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A review by jennifermreads
Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee
4.0
Sammy and Andy both have their reasons for fleeing 1849 Missouri. They set out on the Oregon Trail trying to escape their pasts and find their future. But the Trail doesn’t just bring the migrant troubles of bandits, stampedes, and dangerous weather. The girls also decide that disguising themselves as boys will provide the most safety and then they fall in with another group of travelers for the rest of the journey.
Entries in the YA western genre are few and this one is top-notch. A terrific look at migration along the Oregon Trail with a strong dose of immigrant and slave history. Sammy and Andy’s backgrounds and struggles are heartbreaking but their approach to changing their station in life is uplifting. Sammy struggles with her feeling of being followed by bad luck; Andy, while running from her own slavery, longs to find her surviving brother. The three young men they join in their travels are colorful and provide some light-hearted moments. The bit of romance that sneaks into the tale is so minor to the overall plot that I did not find myself going “why always with the romance!”
Rich in environment, culture, and immigrant, migrant, & American history, this is a not-to-be-missed tale.
Entries in the YA western genre are few and this one is top-notch. A terrific look at migration along the Oregon Trail with a strong dose of immigrant and slave history. Sammy and Andy’s backgrounds and struggles are heartbreaking but their approach to changing their station in life is uplifting. Sammy struggles with her feeling of being followed by bad luck; Andy, while running from her own slavery, longs to find her surviving brother. The three young men they join in their travels are colorful and provide some light-hearted moments. The bit of romance that sneaks into the tale is so minor to the overall plot that I did not find myself going “why always with the romance!”
Rich in environment, culture, and immigrant, migrant, & American history, this is a not-to-be-missed tale.