Long ago in Oregon Book

"Peaceful Patchwork of a Precious Pioneer Childhood"

This short book in free verse style (like Out of the Dust) about childhood memories would be excellent in three areas: to read aloud in installments for quality bed time; to read in one sitting oneself; and to assign as a first book to be read by young students of the Westward Movement, who will then respond to easy questions and do minimal research. The simple pleasures and homespun concerns of life in rural Oregon are preserved in Lewis' poetic journal, as she gradually realizes that her pre-war world is slipping into the past'impacting both her town and her family. Joel Fontaine's beautiful b/w sketches create an aura of fragile and tender childhood, soft as pastels, which reflect Lewis' poignant vignettes of a bygone era. This is a gentle introduction to historical journaling and the genre of historical fiction for elementary students.

(July 28, 2020. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)