This Road We Traveled

Author: Jane Kirkpatrick
Genre: Historical Fiction/Inspirational

Tabitha Brown refuses to be left behind in Missouri when her son makes the decision to strike out for Oregon--even if she has to hire her own wagon to join the party. After all, family ties are stronger than fear.

Along with her reluctant daughter and her ever-hopeful granddaughter, the intrepid Tabitha has her misgivings. The trials they face along the way will severely test her faith, courage, and ability to hope. With her family's survival on the line, she must make the ultimate sacrifice, plunging deeper into the wilderness to seek aid. What she couldn't know was how this frightening journey would impact how she understood her own life--and the greater part she had to play in history.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

This Road we Traveled by Jane Kirkpatrick is a story of determination, hope, and faith that God will provide no matter how bad things get.

Tabitha Brown (known as Tabby) is determined not to be left behind as all her children decide to pick up and leave Missouri for Oregon. Her son, Orus, doesn't want her to come because of her age and her lame foot. She would, quite simply, be too much of a burden to them. But Tabby doesn't take orders from her son and with his Uncle John, she gets her own wagon, a driver, and oxen and with her pet chicken Beatrice, they set out on the Oregon Trail.

The story is true, which makes it all the more interesting. What happened to them on the trail is a testament to the strength and determination of the men and women who paved the way to a new frontier. While the story seemed to drag at times, it soon redeemed itself by picking up the pace and creating a story rich in history. The author is known for her excellent research and it shows. I had never heard of Tabitha Brown before I read this book and about the impact she had in Oregon. This should be required reading in schools. If you like historical fiction you will like this book.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

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