By Ellen Anthony

10-year-old Lura Harding is traveling the Oregon Trail in 1850. Read her letters as she tells her family, her life and her love for reading. Follow along as the Harding family faces disease, treacherous river crossings, and Indians. Can Lura survive the trail? Will her six year old sister get caught sneaking candy? And what will they do when her uncle decides to leave the train?

These fictional letters are historically accurate and reflect the living conditions, slang, and attitudes of the 1850s

What They Are Saying About Lura’s Oregon Trail Adventure

Lura's Oregon Trail Adventure is an excellent book for children reading about the Oregon Trail. The details of everyday life are fascinating and incredibly accurate. More importantly, Ms. Anthony hasn't stopped with the problems on the trail, but included songs, books, and the politics of the time.

Lura's ambitions, the problems she faces, and the observations she makes of those around her are typical of a ten-year-old girl. Ms. Anthony does an excellent job of making the reader care about her young heroine. The book itself is an easy read for young people. With a proper study guide, it should make a good teaching tool as well.

Verwin Stevens,

New York City

Ellen Anthony has opened up the childhood excitement of being able to escape and relive the adventures of the pioneers in her book Lura's Oregon Trail. Ten-year-old Lura Harding's letters bring life to the plight of the settlers traveling west by wagon train. Each memorable letter is a masterpiece in itself. Anthony has woven brilliant descriptions mixed with candid logic from the point of view of a ten-year-old child. Young readers will be able to learn the customs of the 19^th century west including the various books that were popular during that time period. The titles of the books are Ivanhoe, Romeo and Juliet and The Bible (King James version.) Lura Harding describes the books with thirsty anticipation. Lura's Oregon Trail is an excellent method for children to learn about the American west. Ellen Anthony has written a page turner that is historically accurate and entertaining. Readers will enjoy it for generations to come.

Review by Rebecca Broadway.