Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

The Wagon Train Trek — “The Oregon Trail” Series

Wagon Train Trek cover

Credits

Readability Age Range

Publisher

Awards

Year Published

Book Review

In The Wagon Train Trek by Jesse Wiley, readers become pioneers on the Oregon Trail in the 1800s. They dictate the plot direction and their own survival at every turn with the choices they make. It is part of the “Oregon Trail” series.

Plot Summary

In this 1855 cross-country adventure from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, the reader is the main character. As the child of the wagon train leader, he or she helps make life-or-death decisions as the group navigates the challenges of the Oregon Trail. Most pages include pixilated illustrations reminiscent of the 1985 Oregon Trail computer game.

Twenty-three possible endings exist. Readers may develop cholera, tick fever or dysentery. Inclement weather, dangerous terrain, wild animal encounters, injuries and scarcity of resources may debilitate the travelers. Skirmishes with Native Americans or disputes with other wagon train members may decrease the family’s chances of survival. Many of these events result in death. Other times, hardships force the family to return to Missouri or settle at one of the towns along the trail rather than finish the journey. Only one ending shows the reader’s family successfully reaching Oregon City.

A trail guide in the back of the book provides warnings about potential hazards. It also highlights the importance of consulting wise helpers and staying with your wagon train community.

Christian Beliefs

None.

Other Belief Systems

None

Authority Roles

Pa, a doctor, willingly helps the sick even when it alters travel plans. He and Ma often ask the reader to weigh in on difficult decisions about the journey. Ma offers sage advice and rides to seek help when others are sick. She praises the reader for consulting her before buying something from an unscrupulous trader.

Profanity & Violence

None

Sexual Content

None

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books.

Additional Comments

You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected].

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.