Todd Crickmer
Youth Leader - Civic Volunteer - Writer & Storyteller - Amateur Historian
Todd Crickmer is a third-generation Californian with roots dating back to the California Gold Rush. He grew up however in Texas with constant ties to both, as he gained a rich appreciation of his heritage and the History of the American West. As an adult, his career led him to over forty years of both Public and Corporate Accounting, which included sixteen years as a Contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense. However, he always retained an intense interest in History and the exploration of the Great Outdoors.
A former Scoutmaster with more than thirty years of involvement with both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, school volunteering, and youth group chaperoning, Todd developed a talent as a storyteller. Working with youth groups has included his sponsoring church ski trips, hiking and rafting trips to Big Bend National Park, backpacking trips to New Mexico and Colorado, a high school band trip to Florida, and most recently chaperoning his granddaughter’s Girl Scout Troop on a trip to London and Paris.
As a professional accountant, for most of his life, he was generally better with numbers than words. However, with the advent of the word processor, he began writing more and more. First, it was just business and technical writing, but as the writing bug took hold, he slowly branched out into writing for pleasure. As his time started to become his own, and realizing he needed to open the next chapter of his life, he turned to new projects and his debut novel – Scout of the Oregon Trail.
Todd is married with two grown children and six incredibly talented and adventurous grandchildren. With his wife Sherry, the Crickmers volunteer weekly at their local library, where Todd is also an elected member of the Westbank Community Library Board of Trustees.
Scout of the Oregon Trail
The story of an American family traveling the Oregon Trail in 1852, as told by Scout, the family's dog.
Traveling the Interstate at 70 miles per hour, have you ever pondered, “How did our ancestors cross this vast continent at three miles per hour, with no paved roads, no bridges, and no stores, restaurants or motels? And more importantly – why?” To find out, follow Stewart and Mattie Churchill with their children, Josh (15), Sarah (13), and Molly (6), along with Scout, their amazingly brave and loyal dog, as they make this incredible trip in 1852. You will see the journey through Scout’s eyes and hear the story through Scout’s voice – as Scout is your trail guide on this incredible story of American History.
Available in paperback:
Also available as an audio book:
The Synopsis:
Scout of the Oregon Trail is a tale of Historical Fiction about the Churchill family and their dog, Scout, traveling the Oregon Trail in 1852. The story is told from Scout’s point of view, i.e., “the first dog.” The Churchill family may be fictional, but the historical events, geography, and timeline are as accurate as possible.
The story opens on the muddy riverbank of the Mississippi as the family waits to begin their trip west to the promise of free land in Oregon. The Churchill kids, Josh, Sarah, and Molly, are approached by a stranger selling stray dogs to emigrants heading west that spring. A bond is immediately formed between Scout and the kids, who quickly negotiate Scout’s purchase without first consulting their parents. Scout realizes the circumstances of its adoption and promises to be the best dog any family could ever want.
The opening chapters take place aboard the riverboat Zephyrus as the family moves upriver from St. Louis to Independence. During their time aboard the Zephyrus, Scout learns more about the perils that lay ahead and why the family is determined to make this move, two thousand miles across prairies, wild rivers, soaring mountains, and scorching deserts. And despite these obstacles, Scout welcomes the challenge with wags and licks of excitement.
In the seventeen chapters that follow, Scout rises to every challenge that confronts the family, from fires, unscrupulous ferry operators, Indian hunting parties, poisonous snakes, buffalo stampedes, thunderous summer storms, towering mountains, blinding blizzards, and treacherous river crossings. The Churchills quickly learn what an amazing investment Scout was, and most chapters end with an expression of “Good dog – good dog.”
Scout’s physical appearance is left to the readers’ imagination. As Scout is telling the story, why would the storyteller ever need to describe itself? Even Scout’s gender is never revealed – that is until the last paragraph of the book, so please don’t read ahead. All the reader knows is that Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, obedient, and very, very brave. Scout will always be grateful to Josh, Sarah, and Molly for plucking a scrawny and dirty stray mutt from the streets of St. Louis, and unconditionally opening their home, hearth, and hearts.
