This story's hero is Amos Kincaid. Amos is born in the year 1833. His father, Jake, is a beaver trapper, but he also has a special talent passed down to him from generations of Kincaids: he's a dowser, someone who can find water in the ground like magic.Amos loses his mother at birth and is raised by a patchwork of communities: a minister and his wife at a mission near a Native American community, a family farm run by a widow and her six sons, traveling with his father and his new Shoshone stepmother, and on the Oregon Trail in a community of people seeking their fortunes out West. Along the way, the spirit of Amos' mother follows him, almost haunting the women who come into his life.
There's so much life and adventure in this epic story it's hard to believe it's just 300 pages. There are issues of inheritance, domestic violence, racism, first love, death, what it means to be a family (or a tribe), and what it means to grow up and become a man. It's a beautifully written saga filled with memorable characters, moments of joy and sadness, and a satisfying conclusion. I think this could most definitely get some attention from the Newbery committee.
Rating: 5 out of 5
I liked this one too. It was an easy-to-read, interesting take on historical fiction from the Oregon Trail period. The multi-generational gift of dowsing and the almost magical connection between Amos's life and his mother's spirit made this book different and a little more special than your typical children's book. But, with so many great books this year this has not made my top 5. Maybe, I need to reread.