After skimming through this book, I feel satisfied that I could use this book in a classroom context. The story contains great primary resources, sufficient details and historical context, and the writing is gripping at times, particularly the chapter "The Last Taboo." The quotations that introduce each chapter paint a picture of the circumstances of that particular chapter. The book could be read cover-to-cover or individual chapters could be focused on. It provides sufficient information to be an exploration of the California Gold Rush. I believe I might tie this story into a unit on making tough choices. ( )

A thoroughly researched account of the fateful Donner expedition which tells the human story behind the sensationalized "cannibals!" image that's best known today. This book covers the entire journey, analyzing everything that went wrong (with problems ranging from fights and accidents on the trail to a tragic over-reliance on an incompetently written travelers' guide) and giving plenty of background on the culture and society of 1840s America. Children's viewpoints are given special prominence, especially Virginia Reed, whose diaries and letters are quoted extensively. The subject matter is quite dark and at times gruesome -- the book doesn't go out of its way to be gory, but its doesn't sugarcoat what happened, either -- so caution should be taken. This definitely isn't for every kid, but for those who can handle this sort of thing, it's an excellent history and travelogue. ( )

Even though "The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party" was thoroughly researched and well-written, I will not be making it available to my fourth grade students. An adult or teen could most likely handle the tragic details about the cannibalism that the desperate and starving emigrants resorted to, but my nine year-olds would probably be too disturbed. It is really a shame, because this book chronicles so much more about the Donner Party's journey...the horrendous route the wagons had to follow, the infighting between pioneers, the prejudice against non-whites, and the bad luck the emigrants experienced. Throughout the book, Calabro included excerpts from the letters of Donner Party member Virginia Reed, who was 13 when she finally made it out of the Sierras. The author also related what happened to the survivors of the party. Interestingly, many became leaders in their communities. This is a great book and perhaps some of my students will choose to read it when they are a little older! ( )

An accounts of the Donner party's trip in covered wagons to California. They encountered bad weather and bad advice along the way. Many members of the group did not survive and others were traumatized by the events and the choices they were forced to make. Maps and photos. ( )

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