Old Crump

by Laurie Lawlor, John Winch (Illustrator)

In 1850, a faithful ox helps a group of travelers survive their trip through Death Valley.

Genres: Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2002

About the author

Laurie Lawlor grew up in a family enamored with the theater. Along with her five brothers and sisters she spent summers in a summer stock repertory company in a small mountain town in Colorado that was run by their mother (costumer, cook, accountant, and resident psychiatrist) and their father (artistic director).

Reviews

[Melanie, Aaron, Annie, and Mary Project]

Read by: Mary
Title: Old Crump: The True Story of a Trip West
Author: Laurie Lawlor
Illustrator: John Winch
Interest Level: K-2
Grade level Equivalent: 4.6
Lexile Measure®: 440L
Guided Reading: O

This book is about a true story about a group of forty-niners who took the wrong short cut and ended up in the desert. It tells of the hardship of the people and how a faithful ox, Old Grump, stayed instead of running away. The ox carried the children through hot days and freezing nights, finally ending up in California. This is a good book to show the past life, and to have the students make a connection by thinking if they were the children.

[Dolly]

We really liked this story - it's a true tale, based on journals kept during an arduous journey to move out West in the mid-1800s. The story is intriguing and the illustrations aptly convey the hope, the anguish, the desperation, and the relief of the settlers. And of course, we loved the adorable 'Old Crump,' steadfast and faithful, slow and steady.

[Jenny]

This is a sweet story of survival. A family makes it alive through the wilderness of Death Valley due to the help of a faithful ox. I thought the ox and the journey were a great way to teach this little corner of history.

[Paula]

This is the story of a loved ox that helps a family cross Death Valley. Beautiful story.