In addition to Scout’s telling of the adventure and hardship of their journey, the reader also follows fifteen-year-old Josh as he experiences adolescent romance for the first time, the independent thirteen-year-old Sarah as she prepares for life on her own terms, and the childish innocence of six-year-old Molly.
The story is told with as much historical accuracy as possible and dismisses many of the Hollywood stereotypes of the American frontier during the 19th century. The native Americans are treated with dignity and respect, Army forts and military life are treated realistically, as are the daily experiences of the emigrants. There are deaths along the trail, but not among the Churchill family, and all of the tragedies are kept in a historical perspective. There are scenes of hunting for food, and some domestic animals do die, but all relevant to the story, and there are no instances of animal cruelty or abuse. The only occurrences of hardship that are glossed over is the fact that most of the deaths on the Oregon and California Trails, were from Cholera. As this book is intended for middle-grade readers, the horrific effects of Cholera are only discussed in footnotes.
Illustrations
Scout of the Oregon Trail is richly Illustrated by my long-time friend and fellow Scoutmaster, Gary Knippa. Gary’s pen & ink drawing style perfectly captures the adventure and romance of the Oregon Trail.
Chimney Rock, by Gary Knippa
Scout of the Oregon Trail includes a map of the Churchill family’s journey, and each chapter of the book will include at least one of Gary’s drawings of their adventures.
Gary Knippa was born in Giddings, Texas, and has lived in Central Texas all his life. After completing stints at Concordia University and the University of Texas, Gary began a forty-year career in real estate. A natural musician Gary has played guitar since high school and now heads 4-piece band known as “The Friends.” The Friends regularly perform for the Austin retirement community, as well as banquets, downtown Noonday concerts, and Memorial Day concerts at the Texas State Cemetery. Todd and Gary meet almost thirty years ago when their boys were members of Austin’s Boy Scout Troop 30. Both men developed a lifelong bond after each served three years as the Troop's Scoutmaster. Gary and his wife Carroll are the proud parents of three Eagle Scouts. In his spare time, Gary is an avid tennis player, enjoys an active church life, and ... loves to sketch!
Chapter Outline:
1. Two-Bits – The Churchill children pay two-bits (25¢), without their parents’ knowledge, to a stranger for a muddy stray dog they name Scout. The stranger realizing that they would be heading west on the Oregon Trail that spring, convinces them that they will need a good dog for scouting and protection.
2. The Riverboat Zephyrus – The family travels up the Missouri River aboard the riverboat Zephyrus. The children are unaware that the riverboat operator would charge a fare for the family dog, and are forced to come up with the money when their parents offer no financial assistance.
3. Westward up the Missouri River – Heading upstream aboard the Zephyrus, listening to conversations between the Churchills and the riverboat Captain, Scout learns why the emigrants were willing to make such an expensive and dangerous journey across two-thousand miles of hostile territory.
4. Independence and the Tent City – The Churchill family lives temporarily in a tent city on the outskirts of Independence, Missouri. As Stewart and Josh are in town shopping for a wagon, draft animals, and six-months of supplies, Scout defends Sarah’s honor after she confronts a camp bully, and Mattie starts to realize that Scout is a valued member of the family.
5. Westward Ho! – The Churchills hire an experience wagon-master and join a group of twenty-two other families heading out for Oregon. Mr. Lasiter, the wagon-master, explains to the assembled group the inherent risks of the journey and how they prepare for the dangers.
6. Scout Saves a Life – In a moment of panic, Mattie takes off running towards the tall prairie grass after she accidentally catches her dress on fire while cooking over an open campfire. Scout immediately starts barking, chases after her, and knocks her to the ground, so that Stewart has a chance to throw a blanket over her, snuffing-out the flames, and keeping her from being seriously hurt.
