The Devil's Paintbox Paperback – November 12, 2013

full disclosure: this book was written by one of my closest friends.now that i've gotten that out of the way, i'd like to say that i feel like a jerk for not having read victoria's incredibly vivid novel immediately upon receiving it. i couldn't put it down!it's written for the young adult set, but the story stands on its own for anyone interested in a bit of american history. the characters are so real: strong, smart, and flawed. i have come away from this book with a colorful snapshot of one group's westward migration.i would definitely recommend this to anyone (i just bought 3 additional copies to give as gifts), and i would most certainly read it again.

This action-packed novel set in 1865 will appeal to fans of wilderness survival stories or historical adventures. Teenage siblings Aiden and Maddy are on the verge of starvation in Kansas when they are given the opportunity to join a wagon train traveling west on the Oregon Trail. What happens next is a harrowing journey as Aiden is beset by physical challenges and personal tragedy. Aiden becomes friends with a native his age, Tupic, and there is conflict arising from the tribe’s quest to obtain the vaccine for smallbox, otherwise known as “the Devil’s Paintbox”.The vivid depictions of the harsh life on the frontier and in a lumber camp are accurately portrayed. The characters are well-drawn. The attention to detail and beautiful prose, as well as steady pacing, kept my interest throughout the novel. Aiden’s story continues in the sequel, “Son of Fortune”.

My son recommended this book and I am really glad that I ordered and read it. It was not at all what I expected and the losses in the book were more than I had thought there would be. It seemed very realistic

I read a glowing review of the book, so I decided to try it. What a great story! The book reads quickly, as there is a contiuous series of incidents to maintain the reader's interest. Although it might be unsuitable to use in class at the middles grade level, it would be OK for grade 9+. A great addition to a Pioneer unit or as a suggestion for boys.

I thought this was an enjoyable read and overall, I thought it was well written. Unfortunately, my son won't be reading it in the next few years. I bought it for my 13 year old son to read as we studied westward expansion. I rarely pre-read his books, but I decided to with this one and I'm glad I did. Personally, I was a bit disappointed with the way the women in the logging camp were handled and felt that it was a bit too much for middle school age. I definitely would not recommend using it in a class setting. When the repeated references to the "whores" and the work that they did began in the last 1/3 of the book, I was hopeful that maybe we could just skip a chapter and still enjoy the best parts of the story. However, the theme was woven through several chapters and it was too much to just edit out without loosing a big part of the story line. I realize that I may be more conservative than many in my values, but I will say that if you are a parent who is sensitive to topics like prostitutes and how they meet the physical needs of men, you might want to skip this one.

I did like this book and story. However, I wish there were more details about the Oregon trail journey and the rest of the troubles. Still! Really enjoyed the story.

I bought this to use in my middle school classroom library, for the boys who like the western genre. I'm glad I read it before recommending it, because there are graphic details of life on the wagon train that some students may not be mature enough to handle.

I just think it was a very dramatic and amazing story of hardship and heartbreak. If you like this book you might also like old yeller.