Moccasin Trail
by Eloise Jarvis McGraw · Grade 5-8 · Ages Ages 10-14
Jim Keath has spent years living in the wilderness after being separated from his family. When he learns that his younger brothers and sister are traveling west to start a new life, he joins them on the Oregon frontier and must figure out where he belongs.
Key vocabulary
A moccasin is a soft leather shoe, often made by Native peoples. It is good for walking quietly and comfortably.
A trail is a path through the woods, mountains, or open land. Travelers follow trails to find their way.
The frontier is land at the edge of settled places. In this story, it means the wild western lands where families were building new homes.
Wilderness is land where few people live and nature is all around. It might have forests, rivers, animals, and no towns nearby.
A homestead is a home and land where a family lives and works. People on the frontier often had to build their homesteads themselves.
Buckskin is soft leather made from deer hide. It was often used for clothing because it was strong and flexible.
Kin means family or relatives. Your brothers, sisters, cousins, parents, and grandparents are your kin.
An emigrant is a person who leaves one place to live in another. In the book, emigrants travel west hoping to make a new home.