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Sallie Fox: The Story of a Pioneer Girl
In 1858, twelve-year-old Sallie Fox and her family leave Iowa in a wagon train, dreaming of California. They follow the Santa Fe Trail to New Mexico, and then head due west across the bleak desert. Suddenly, Indians attack the pioneers, driving off their cattle and oxen. One hundred people--many sick and injured--are now stranded in the searing summer heat, five hundred miles from anyone who can help them! Yet, through grit, determination and luck, Sallie and the others survive to reach California, though not without paying a heavy price. This lightly fictionalized account of a true story is drawn from diaries, memoirs, letters and many other historical sources. It tells the heartwarming story of a plucky pioneer girl who learns that through courage and the love of her family, she can overcome any adversity.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 11, 2013
To Survive This Trek--it Takes One Tough Nut!
This slender volume is based on history, with most incidents painstakingly gleaned from diaries, letters and subsequent interviews with survivors, family members and descendants. Actual conversations and minor details are fictionalized to provide a smoother account. Bound by historical accuracy, the author has faithfully portrayed a real wagon train journey. Although commendable from a researcher's viewpoint, this makes for uneven pacing; after a light-hearted tale for the first 2/3 of the book, we wallow in a veritable disaster scenario all packed at the end. But then real life rarely conforms to literary formula.
The story of 13-year-old Sarah (Sallie) Fox and her large family makes enjoyable and interesting reading in general. Starting out from Iowa in 1858, they had the benefit of the Donner Party's ordeal 12 years prior. They fully realized the dangers of needless delay and possible starvation in the mountains. But this wagon train is atypical, in that the leader drove a huge herd of cattle to start a business out West--including each family's modest livestock.
The high risk and trials of wagon train life are grimly familiar from other such books: heat, drought, river fordings, buffalo hunts and stampedes, birth along the trail, Indian raids on livestock and actual attack. Plus the inevitable debates and bruised egos over which route to take. No Sierra Nevada Mountains for the Rose party, although their goal was near the Gold Country in northern California. They chose the southern route to protect their extensive herd from hostile Indians; this Santa Fe trail snaked its way through New Mexico territory close to the Mexican border.
This is an excellent book to introduce middle school children to the ordeals of Wagon Train life, especially from a child's point of view. Girls will relate to Sallie's coming-of-age during her Year-long trek of dust and despair. Boys will revel in the grim and gory adventures. All readers will see how the spunk and perseverance of a young girl--to plant a walnut which she found along the sandy trail--blossomed into more than a mighty tree, but also a thriving family business for future generations. This book reveals California's hardy heritage from these gritty pioneer children who, like their parents, were seeking a better life. Even though The Nut Tree Inn has passed into the pages of history, their story can inspire us still.
(June 26, 2012. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)
This slender volume is based on history, with most incidents painstakingly gleaned from diaries, letters and subsequent interviews with survivors, family members and descendants. Actual conversations and minor details are fictionalized to provide a smoother account. Bound by historical accuracy, the author has faithfully portrayed a real wagon train journey. Although commendable from a researcher's viewpoint, this makes for uneven pacing; after a light-hearted tale for the first 2/3 of the book, we wallow in a veritable disaster scenario all packed at the end. But then real life rarely conforms to literary formula.
The story of 13-year-old Sarah (Sallie) Fox and her large family makes enjoyable and interesting reading in general. Starting out from Iowa in 1858, they had the benefit of the Donner Party's ordeal 12 years prior. They fully realized the dangers of needless delay and possible starvation in the mountains. But this wagon train is atypical, in that the leader drove a huge herd of cattle to start a business out West--including each family's modest livestock.
The high risk and trials of wagon train life are grimly familiar from other such books: heat, drought, river fordings, buffalo hunts and stampedes, birth along the trail, Indian raids on livestock and actual attack. Plus the inevitable debates and bruised egos over which route to take. No Sierra Nevada Mountains for the Rose party, although their goal was near the Gold Country in northern California. They chose the southern route to protect their extensive herd from hostile Indians; this Santa Fe trail snaked its way through New Mexico territory close to the Mexican border.
