Alternating points of view tell the tale of a time traveling dog and the boy he comes to love-if only temporarily. Ranger the Golden Retriever loves his life with Luke. He may have flunked out of Search & Rescue school because of his squirrel chasing habit, but his family loves him just the same. One sunny summer afternoon, Ranger uncovers an old first aid kit. The kits seems to shine brightly. Before Ranger knows it, he is back in time on the Oregon Trail. He gets involved in a search and rescue mission to find a three-year-old girl. Success! After locating Amelia, he bonds with his new friend's older brother Sam and decides to accompany the family until he can return to present day--and Luke. Life on the trail in 1850 is tough and everything happens to this group of settlers. They encounter buffalo stampedes, disease, near drownings, poisonous snakes, and death. New friends are made along the way and good-byes exchanged when folks part ways. Through it all, Ranger never leaves Sam's side, saving the day on more than one occasion. Will Ranger ever return to his own time and Luke or is he destined to stay with this new family in the deep past?
The first in a popular series written by an eclectic children's author, this series works double duty. It serves as a great choice for historical fiction book reports for kids who are not strong readers, as well as offering an alternative to Puppy Place for dog lovers. Best of all, it involves time travel, which is always fun. The reading level is perfect for kids new to chapter books with a large font, short chapters and generous margins. There is a full-page black and white illustration per chapter that will keep kids moving along. This inaugural adventure feels almost like playing the classic Oregon Trail game. The family starts out packing up, hits the trail, and must make choices and avoid troubles. Literally everything happens to these people from almost fatal river crossings to cholera (alas, not dysentery). The adventure will further suck kids in and other tales featuring Ranger will bring them to Pearl Harbor, Ancient Rome, and Hurricane Katrina among other pivotal moments in world history. The alternating points of view give readers a glimpse into the dog's thought process and move from one to the other seamlessly. Perfect for reluctant readers, this is a great suggestion for kids not quite ready for I Survived by finished with Magic Treehouse. An author's note offering factual information, source notes and a bibliography round out the volume.
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