Pioneer Cat

Kate and her family have arrived in St. Joseph, Mo., to join a wagon train heading for Oregon. Kate finds a cat and is determined to keep it. She smuggles the animal aboard the family wagon and enlists the help of her irrepressible new friend Rosie. The action-packed, highly readable tale includes such hazards as a buffalo stampede, a perilous river crossing and a dangerous encounter with Indians. Throughout Kate and Rosie struggle to keep Snuggs a secret. When Snuggs is finally discovered, there is a surprising twist, and the story ends with the wagon train's arrival in Oregon. Readers of this well-paced, first-person narrative will want to know more about the three adventurers in this story; Kate, Rosie and Snuggs are memorable travelers of the Oregon trail. Ages 8-10. (Nov.)