7. Pappan’s Ferry – The Churchills reach the Kansas River, the first major river crossing of their trip. When a heated debate erupts between Stewart and an opportunist ferry operator, Scout intervenes to keep the two men separated until Mr. Lasiter arrives to settle the dispute.
8. The War Party – While hunting fresh meat for dinner, Josh and Scout are surprised by an Indian hunting party. Both Josh and the young braves believe they were the ones that had shot the lone dead deer. As Josh is outnumbered, Scout helps to even the odds, while Josh and the young native American negotiate the sharing of the prize.
9. Molly and the Snake – While fetching water for the evening meal, six-year-old Molly is bitten by a rattlesnake. Being more than two days away from the nearest doctor, Mr. Lasiter grabs Molly and races to a nearby Indian village, where the village medicine woman successfully treats Molly’s wound.
10. Buffalo Stampede at Chimney Rock – As the Lasiter party camps at the base of Chimney Rock, a violent lightning storm starts a buffalo stampede, which over-runs the camp, causing significant damage to the wagons, scatters the livestock, and seriously hurts several emigrants, including a young boy.
11. Fort Laramie and the Troopers – The Lasiter party relaxes under the protection of the U.S. Army at Fort Laramie. However, when a young trooper takes an inappropriate interest in thirteen-year-old Sarah, Scout intervenes and alerts Mattie to the potential danger.
12. Devil’s Gate – The Lasiter wagon train reaches Independence Rock and Devil’s Gate, half-way to Oregon, ahead of schedule. A hunting party returns with a large elk, and as the gathered emigrants celebrate, a mid-summer storm passes, showering the group with an unexpected snowfall, dampening their spirits. However, fifteen-year-old Josh is seriously smitten when he meets Rachel, a girl his age from another wagon train.
13. Parting of the Ways – As the combined wagon trains make their way up and over the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, Josh and Rachel leave camp for an afternoon hunting excursion. When they fail to return as planned, Scout is sent out to find them and bring them back to camp. After Scout successfully returns with the two wayward teenagers, both are reprimanded by their respective parents. Two days later, the two wagon trains "part ways" as Rachel's family turns toward California, and the Churchills continue on toward Oregon.
14. The Great Bear – Sarah and Molly encounter a mother bear and her two cubs while gathering berries. Scout stands between Sarah and the bear, while little Molly runs screaming for help. Josh arrives quickly in the clearing and shoots at the bear. But as his shot misses, Scout must continue to stand guard until Stewart, and other men arrive. The bear backs down and lumbers off into the woods as Scout chases the cubs away.
15. The Mountain Man – A genuine French mountain man walks into camp hoping for a free meal, brief human companionship, and a little trading, before disappearing back into the woods. In a moment of weakness, Josh secretly trades his father’s tobacco to the stranger for a fox-skin hat, which he soon learns to regret.
16. The Indian Village – Disappointed by the services available at Fort Hall, the Lasiter party moves on and finds an Indian village on the banks of the Snake River eager to trade. Sarah desperate for something to eat besides wild game, salt pork, and dry beans, trades Josh’s hat for fresh greens.
17. Crossing the Snake River – Faced with a difficult river crossing, the Lasiter party negotiates with nearby Indians to assists them. Utilizing a series of three small islands in the middle of the river, the Churchills make it all the way to the fourth channel before their wagon starts to float and hitting an underwater rock, bounces Molly into the river. Scout immediately jumps in the water to save her, but must rely on the help of two young Indian boys to safely pull her to shore.
18. Snow in the Blue Mountain – Almost within sight of their ultimate destination, the Lasiter party is hit by a surprise late-summer blizzard as they cross the summit of the Blue Mountains, delaying them three days as they wait for the snow to melt and they search for grass to feed their livestock.
19. The Dalles – As the Lasiter party reached the Dalles on the Columbia River, each family must decide whether to build a raft and float the rest of the way to the Willamette River (modern-day Portland), or take the difficult and dangerous “Barlow Road” around Mt. Hood and over the Cascade Range to Oregon City.
20. Home in the Willamette – The Churchills choose to take the Barlow Road and almost live to regret it as the family experiences a near-tragic accident at the treacherous "Laurel Hill." The family is relieved that after traveling over 1,900 miles, they make it to their new home in the Willamette Valley without a life-changing tragedy.
Possible Sequels:
Though I have not outlined any sequels to Scout of the Oregon Trail, the final pages of the book leave at least three opportunities:
The most obvious is a follow-up to Josh getting a letter from his girlfriend in California. He and Scout could take off on short notice and head to either Sacramento where she lives with her family, or to the goldfields of the Sierra Nevada. I have a personal connection to the latter, as my great, great grandfather was a ‘49er, and my great grandfather was born in Sutter Creek, California in 1865.
As for the two girls, Sarah’s character has already been developed as a self-reliant, independent young woman, with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. I could develop a story around her fight to become a leading figure of early Oregon business and commerce.
For little Molly, I have not developed as much background into her character. However, as she survived the snakebite, she experienced while on the trail, it could lead to an interest in medicine. A story could be built around her traveling back east as a young woman, graduating medical school, and returning to Oregon as the first female doctor in the Northwest.
Potential Target Audience:
As my wife and I drove the entire 2,308 miles of the Oregon Trail last spring with our travel trailer and our two dogs, Olive and Pepper, we stopped at museums almost every day. And at every stop, we were forced to search for a parking spot that would accommodate our trailer among a half-dozen school buses. By the time we reached Oregon, we both realized, this was our potential audience. In addition to the gift shop every museum offers, thousands and thousands of school kids and their teachers pass through these museums every year.
As much as being readable and entertaining, I hope the book is also educational and a resource for teachers of American History. There are numerous teachable moments throughout the text, including skills at negotiation and commerce, dealing with bullies, handling strangers in dangerous situations, the cycle of life, and working together to overcome hardships. There are five separate encounters with Native Americans, and all five are positive learning experiences. Additionally, the older daughter, Sarah, is portrayed as an independent and entrepreneurial-minded young woman who sees the opportunities in moving to Oregon as much as her parents do.
I originally intended my target audience to be 11 to 14-year-old Middle-Graders. However, when my wife read several chapters aloud to our grandchildren around the campfire on our last family camping trip, it did sound a little more juvenile than that. So, my actual audience may be slightly younger. The manuscript is currently 51,219 words, 3,142 sentences, 948 paragraphs. Of the twenty chapters, the Flesch Score runs from a low of 72.4 to a high of 84.3, with an average score of 77.2 for the entire manuscript. The Grade Level runs similarly from a low of 5.6 to a high of 7.4, with an average of 6.5. But my ultimate goal remains the same – to make History interesting, readable, and relevant to all young readers, their parents, and their educators.
My ultimate goal would be to have school districts along the Oregon Trail adopt the book for classroom use. The Churchill family may be fictional, but the details of their heroic experience are historically accurate. I feel that telling the story through a dog’s eyes is a way to make American History come alive for young students who just think that they don’t like history. A list of Discussion Questions is included on this tab. They are intended for classroom teachers or book clubs to use that may wish to discuss the book after reading it. The Discussion Questions could be added to the published book or distributed later upon request.
Similar Books:
During the final research trip for Scout of the Oregon Trail, we stopped at trail museums almost every day, where I searched the gift shops for books relevant to my target audience. There were age-appropriate books, of course. But none seemed to be in the readable format of historical-fiction. So, I think the concept of my story maybe, if not original, then at least unusual.
