Walking West
It’s 1883 in Kansas, and David Kamen just wants to have adventures like the characters in the books he’s always reading. But his time is occupied with walking from farm to farm throughout the region, selling goods from his father’s store. Although his newly arrived Uncle Simon goes with him, it’s David who knows the way and takes the lead whenever there’s a crisis—like the time they get trapped by a blizzard while delivering supplies to an isolated schoolhouse.
From managing to keep kosher while taking meals with their customers, to avoiding conflicts as settlers move into territories promised to the Indian tribes, David’s story is a terrific old-fashioned tale of adversity and adventures. Fans of the Little House series’ details about settler life will love this story. Since David and his family are Jewish, and since his customers encompass settlers and Indians, this book brings the era to life in a nicely nuanced way.
My only tiny criticism of this story is that, like the old-fashioned adventure books of my childhood, all the characters with agency are male. David, his male cousin, his male friend, and his uncle all have agency, while the females are simply supporting cast. Despite that, I highly recommend this book for every elementary school, library, and household. It’s a terrific reminder that America was built by people of all backgrounds. And it shows that the best adventures happen when you treat everyone you meet with kindness.
Suitable for ages 9-12, per the publisher. A younger child (7-8) would enjoy having this book read aloud to them.
