Great Times at McGilvra Elementary School! (And in Vancouver, WA)

Yesterday, David and I spent the day at Seattle's McGilvra Elementary School. We talked to three large groups of students (one after another) about our Oregon Trail graphic novel. This was our first encounter with members of the demographic for whom this book was created.

We were touched and delighted at their overwhelmingly positive reaction. We also greatly appreciated the positive feedback from teachers who use the book as part of the Oregon Trail studies in the Washington state school system.

The students asked us some great questions. My favorite one, which we heard more than once, was the existentially basic "why did you do the book?"

David and I had celebrity status a rock star would envy. I lost count of the autographs I gave, and David and I both did several on-the-fly drawings. Once the students found out I could draw a passable ox, the request line redoubled. I could see David had a long waiting list, too. So much love in the room!

It was great to really understand that our book succeeds at what it sets out to do, and that it helps 21st century young people relate to the brave souls who took this very risky journey, 150+ years ago...

A few weeks back, I boarded an Amtrak train and traveled solo to Vancouver, Washington, where I signed 50 copies of the Oregon Trail book for a librarian's conference. It was great to meet school and public librarians, and introduce them to the book. We ran out of books quickly, and got word out about the graphic novel to these influential individuals.

Thanks to the astounding kindness of the teachers and students at McGilvra, and to Lisa Hay of Sasquatch Books, who has done a lot to make the world aware of our book. Here are a couple of iPod photos Lisa took of me at the Vancouver signing:

Thanks to everyone we met at these two great events! We hope to see you again soon!

from the School Library Journal, Jan. 2012

"...A good addition as an introduction to an Oregon Trail unit or for supplemental materials on the subject."

Mariela Siegert, Westfield Middle School, Bloomingdale, IL

Names Hill--Where OT Travelers Left Their Mark

One of my favorite moments in The Road to Destiny occurs when the Weston family reaches Names Hill.

This was a powerful milestone in the Oregon Trail journey for any of its travelers. Located in Wyoming, by the Green River, Names Hill was a popular stopping-off point for journeyers. According to Wikipedia, the earliest names carved by European-American trekkers are dated 1822--27 years before the fictitious Westons made their trek.

The names on our version of Names Hill are mostly those of friends and loved ones--little "in jokes" for those significant folks in our lives. One friend's name rhymes with Names Hill, I just realized.

Below are some of the photo images we used as reference for this sequence in the book. Names Hill is on the National Register of Historic Places, and it's great that this document of the real travelers of the Oregon Trail is preserved for future generations to witness.

Ferries--Safe Passage Over Perilous Waters

 Though much of the Oregon Trail journey took the travelers across dry, open land, there were rivers to cross. Some were simple creeks, which could be forded without preparation. Others, such as the Green River, were formidable bodies of fast-moving water.

To cross such a raging river without a ferry was folly, at best and suicide at worst. A ferry was set up in the early 1840s by a group of mountain men--fur traders who preceded the Oregon Trail emigrants to the vast wild of the Western United States.

The ferry was sold to a group of Mormons around 1850. Eventually, it was purchased by a man named Lombard--and belatedly named after him.

The black-and-white photo above is a re-creation of this primitive but effective ferry. Here is David's interpretation of this yet-unnamed ferry--which was still operated by mountain men as our main players, the Weston family, safely cross the deadly waters:

Another Review!

Self-described "comic book pundit/advocate/educator and comedic actor/performer" Corey Blake has reviewed our book on his blog.


In his words, our book is "targeted to preteens but it’s smart enough for older readers. The authors have done extensive research into personal accounts and other historic documents to get as accurate as possible. They tell an engaging story from the perspective of a fictional 11-year-old girl whose family makes the trek from Baltimore, Maryland, to Oregon in 1848."


From one improv comedian to another--thanks!

Natural Wonders of the Oregon Trail

Oregon Trail journeyers saw plenty of wide open, sparsely-adorned prairie. They also were wowed by natural wonders such as this twin sensation--Jail Rock and Courthouse Rock.

Here is David's fascinating interpretation of these two aptly-paired rock towers:

(This is the right half of a double-page spread. See the spread to its full effect in the book!)

Buffalo Chips: The Shocking Truth!

We'll spare you an illustration. David rendered this all-organic prairie alternative to wood several times in the course of The Road To Destiny.

When I wrote this book, I thought about how to approach this very real aspect of frontier life. I knew that the mention of "buffalo chips" would cause boy readers to smirk and guffaw--much as I would have done, in my childhood.

The best way to lay it on the table is as matter-of-factly as the emigrants would have faced the issue. Picking up the droppings of buffalo is no Sunday picnic, then or now. With trees at a premium--one that would increase tenfold as more people took the Oregon Trail trip--the dried leavings of these hoofed beasts were a traveler's best insurance of being able to cook a hot meal, boil water for drinking, shaving and washing, and (most importantly) make coffee.

David did a beautiful job on this page, in which Rebecca makes a practical decision between great literature and fuel for the fire:

Our First Review (That We Know Of)!