This is an excellent book to introduce middle school children to the ordeals of Wagon Train life, especially from a child's point of view. Girls will relate to Sallie's coming-of-age during her Year-long trek of dust and despair. Boys will revel in the grim and gory adventures. All readers will see how the spunk and perseverance of a young girl--to plant a walnut which she found along the sandy trail--blossomed into more than a mighty tree, but also a thriving family business for future generations. This book reveals California's hardy heritage from these gritty pioneer children who, like their parents, were seeking a better life. Even though The Nut Tree Inn has passed into the pages of history, their story can inspire us still.
(June 26, 2012. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)
July 5, 2010
This pioneer girl settled in our town and planted a tree that became the Nut Tree (now a shopping plaza). Josh and I finished reading it the day before we moved from Vacaville, so we visited the Vacaville Museum to see a replica of Sallie's dress. They wouldn't show us the actual dress (with the arrow hole from the Indian attack).
November 20, 2019
Excellent, fictionalized story of the westward migration of Sallie Fox and her family in 1858, told from the point of view of twelve-year-old Sallie. Her stepfather, Alpha Brown, had already been to California once, and wanted to return, taking with him a herd of cattle to sell. When an Iowa neighbor offers to finance the journey, he jumps at the chance. But things did not turn out quite the way anyone hoped. Their biggest enemies were drought and Indians, and not everyone in the wagon train survived to reach California. Well worth reading. Highly recommended.
I am always amazed at the trials and tribulations our pioneer ancestors faced, from the very first ones to come to America, to those who crossed the plains, often facing wild animals, extreme weather conditions, in addition to hostile natives. It sometimes seems incredible that anyone at all survived. And yet we are here, thriving thanks to their hardships and sacrifices.
I am always amazed at the trials and tribulations our pioneer ancestors faced, from the very first ones to come to America, to those who crossed the plains, often facing wild animals, extreme weather conditions, in addition to hostile natives. It sometimes seems incredible that anyone at all survived. And yet we are here, thriving thanks to their hardships and sacrifices.
January 30, 2018
I love these pioneering stories, and this one is no exception.
July 7, 2015
I purchased this book at the El Morrow Inscription Rock Visitor's Center in New Mexico because it tells the story of a young survivor of a wagon train which was attacked by Mohave Indians on its way from Missouri to California in 1858. Many of the travelers inscribed this rock as other travelers have done for several centuries. As it happens, I have several ancestors who played a part in this true life drama. The author formed her narrative around journal entries kept by several of the sojourners and so is loosely based on fact. I enjoyed reading it and plan to give it to my grandchildren to illustrate the courage and sacrifices made by seemingly ordinary folk under extraordinary conditions. It is not sugar-coated and there are deaths, but that is as it should be. I would recommend this book as a very palatable way to bring the history of a young nation on the move to young readers.
December 21, 2009
A gripping story of a group of pioneers heading west to California in 1858 via the Sante Fe trail who make a fateful decision to take a new "shortcut" (shades of the Donner party!). And it was made all the more fascinating because it was based on a true story. I couldn't put it down! On the one hand, I envy them the sights they must have seen--herds of wild buffalo, Indian villages, open prairie, the little town of Los Angeles--which don't exist any more. On the other hand, I'm SO glad we don't have to travel long distances by wagon train any more! An outstanding read!
April 20, 2014
WIIA: It is a book based on the true story of Sallie Fox and her family traveling across states to reach CA. And the horrid things that came to them yet they lived.
Pros+Cons: I always like a true story made into a book..it makes it more REAL. I liked this one a lot. It was exciting..very sad however at times.
Iffy: One girl is secretly in love with this guy..however that is a very minor aspect and she is not really a main character.
Pros+Cons: I always like a true story made into a book..it makes it more REAL. I liked this one a lot. It was exciting..very sad however at times.
Iffy: One girl is secretly in love with this guy..however that is a very minor aspect and she is not really a main character.
May 19, 2010
I read this with my girls for our Mother/Daughter book club, and we all really enjoyed this story! Simple to read and very interesting, particularly because Sallie ends up right where we live! A nice account of a remarkable true story.
April 16, 2011
Really liked this book. Had my daughters read if for history this year. They liked it a lot too. We are hoping to visit the Vacaville Museum next May for Sallie Fox Day and see the pinafore with the arrow hole in it.
May 3, 2010
I'm reading this for our Mother-Daughter book club, I like it so far!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews