Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express (I Can Read Book 3)

Customer Reviews:

For young readers.......2007-03-09

I bought this for my 5th grader for a school report on Buffalo Bill. There was not much info about the book so I wasn't sure what it would be. While an entertaining story, it is not suitable for research.
It is listed as a "Level 3 - Grades 2 - 4"
Depending on your child's reading level, this may be way off. I thought it was way too easy for even a 3rd grader.

Adventures Abound!.......2006-06-26

Young Buffalo Bill becomes a Pony Express Rider and suddenly must battle weather, Indians after his pony, wolves, danger, and bad guys. What more can a small boy want? (or in my case, a boy and a girl with a excessive fondness for horses).

Speaking of horses, I'd like to offer a bit of fact/trivia regarding the editorial review which says, "Unfortunately, a serious error appears. Bill travels from Red Buttes to Three Crossings station. When he arrives, he's told that a rider is sick and he needs to ride an additional 75-mile stretch. The text then states that, "Seven hours later, Bill made it to Three Crossings." Readers are bound to be perplexed by this statement and will be shuffling back through the pages to see what they missed. Too bad.?Gale W. Sherman, Pocatello Public Library, ID
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc."

This was obviously written by someone who, not knowing much about horses, thinks they can run 75 miles without stopping. Unfortunately, horses are not cars, and must stop to rest, eat, and drink often. Back in the 1800's, 75 miles in 7 hours WAS fast! I will summarize a paragraph from the ultimatehorsesite.com.
Modern Endurance Rides of 100 miles done by the same horse and rider in under 24 hours-usually require 8 vet checks, where the horse is required to rest for 30 minutes, as well as pass a health check. That's 4 hours spent resting; also, the rider may get off and jog with their horse partway. These horses are in top condition.

That means that 1/3 of the distance (33 miles) takes 8 hours. Buffalo Bill covered 75 miles in the same time! I'm impressed, not perplexed!

Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express.......2001-01-25

The story set the pace right from the first page. It was one adventure after another. The bright illustrations set the tone for each adventure. This was the first book my son said he couldn't wait to get to the next chapter ( it's set up in only 4 chapters), because he had to know what happened to Bill Cody.

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Makes history come alive
Black Storm Comin`
A Western that will appeal to many
History Made Fun
An story of bravery, freedom, and the love of a horse and rider

Black Storm Comin'
Diane Lee Wilson
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689871384

Book Description

WANTED: Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over eighteen. Must be expert riders. Willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred.

When Colton Wescott sees this sign for the Pony Express, he thinks he has the solution to his problems. He's stuck with his ma and two younger sisters on the wrong side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with no way to get across. They were on the wagon train heading to California when Pa accidentally shot Colton and then galloped away. Ma is sick, and Colton needs money to pay the doctor. He'd make good money as a Pony rider. he also needs to get to California to deliver freedom papers to Ma's sister, a runaway slave. The Pony Express could get him there too...

Does Colton have what it takes to be a Pony Express rider? And if so, will traveling the dangerous route over the mountains bring him closer to family, freedom, and everything he holds dear?

Customer Reviews:

Makes history come alive.......2007-06-22

A 12-year-old boy, Colton, tries to get a job with the Pony Express in this unusual "western". There are no Indians in the story, but race plays a part with the hero as a son of a white man and a free black woman, but who can pass for white. The family is moving west with a wagon train but is beset by the troubles of the trail--no doctors, difficult childbirth, broken wagon wheels, lack of food. A gun accident while in Nevada precipitates it all: the depressive father accidentally shoots the son in the leg, then takes off in apparent remorse, leaving the family to fend for itself. Racism is a theme of the story, but it is also about a boy's doggedness and the importance of cross-country communication on the eve of the Civil War. The prose is easy, in a colloquial style. Those who like horse stories and action-adventure will appreciate this one. I could hardly put this book down, and despite having to go to work I finished it in less than 24 hours. This book is heartily recommended, and should appeal especially to middle schoolers studying the pre-Civil War era as well as to horse enthusiasts, male or female. It would work well as a read-aloud for middle school, since the audience will be anxious to know how it turns out. It is devoid of love interests, but despite that it should serve a high school audience well, too.

Black Storm Comin`.......2007-03-03

In my book, Black Storm Comin`, Colton, the twelve-year-old boy who is the main character, is very responsible and knows everything he needs to know to travel by himself and knows how be a man. One example of that is that Colton has to work with his dad every day. Colton has to wake up at 6:00 a.m. in the morning he doesn't stop working until 8:00 p.m. And he has been doing that for 5 years straight. Another example of that is that he has good manners. Colton calls a lady ma'am and a man sir, he is really polite and he says please and thanks you. Colton also became the man of the family. After pa left after shooting Colton accidentally at the leg while he was asleep, Colton had to stand up and was forced to take responsibility for his whole family and he was doing everything. Colton helplessly needed a job so, he thought he could get a job at the Pony Express because it would cover up the pay and it would take him and his entire family to Sacramento, California that everyone needed to go there and he got the job. At the middle of the story Colton's ma gave Colton a letter to give to her half sister, then at the end of the story, Colton gave it to the half sister, but then ended u running for their lives meaning his pa and himself. Colton was the perfect kid at his time as I have already told you how.

A Western that will appeal to many.......2005-11-01

I'm not usually a fan of westerns. I don't get that whole prairie, horse, dirt thing that many find appealing.

But this story is not a typical western.

It's the story of a 12 year old boy and his family - a 12 year old who's forced to take responsibility for his family (an occurrance common enough in the past).

There's a lot of historical information and environmental vibes packed into this book - it fairly places you in the shoes of a biracial child who, quite guiltily, can pass for white in a time right before the civil war. It gives you an insight into the Pony Express - a wonderful group of kids who kept the country connected and informed.

In all, this is a good read, especially for young boys, which will open the mind and the heart.

(*)>

History Made Fun.......2005-10-12

Like all of Diane Lee Wilson's books, we get some excellent historical background to a great story. Her characters are always interesting and nuanced, not the stock character so often found in young adult fiction. Her stories are set in interesting times and we always learn something we didn't know. In Black Storm Comin, we get an insiders look not only into the Pony Express but also the challenges faced by the bi-racial rider. And the horses! Wilson can write about horses like no one else - she's taking over where Marguite Henry left off. This is a great read and I look forward to her next one. I recommend it for any reader, young or old, male or female.

An story of bravery, freedom, and the love of a horse and rider.......2005-06-29

Based on Wilson's research about the pony express, this story is filled with fascinating facts and tidbits about the old west. But what is so delightful is the intensity of the story, excellent horsemanship, and relationship of a small boy and his horse. It kept me on the edge the whole time. The young protagonist is also bi-racial, adding an interesting twist and subtheme to the entire story. I learned much about the pony express and its riders, as well as the challenges of being bi-racial in early America.

Orphans Preferred: The Twisted Truth and Lasting Legend of the Pony Express

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The Truth and The Legend
When the legends become facts, who are we to know?
Light, enjoyable read 3-1/2 stars
Absolute Hogwash!
Wish there were was more published of 19th century American history at the level of this book.

Orphans Preferred: The Twisted Truth and Lasting Legend of the Pony Express
Christopher Corbett
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0767906934
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Book Description

“WANTED. YOUNG, SKINNY, WIRY FELLOWS. NOT OVER 18. MUST BE EXPERT RIDERS. WILLING TO RISK DEATH DAILY. ORPHANS PREFERRED.”
—California newspaper help-wanted ad, 1860

The Pony Express is one of the most celebrated and enduring chapters in the history of the United States, a story of the all-American traits of bravery, bravado, and entrepreneurial risk that are part of the very fabric of the Old West. No image of the American West in the mid-1800s is more familiar, more beloved, and more powerful than that of the lone rider galloping the mail across hostile Indian territory. No image is more revered. And none is less understood. Orphans Preferred is both a revisionist history of this magnificent and ill-fated adventure and an entertaining look at the often larger-than-life individuals who created and perpetuated the myth of “the Pony,” as it is known along the Pony Express trail that runs from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California. The Pony Express is a story that exists in the annals of Americana where fact and fable collide, a story as heroic as the journey of Lewis and Clark, as complex and revealing as the legacy of Custer’s Last Stand, and as muddled and freighted with yarns as Paul Revere’s midnight ride. Orphans Preferred is a fresh and exuberant reexamination of this great American story.

Customer Reviews:

The Truth and The Legend.......2006-11-12

A wonderful read.

The history of the pony express was fairly brief; for only about a year and a half did it do business. Author Corbett chooses to give this short history a sufficient writing, thankfully not stretching it past the point to which we would care. He then spends the rest of the book (over half of it, actually) exploring those who kept the legend alive and profited from it. Corbett does a stellar job of allowing the reader to enjoy each story (even when he's about to prove it to be bunk) and he gives the famous, infamous, and totally forgotten their due. Overall, Mr. Corbett has created a very good book about one of U. S. history's more interesting sidenotes.

When the legends become facts, who are we to know?.......2006-07-24

Just returning from a trip throught Nevada Highway 50, I read this book so I can have some more insight on the Pony Express saga since I visited the Cold Spring and Sand Spring Stations or what was left of them as well as Fort Churchill.

For an enterprise that lasted only for 18 months, the legends of the Pony Express will probably lived on forever. It was interesting to read how the Paiute War seem to dominate fate of the Pony Express. I found this book to be well research and easy to read book on this subject. I found the book to be insightful as well as interesting as the perception of the Pony Express in the American western saga easily outlived the reality of the real thing. The author took great pains to show that. I believed he was successful in reflecting Pony Express as it really was, as how it was remembered by veterans and wannabes, and as it was percieved by historians.

Good reading all around, story about a small part of United States that outgrew its short period of history and grown into a legendary status.

Light, enjoyable read 3-1/2 stars.......2006-05-11

Orphans Preferred by Christopher Corbett is a fun history of The Pony Express. Corbett does his best to piece through the mythology of the "Pony", but he doesn't always have a lot to work with. Sometimes he spends pages explaining all the different possibilities of a fact which isn't all that important. There are neat, short biographies of some fascinating characters from the Wild West including Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickock. Corbett treats the whole book as fun and not to be taken too seriously, and that's exactly how I suggest you read the book. He does his best to give us the facts, but sometimes the legend is more interesting, so he recounts that as well. I have a new understanding of The Pony Express and some of the people who helped create its myth, but many mysteries remain, including the "orphans preferred" newspaper advertisement.

Absolute Hogwash!.......2006-02-04

Were it possible to give less than one star, I certainly would. The author lost my faith in his introduction when he "debunked" the story of each Pony Express rider being issued a Bible by pointing out that a Bible would be difficult to read while on a galloping horse.
Had he put any thought into what he was writing, he might have realized riders were NOT in the saddle 24/7, that there was much "down time" spent at lonely way stations and plenty of time for reading the Bible or the labels on cans of peaches or whatever other material was at hand.
When an author writes without thinking, he completely loses my trust. No wonder used copies are selling for eighty cents - overpriced even at that amount.

Wish there were was more published of 19th century American history at the level of this book........2005-09-16

Rather than being a historical account of the famed service, Orphans Preferred serves as a filter through which previously what was known and said about the Pony Express is poured, yielding a trickle of facts to fall into the pot at the other end. A healthy dose of biographies on the central and tangential characters associated with the story is then added in order to make the facts seem more filling. This book illustrates the difficulty of writing about an event only 18 months in duration that took place almost a century and a half in the past. Corbett has thoroughly researched the literature and articles that have covered the Pony Express in the intervening time, but has not provided much new material that would bridge factual gaps. Witnesses are all deceased of course, so I am inclined to forgive. It is a breezy read, making it an excellent tome for vacation at the beach or just curled up in front of the fireplace or on the couch in your reading room.

P.S. The content on Russell, Majors & Waddell, the dominant federal contract shipping firm of the middle nineteenth century west of the Mississippi, will definitely delight the business reader.

Pony Express: Time Soldiers Book #7 (Time Soldiers)

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Pony Express: Time Soldiers Book #7 (Time Soldiers)
Kathleen Duey
Manufacturer: Big Guy Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 192994568X

Book Description

The young band of adventurers returns in another action-packed trip into the past—this time back to the American West. When the Time Soldiers go through the portal to the 1860s, they find themselves not just watching the historic, breakneck rides of the pony express but also saddling up with the riders to carry Abraham Lincoln's inaugural address across 2,000 miles of wilderness. While the travelers lend a hand in the past, they are watched by mysterious men in dark suits who follow and wait, lurking at the margins of their time-bending trips. With engaging graphic design and a mix of history and fantasy, these tales of adventure and mystery will keep young readers glued to the pages.

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Great Read
Outstanding Book
A well told boy's story with the read - a - loud feel so rarely seen
Death Defying Action Riding for the Pony Express

Riders of the Pony Express
Ralph Moody
Manufacturer: Bison Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0803283059

Book Description

Prior to the Civil War, the fastest mail between the West Coast and the East took almost thirty days by stagecoach along a southern route through Texas. Some Californians feared their state would not remain in the Union, separated so far from the free states.

Then businessman William Russell invested in a way to deliver mail between San Francisco and the farthest western railroad, in Saint Joseph, Missouri—across two thousand miles of mountains, deserts, and plains—guaranteed in ten days or less. Russell hired eighty of the best and bravest riders, bought four hundred of the fastest and hardiest horses, and built relay stations along a central route--through modern-day Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada, to California.

Informed by his intimate knowledge of horses and Western geography, Ralph Moody's exciting account of the eighteen critical months that the Pony Express operated between April 1860 and October 1861 pays tribute to the true grit and determination of the riders and horses of the Pony Express.

Customer Reviews:

Great Read.......2007-08-24

This book and Author have been our summer reading list for my three boys, myself and my parents. My eldest at 8 read it himself I read it to the younger two and all were kept interested. After reading Moody's book on the Pony Express we were able to stop at a couple of relay stations and they already new so much.

Outstanding Book.......2007-06-28

An accurate and outstanding book which contains a perfectly woven story, about the Pony Express. Probably the best ever written on the subject. Ralph Moody is one of top american authors in our nation's history.

A well told boy's story with the read - a - loud feel so rarely seen.......2007-02-26

This book is ideal for the mid-primary ages, filled with visionary men and larger that life characters that fulfuilled their vision.

Authentic feeling due to Moody's extensive knowledge of horses and the west and illustrated with line drawings and maps that enhance understanding.

A true product of it era no effort was made to soften or "PC up" the relationships and attitudes of white and indian and although the feel and language used is probably understated it may concern some people to see terms such as "Injuns" perjoratively used.

There are also honest although no graphic treatments of deaths both indian and white as well as the death of some Pony Express horses in the line of duty which should be easily handled except by a very sensitive child, but if yours is please bear this in mind.

An excellent book - good source for a book report. Would make an interesting read for a family traversing the Pony Express route on vacation darwing the younger children into the expereince. Over all an excellent book but slightly dated.

Death Defying Action Riding for the Pony Express.......2000-03-08

180 pages of illustrated true grit, with maps. 12 short chapters chronicle the first day's crossing of mail by the Pony Express. 4 more chapters record the danger and greatest rides of actual Pony Express riders. Ralph Moody shows only a slight bias toward his beloved wild mustangs.

They're Off! : The Story of the Pony Express

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They're Off! : The Story of the Pony Express

Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689851219

Book Description

In 1860, with North and South about to be divided by war, East and West were united through an extraordinary venture -- the Pony Express. Over the course of ten days in April, eighty riders and five hundred horses delivered mail between California and Missouri -- a mission that took three weeks by stagecoach.

Although it existed for only a year and a half, the Pony Express remains a legendary chapter in American history and a symbol of the bold, adventurous character of the Old West. The spirit of the brave riders and their ponies is captured perfectly in Cheryl Harness's lively, brightly illustrated, and information-filled account.

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A monkey could write this better!

Great for learning!

Jimmy Spoon and the Pony Express
Kristiana Gregory
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Legend of Jimmy Spoon

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Orphan Runaways

They're Off! : The Story of the Pony Express

Hope Springs Eternal (Prairie River #4)

ASIN: 0590465783

Customer Reviews:

A monkey could write this better!.......2004-04-02

Jimmy was always trying to be a hero. Finally, he actually proved it. He was trying out to work for the pony express. He had to show his skills on a horse. That was the only good part in the story. Although it was almost the least favorite book that I've ever read. Jimmy was such a show off at the end because he said,"Oh man I'm a hero!" He also went to boring places where nothing happened. For example, he was in a forest cooking doing nothing at night. That was practicly the whole chapter(...)

Great for learning!.......2000-05-28

This is a great book for learning about the old times and has alot of neat facts. The author used very good descriptions and put fact on fantasy in the same book. If you love the west then this is a book for you!

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Hoofbeats of Danger review
Hoof Beats Of Danger
Not great not wonderful just OK
History Mysteries: A Good Series For Kids
It was a good story about a horse and a girl.

