| 6-year-old Johannes Verne is traveling across the desert to California with his father. His father, knowing he is terminally ill, is taking Johannes to his Spanish grandfather, a weather Californio rancher. Johannes has never seen his grandfather, who was opposed to his late mother's marriage to his father, a rough but respected Western man.
As they reach the edge of the desert, a group of riders approach, Johannes' grandfather and men from his ranch. They shoot and kill his father, and take the young Johannes 40 miles into the desert, leaving him there to die. Johannes, conscious of his father's heritage, determines to try to survive, and begins walking back in the horses' footsteps. On the second day of his struggle, help arrives in the form of a lone cowboy riding the trail. He takes the boy to an abandoned log cabin, and there he begins a solitary existence. He has some friends in the desert, however, including an Indian boy, a mysterious stranger who leaves him books to read, and a young girl named Meghan. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) Time/era of story: Exploring into the wild Yes Plotlets: - surviving elements in wilderness Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 30 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 % Western Yes Story primarily about - attacked on ride through the West Terrain - Desert Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 60's-90's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - power How sensitive is this character? Setting Desert? Yes Writing Style Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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