THE SPLENDID- JOURNEY. By Honore Willsie Morrow. (Heinemann. 5s.)—This story
of a pioneer boy has an old- fashioned flavour and a sturdiness about it that is •reminisce* of books like The Swiss Family Robinson, Illasterman Ready, and other favourites of our youth. It has also, in common with them, a religious atmosphere and a moral. The publishers claim that it becomes a classic for everybody who has a spice of the pioneer in them." While we feel that this state- ment suggests a superlative merit that the book does not possess, we agree that it deserves to be a great favourite among ,Children. John, the eldest of the Sager family, was a devil-may-care irresponsible boy when his parents decided to leave Ohio and -trek to Oregon. His father and mother died during the long march, leaving John in charge of five brothers and sisters and a tiny, baby.. Friends wanted to divide up the family, but John and "his children " ran away
from the other trekkers, and followed along the trail towards Oregon all by themselves. They were robbed by some Indians, made friends with others, forded dangerous rivers, and, after many hardships, reached a friendly camp. The book is really well written and is as thrilling as it is amusing.
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