Hoofbeats of Danger (History Mysteries)
HOLLY HUGHES
Manufacturer: American Girl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1562477587

Customer Reviews:

Hoofbeats of Danger review.......2002-08-25

Annie's father Mr. Dawson owns a mail delivery company called the Pony Express and it's in the 1800's when one of the horses gets hurt her father blames it all on one person but he is Annie's friend and Annie knows her would never hurt a horse. How will she prove her friends innocents?

Hoof Beats Of Danger.......2002-03-01

Would you like to live in the west and work at red Buttes Pony Express Station? Well that's what happens to Annie as she goes through action, adventure and danger in HOOF BEATS OF DANGER by Holly Hugh's. This book is good for ages 9 and up. This book may not have pictures but the author describes the scenes so well you don't need them. So find out what happens to Magpie Annie's horse. I like this book a lot because it has a lot of action. The lesson or moral is love others.

Not great not wonderful just OK.......2001-05-01

11 year old, Annie Dawson lives in a mining cabin in California. Her father works for Oakland Pony Express. Lately, her favorite horse Magpie has been acting strange. Her father says that he has no choice, but to shoot her. Annie begins to protest and is sure that someone is poisoning Magpie. It is up to her to help save Magpie before it's too late. This book was a little bit boring and it strongly resembled other History Mysteries. The plot is always the same. Young girl who has a passion for something. Soon that passion is taken or trying to be taken away. The young girl tries to find out who is trying to take this away. In the end everything is perfect. After reading a few history mysteries, I am beginning to tire. The history mysteries that I suggest you read however are, Secrets on 26th street and The Smuggler's Treasure. All in all, however this book was good enough to rank 4 stars.

History Mysteries: A Good Series For Kids.......2001-02-20

I read "Hoofbeats Of Danger" with my nine-year-old daughter. It was the first book in this series we read together. Since then, we have read a couple of others in the series and I imagine we will get to all of them. I know my daughter is enjoying these books because she always wants to keep going when it's time to stop. These books have three very positive aspects to them. First, they are good stories. They hold kids' interest and make reading fun. Second, the young heroines in these stories make good role models for the real girls reading or hearing the stories. Third, they provide a small history lesson, imparting some insight into a particular period and place in American history.

"Hoofbeats Of Danger" takes place on the frontier at the time of the Pony Express. It involves a realistic look at frontier life and provides some factual information along the way. I highly recommend this book and, in general, the entire series, to parents looking for reading material for kids (especially girls) in the nine to twelve age group.

It was a good story about a horse and a girl........1999-09-07

It was a very good book. The pace never slows. If you love horses and mysteries you will love this book!!

Dangerous Ride Across Humboldt Flats (Adventures on the American Frontier #2)

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Dangerous Ride Across Humboldt Flats (Adventures on the American Frontier #2)
Stephen Bly
Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1581344724

Book Description

Gabe Young is an orphan. He barely survives in the unforgiving West by working for meals at mining camps and frontier towns. Then in 1860 he gets lost along the Humboldt River in northern Nevada Territory. He meets a girl, who takes him to her parents at a Pony Express station. With them Gabe finds a whole lot more than shelter and a meal. He discovers a father’s provision, a mother’s love, and a young girl’s interest. But most of all, he discovers God’s grace.

Gabe can hardly believe the family’s tender care for him, and when he gets a chance to help them, he rides several legs of the dangerous Pony Express trail with the news of Abraham Lincoln’s election and the impending Civil War. Gabe learns the power of prayer and love in this second installment of the Adventures on the American Frontier series.

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Entertaining and informative
Engaging, insightful

The Saga of the Pony Express
Joseph J. Di Certo
Manufacturer: Mountain Press Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0878424520

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining and informative.......2007-03-10

This book was very easy to read. The author did an outstanding job telling the story of the Pony Express. A definate read for anybody interested in this time period.

Engaging, insightful.......2005-11-10

Just like the Pony Express riders themselves, this is a fast-paced but at the same time enjoyable and meaningful read of a very significant period in American history.
Due to Hollywood, television, dime novels, etc. many have a misunderstanding that the Pony Express lasted for years, even decades, where in actuality it was for only eighteen months. DiCerto gives us a glimpse into the origin of how and why this mail service was initiated; who started it; the trials and tribulations of the politics involved; a brief history of every station along the route; and best of all, the hardships, perils, dangers and grit of the young riders themselves.
A very well written and informative book.

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