The Oregon Trail #8: The Oregon Trail: Calamity in the Cold written by Jesse Wiley and reviewed by Debra Gantz

Summary: Moving from Florida to Oregon is no easy feat in 1845. Unusual weather also makes the trail more difficult. Many hazards await. Will teaming up with a Cherokee family you meet along the way increase your chance of success? I made more mistakes in this book than in The Race to Chimney Rock. I realize that the game I used to play with students early in my career allowed me not to walk away. I saw the words The End, returned to my choice and continued the story. When I finally reached Oregon City, I felt that same rush. This book did not have to be read specifically before or after the last. It stands alone with its own challenges. I look forward to sharing this with students next year. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Some students like short chapters and a Choose your adventure book may be just what engages them. I will have to book talk these to explain how to check the back of the book notes, Guide to the Trail, before beginning the story. I will allow students to think about how to manage an early death due to the dangers on the Oregon Trail. I will likely also prep them that there used to be an enormously popular game that engaged students in Westward Expansion in wonderful ways. Though I don't think many of my students will find this series on their own, they may respond well to it once I talk about it.