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joy323's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
wrentheblurry's review against another edition
3.0
GENRE: Fiction, adventure, western, historical fiction elements.
SUMMARY: It's 1848, and Francis just celebrated his fourteenth birthday. He was part of a wagon train headed to Oregon, and thought he would spend some time shooting his new rifle. Next thing Francis knows, he's been kidnapped by some Pawnee Indians, and one of the elderly Indian women acts like he is her son. He sees his chance to escape weeks later, when a one-armed beaver trapper (Mr. Grimes) rides into camp to trade some supplies with the Pawnee. Mr. Grimes helps Francis, whom he calls Mr. Tucket, to escape, and they meet up shortly thereafter. From then on, Mr. Tucket gets a hands-on education in how to live in the wild, as he and Mr. Grimes go on numerous adventures, some of them life-threatening.
EVALUATION: This is a fast-paced tale of how a tween boy had to grow up quickly in order to survive. The history with the Indians feels and seems accurate, though I do not know for certain if that is how the various tribes really were.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: Tons of action and adventure will strongly appeal to tween boys. Francis gets into a number of fights, sometimes he is wrestling, and sometimes he is shooting. For students studying this time in history, it could provide a fun way to learn more about the era.
READER'S ANNOTATION: Francis' fourteenth birthday didn't turn out like he expected: he got the nicest rifle he's ever seen and he was kidnapped by Indians.
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• Doubtful Canon by Johnny D. Boggs.
• Rodzina by Karen Cushman.
• Beyond the Divide by Kathryn Lasky.
• Walking Up a Rainbow by Theodore Taylor.
• Black Storm Comin' by Diane L. Wilson.
SUMMARY: It's 1848, and Francis just celebrated his fourteenth birthday. He was part of a wagon train headed to Oregon, and thought he would spend some time shooting his new rifle. Next thing Francis knows, he's been kidnapped by some Pawnee Indians, and one of the elderly Indian women acts like he is her son. He sees his chance to escape weeks later, when a one-armed beaver trapper (Mr. Grimes) rides into camp to trade some supplies with the Pawnee. Mr. Grimes helps Francis, whom he calls Mr. Tucket, to escape, and they meet up shortly thereafter. From then on, Mr. Tucket gets a hands-on education in how to live in the wild, as he and Mr. Grimes go on numerous adventures, some of them life-threatening.
EVALUATION: This is a fast-paced tale of how a tween boy had to grow up quickly in order to survive. The history with the Indians feels and seems accurate, though I do not know for certain if that is how the various tribes really were.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: Tons of action and adventure will strongly appeal to tween boys. Francis gets into a number of fights, sometimes he is wrestling, and sometimes he is shooting. For students studying this time in history, it could provide a fun way to learn more about the era.
READER'S ANNOTATION: Francis' fourteenth birthday didn't turn out like he expected: he got the nicest rifle he's ever seen and he was kidnapped by Indians.
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• Doubtful Canon by Johnny D. Boggs.
• Rodzina by Karen Cushman.
• Beyond the Divide by Kathryn Lasky.
• Walking Up a Rainbow by Theodore Taylor.
• Black Storm Comin' by Diane L. Wilson.
knitter22's review against another edition
4.0
My youngest son was a reluctant reader during his elementary school years, and this caused a problem for both of us when he was assigned a book report. I was lucky enough to be working in an elementary school library at the time, so I would search the library's databases looking carefully for just the right book that would capture his attention. Once I found Gary Paulsen, my search became much easier.
The Tucket Adventures were some of my son's favorites, but I only ever read the first one myself. At a loss for something to read recently, I decided to try the whole series. Now I understand why my son enjoyed these so much! There is plenty of action, adventure, danger, and resourcefulness in the first one, and each book ends on a cliffhanger so you can hardly help but read the next one immediately. Fourteen-year-old Francis Alphonse Tucket is kidnapped by Pawnee Indians as he is traveling westward on the Oregon Trail with his family, and the stories revolve around his adventures in trying to reunite with his family. Francis grows as a character over the series, learning how to survive and how to make responsible and mature decisions. While there are some episodes of violence in the books, this would make an excellent series to read with your child/grandchild and discuss why the violence between Indians and settlers might have occurred, along with right and wrong, good and evil when your very survival might depend upon your decisions.
I highly recommend The Tucket Adventures as "boy books", especially for picky reluctant readers, but it also made a satisfying series to read for an adult. I look forward to reading Paulsen's Hatchet series some day!
The Tucket Adventures were some of my son's favorites, but I only ever read the first one myself. At a loss for something to read recently, I decided to try the whole series. Now I understand why my son enjoyed these so much! There is plenty of action, adventure, danger, and resourcefulness in the first one, and each book ends on a cliffhanger so you can hardly help but read the next one immediately. Fourteen-year-old Francis Alphonse Tucket is kidnapped by Pawnee Indians as he is traveling westward on the Oregon Trail with his family, and the stories revolve around his adventures in trying to reunite with his family. Francis grows as a character over the series, learning how to survive and how to make responsible and mature decisions. While there are some episodes of violence in the books, this would make an excellent series to read with your child/grandchild and discuss why the violence between Indians and settlers might have occurred, along with right and wrong, good and evil when your very survival might depend upon your decisions.
I highly recommend The Tucket Adventures as "boy books", especially for picky reluctant readers, but it also made a satisfying series to read for an adult. I look forward to reading Paulsen's Hatchet series some day!
al_capone911's review against another edition
5.0
i really liked the book its about a kid name Francis Tucket and him and his family is on his way to organ and its his birthday and he got a new rifle for his birthday so he go's to the end of the wagon train and starts shooting and doesn't see they are gone and then a bunch of Indians from the Pawnee tribe jumped and kidnapped him and took him back to the tribal land and then a white man named Mr grimes came through and freed Francis and he took him to the Pawnee tribal land and he had to wrestle a Indian boy to win a pony and some buck skins and now they are on there way
andrew6762's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The book was about a boy named Francis Tucket that was on a wagon train with his family then he got kidnapped by indians then he got saved by a man named Mr.Grimes and he only had one arm he lost the other to the leader of that indian tribe after he saved Francis he trained him to shoot and how to ride a horse after that they went to a different indian village and Francis wrestled a indian boy he won and his reward was a horse and some pelts after that they go to visit Mr.Grimes friend and they stayed there for a while after that they went to hunt some beavers to sell to Mr.Grtimes friend then they got attacked by some indians after that they went to sell the beaver pelts but the indians burned down the buildings then Mr.Grimes went to fight the indian leader that got his arm he won then cut off his head to have as a trophy then Francis decided to try to go to oregon and find his family.
garry's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Mr. Tucket just turns around and leaves Mr. Grimes and goes back to his family without saying goodbye.
eldarx's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
stacyrenee's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Middle Grade
Historical Fiction
Fourteen-year-old Francis Alphonse Tucket is traveling west on the Oregon Trail with his family when he is kidnapped by Pawnee warriors.
Mr. Tucket starts the chronicles of Francis Alphonse's western adventures.
Listened to the audio, and may continue the series just to cross more Gary Paulsen off my 'list'.
Historical Fiction
Fourteen-year-old Francis Alphonse Tucket is traveling west on the Oregon Trail with his family when he is kidnapped by Pawnee warriors.
Mr. Tucket starts the chronicles of Francis Alphonse's western adventures.
Listened to the audio, and may continue the series just to cross more Gary Paulsen off my 'list'.
odinblindeye's review against another edition
3.0
Old Children's Book. Liked it as a kid, but haven't read it in years.
gatorelgato's review
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0