instructions. Before leaving, Caleb witnesses a murder by the infamous Blackstone brothers, who then pursue him on his journey. Add a mysterious and helpful stranger on a mission of revenge and you've got the elements of a classic western. On the Oregon Trail, the youngsters survive a flood, tornado, buffalo stampede, Indian attacks, thieves, and more. Unfortunately, the characters are one-dimensional and not much is left to surprise. Caleb is an expert horseman and sharpshooter (with a seemingly endless supply of bullets) whose moral values reflect modern sensibilities as he laments the senseless slaughter of buffalo, the plight of the Indians, etc. His adventure is rife with violence, including several scenes of graphic animal abuse. At times, the language is clichéd enough to sound like a dime-store novel from yesteryear ("the brave men and women, these dreamers from all lands, fought like they had never fought before"). Cameos by Chiefs Joseph, Sitting Bull, and Touch the Clouds put the story over-the-top. If readers simply want nonstop action, they'll find it here. For a more realistic, thought-provoking (and no less action-packed) tale about teen orphans on the Oregon Trail, try Victoria McKernan's The Devil's Paintbox (Knopf, 2009).—Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library