Moccasin Trail facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Eloise Jarvis McGraw |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's Literature |
| Publisher | Coward-McCann |
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Publication date
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1952 |
| Media type | |
Moccasin Trail is an exciting adventure novel written by Eloise Jarvis McGraw. It was first published in 1952 and received a special award called the Newbery Honor. The story follows a young man named Jim Keath and his journey to find his place in the world.
Contents
Story of Moccasin Trail
The book begins with Jim Keath as a young boy. He dreams of adventure and wants to leave his home. One day, he follows his uncle into the wild. Jim learns to hunt and trap beavers with his uncle.
Jim's Life in the Wilderness
Sadly, Jim's uncle is killed, leaving Jim all alone. Jim is later attacked by a bear and gets badly hurt. Luckily, a group of Crow Native Americans find him. They help him heal and take care of him. Jim then lives with the Crow people for many years. He learns their language and their ways. He starts to think of himself as a Crow.
A Letter from Home
When Jim is 19 years old, he gets a surprising letter. It's from his brother, Jonathan. Jonathan asks Jim for help. His siblings need Jim to sign papers to get land in the West. Jim is the only one old enough to do this.
Challenges and Choices
Jim decides to help his family. But it's not easy. He feels sad about his mother's death. He also feels guilty for leaving his family nine years ago. His siblings want him to stop living like a Crow. They want him to return to their old family ways. Jim has to figure out who he really is and where he belongs.
Main Characters
Here are the main characters you'll meet in Moccasin Trail:
- James "Jim" Keath (Age 19): He is the main character. Jim is a white boy, but he has learned many skills and customs from the Crow Native Americans. He often disagrees with his sister, Sally, who wants him to act more "civilized."
- Jonathan "Jonnie" Keath (Age 17): After their parents passed away, Jonathan became the "man" of the family. He hopes to find a better life for them in the Oregon territories. Jonathan often tries to keep the peace between Jim and Sally.
- Sally Keath (Age 15): She is the sister in the Keath family. Sally takes on the role of their mother. She doesn't trust Jim much because of his Native American ways.
- Daniel Keath (Age 11): He is the youngest of the Keath siblings. At first, Daniel follows Jonathan everywhere. But over time, he becomes friends with Jim. Daniel starts to learn Jim's skills and manners.
