Tucket Adventures

It is 1848, and Francis Tucket is heading west on the Oregon Trail with his family. Yesterday he celebrated his 14th birthday on the tailgate of a Conestoga wagon in the foothills of the Rockies. Today, he is going to practice with his new birthday present, a Lancaster rifle. Falling far behind the wagon train, Francis loses sight of his family and is kidnapped by Pawnee Indians. Saved by a one-armed mountain man named Mr. Grimes, Francis takes off with his rescuer on a wild adventure peopled by actual historical characters, including Jim Bowie, and set against an historically-accurate background of the Old West.

In 1848, fourteen-year-old Francis Tucket was kidnapped from an Oregon-bound wagon train by a Pawnee hunting party. But a one-armed mountain man named Mr. Grimes quickly rescued him and hid him from the hostile tribe. After a year in the mountain wilderness with Mr. Grimes, Francis decides to strike out on his own-to follow the dangerous trail to Oregon and find his family. Francis thinks he can handle just about anything-buffalo stampedes, gun-toting outlaws, and even the constant threat of tribal attacks. But when he finds two frightened children stranded in the wilderness, Francis takes on more than he bargained for. Suddenly, he's got a family of his own to protect all the way to Oregon. Call Me Francis Tucket continues the action-packed adventure that began in the critically acclaimed Mr. Tucket. With authentic detail and gritty honesty, Newbery Honor winner Gary Paulsen leads listeners deep into the American West and into Francis' remarkable tale of survival on the wild frontier.

Francis Tucket's life has been exciting ever since his family headed to Oregon in a wagon train. First he was kidnapped by Pawnee Indians. Then Mr. Grimes, a one-armed mountain, man rescued him and taught him wilderness survival skills. Later when Francis set off alone to find his parents on the Oregon Trail, he ended up rescuing two young children stranded in the barren land. Now in Tucket's Ride, winter is forcing 15-year-old Francis to take Lottie and Billy south to avoid snowy mountains. Soon they are in the midst of a war between Mexico and the United States! But Francis' troubles really begin when they meet up with the West's most ruthless outlaw band, the Comancheros. Newbery Honor winner Gary Paulsen spins tales of the American frontier in the 1840s with realistic details and gritty honesty. Tucket's Ride continues Francis' action-packed adventure series that begins with Mr. Tucket, then Call Me Francis Tucket.

In 1848, Francis Tucket was stolen from his family while they were travelling west along the Oregon Trail. After his escape, he spent a year learning the ways of the land from a one-armed mountain man. Trying to catch up with his family again, Francis found two stranded children, Lottie and Billy. Together, they're facing the dangers of the old West while making their way to Oregon. In this exciting continuation of the story from Mr. Tucket, Call Me Francis Tucket, and Tucket's Ride, Francis, Lottie, and Billy race to escape the outlaw Comancheros, discover hidden gold, and find a lost cliff city. As they struggle to survive, they discover that by working together, they can accomplish nearly anything. Newbery Honor-winning author Gary Paulsen fills this exciting, historically accurate adventure with gritty, realistic details. Narrator John Randolph Jones portrays each thrilling new encounter with zest.

Fifteen-year-old Francis Tucket has been searching for his parents ever since Pawnees kidnapped him from their wagon train on the Oregon Trail. He owes his survival to a one-armed mountain man, Jason Grimes, who came to his rescue. Now Francis owes his life to the mountain man once again. Unfortunately, it's a debt he'll never be able to repay. Grimes is killed defending Francis and his young friends, Lottie and Billy, from a band of marauding robbers. As the three young people approach the end of their journey, they wonder if they can make it across the raging Columbia River. But a friendly young Indian offers Francis some good advice. Newbery Award-winning author Gary Paulsen skillfully juxtaposes exciting adventure with the dangers endured by pioneers on the Oregon Trail. This tale of heroism and courage is also a realistic look at the hardships endured by early settlers. John Randolf Jones' expert narration provides the perfect climax to this fifth and final book in the Francis Tucket saga.