Barbara Lloyd McMichael reviewed The Road To Destiny for the Bellingham, Washington Herald. Here's what she says about our book:

So now for something completely different: "Oregon Trail: The Road to Destiny." Sasquatch Books has just published this graphic novel by two Seattle cartoonists, Frank Young and David Lasky.

The story follows the fictional Weston family as it sets out on the Oregon Trail in 1848. We experience their bumpy progress and misadventures through the eyes of 11-year-old Rebecca Weston.

This is a story with action and pizzazz: SMASH! THUD! GRRRRRR... typical cartoon sound effects abound as the overland party fords rivers, meets with Indians, hunts game, crosses treacherous mountains, and copes with drought, disease, and heart-wrenching loss.

There is plenty of historical information packed into these energetic pages, but kids are so busy being entertained they won't resist being educated at the same time - heck, they won't even notice!

See Ms. McMichael's review in the Bellingham Herald HERE. We've gotten a couple of nice reviews on amazon.com, and we hope to get more press coverage of the book this fall. In the meantime, Thanks, Barbara!

The Secret Garden Book Signing...

If you weren't able to attend Tuesday night's book launch and singing at Seattle's Secret Garden bookstore, here are a couple-three photos taken by a friend who attended the event. It was a great time overall--around 80 folks showed up, and we sold at least 40 copies of the book. All in all, a most heartening event in which to christen the release of our first graphic novel as a collaborative team (and our first graphic novel, period)!

Local videographer Ron Austin shot some footage of the event. When he gets that edited together, we'll post a link to the video here. For now, still images will have to suffice...

Intrepid creative duo David Lasky (in suspenders) and Frank Young (not in suspenders) sign copies of the graphic novel (including free-of-charge sketches) and socialize in eight different directions at once!

A dramatic rear view as we improvise our way through a talk about how the Oregon Trail graphic novel came together. The talk went well, and we had some great questions from the other attendees. Thanks, folks (especially for laughing at my jokes)!

More book signing. We signed a lot of copies that evening! David did a delightful sketch of protagonist Rebecca Weston in many copies; I did my best generic ox portrait in several as well.

Our sincere thanks to everyone who attended--you made it a really special moment in our lives and careers!

Oregon Trail Book Signing in Seattle Tuesday, September 13th!

Photograph by Paul C. Tumey. Thanks, Paul, for snapping this shot for us!

Our fine friends at Secret Garden Books, located in Seattle's charming Ballard neighborhood, are hosts of the first official Oregon Trail graphic novel event.

Tuesday, Septembee 13th, from 7 PM to 8 (and possibly later), David and I will be at the Secret Garden to sign copies of our graphic novel. If you're in the area, please stop by and say hi!

Bonnets: Essential Headgear For The Oregon Trail!

Bonnets are an image of quaintness--of bygone days. Although they're still used, for practical reasons, by women in the farming world, they seem a frivolous fashion accessory from another century.

This headgear was essential for survival on the hot, dusty Oregon Trail. More functional than fanciful, the bonnet's goal was to prevent its user from sunburn, sunstroke and other UV-based hazards.

There was no sunblock on the Oregon Trail. Men wore broad-brimmed hats for the same reason. This headgear was hot and uncomfortable under the merciless rays of the sun. But without this protection, the Oregon Trail emigrants would have been utterly miserable.

In these days before sunglasses, bonnets also helped to greatly cut the glare of broad daylight. It thus allowed travelers keener vision, in case of unexpected dangers--or to spot roadside goodies, such as firewood, "buffalo chips" or cast-offs of prior Trail travelers.

People still wear hats, of course. Baseball caps, knit caps and hoodies are our modern bonnets. We have more sophisticated options to protect us from melanoma, sunburn or other issues. But we still wear hats--both for fashion's and for function's sake. This is one of the many small details that link us to our Oregon Trail-traveling forefathers.

Diary of An Un-Wimpy Kid--The Road to Destiny

This blog is devoted to a new original graphic novel created by David Lasky and Frank Young, entitled OREGON TRAIL: THE ROAD TO DESTINY. This 120-page, black and white graphic novel tells a lively story, based on American history. In the book, you'll meet Rebecca Weston, a smart, observant 11 year-old who chronicles the journey of a lifetime.

Rebecca and her family, based in bustling, grimy Baltimore, leave family, friends and familiar places behind in 1848. They take a life-changing trip along the Oregon Trail to find a new life for themselves in the yet-untamed Pacific Northwest.

Rebecca's father, John, is a newspaper writer. Inspired by his career, Rebecca decides to chronicle her family's trip.  Her narration informs the story throughout.

The Road to Destiny shows the ups and downs of this often-grueling journey. David and I enjoyed creating the character of Rebecca. Her viewpoint gave us a fresh and personable way to tell this story.

Rebecca's use of a diary is historically accurate. Much of the information we have about the experience of the Oregon Trail comes from personal accounts.

We have become so accustomed to the Internet, to PDAs, to the ease at which we can record our thoughts and observations. Many of us have portable telephones which can take digital photographs. On a whim, we can send these images to friends all around the world.

It's food for thought to realize how precious and fleeting these experiences are, and how much harder it was for people to capture them in the 19th century.

We kept this in mind in our characterization of Rebecca. She is most certainly not a wimpy kid...