Comparisons of current literature with an animal protagonist:
Woof (from the Bowser and Birdie series) by Spencer Quinn – Bowser is the most obvious comparison. Bowser was picked by Birdie from an animal shelter and quickly became her faithful companion and best friend. The series is intended for same-age readers, is written from the dog’s point of view, and is a New York Times Bestseller. However, it is not historic in nature and may have less educational value. Scout of the Oregon Trail is historically accurate in the telling of the American Western Migration of the 19th century, and hopefully could be used as a classroom text.
Hank the Cowdog (series) by John R. Erickson – Hank is an obvious comparison, and was a great inspiration, however there are some clear distinctions. Hank is intended for slightly younger readers, it is not historic and has less educational value, is humorous whereas Scout is more dramatic, and Hank talks to the other animals, which Scout does not.
The Good Dog by Avi – A Newbury Award winner (2001) is told from the dog’s point of view. However, the Good Dog, McKinley, talks to other animals as he protects his human and strives to become the leader of the neighborhood dog pack. The story is set in modern-day Colorado, and therefore there is no historical context.
The One and Only Ivan – by K.A. Applegate – This is an award-winning (2013) children’s novel told in the first animal, but the animal is a gorilla, not a dog. It is also set in a modern-day in a shopping mall and offers no other historical context.
Cracker: The best dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata – A multi-award winner and written for my target audience. The dog is the protagonist of the story, though most of the story is not told in the dog’s voice. The story is set during the Vietnam War, so there is a historical setting. But the setting is outside the continental United States and may not be relevant to many current day middle school readers.
The Bowser and Birdie Series by Spencer Quinn – This is a series of short, easy to read books. They are told in the "first dog"; however, the series is intended for younger readers, and is more in the genre of a Scooby-Doo mystery than historical fiction.
Ranger in Time by Messner – A series of short books intended for younger readers. Ranger is a dog, and there is one book specifically on the Oregon Trail, but the story is too short of developing much historical relevance.
Magic Tree House and Boxcar Children are book series that address historical events, but they are intended for younger readers. They are based more on whimsical fantasy than on actual historical events.
I did reach back and reread several books from my youth. But none seem to fit the concept of Scout of the Oregon Trail.
Little House on the Prairie – the time period and genres were similar, and it was told in the first person. But their dog was a minor character and was not the principal to the story.
Old Yeller – again, the time period was correct, but the story was not told in the first person, and the ending is utterly tragic.
Black Beauty – is told in the first person (horse), but the plot is the reverse of Scout’s as Black Beauty starts life happy and carefree before being sold into a life of abuse. Black Beauty also “talks” to other animals, which I find way too cartoonish for middle-grade readers.
Call of the Wild – as in Black Beauty, Buck also starts life happy and carefree before being stolen and sold into a life of exploitation and abuse. The story of Scout is the reverse, as Scout begins life as a stray and is adopted into a loving and caring family. Call of the Wild is also told in the third person omniscient, was written for an older audience, and portrays unimaginable animal cruelty. There is no animal cruelty, abuse, or tragic ending in Scout of the Oregon Trail.
Traveling the Oregon Trail, I did purchase probably a dozen non-fiction books, including several collections of actual emigrants’ diaries, that I used for reference. But none of them were written in a format of historical-fiction, which I find unfortunate, as I believe it’s a great introduction to History for those who don’t think they like History. And maybe they don’t like it just because it hasn’t been presented to them in a format that is both entertaining as well as educational.
What Others are Saying:
“Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your book. I fell in love with Scout and would love a dog if it could be as smart and loyal as Scout. Several points: Liked the story from dog's point of view. You really got that down. It was an amazing journey. Lots of adventures. Your excellent descriptions made me feel like I was really there. Like the way the chapters all start with the directions they are traveling and the miles. It gives you more of a sense of time as to how long it took them. Like the little romance for Josh. Detail of Mother's fear of the water crossings followed through. Well-developed characters all around. Liked the time line at the end. Just a few that come to mind having just finished it. Great job Todd!”
— Barbara W. – Retired Middle School Librarian
“I really enjoyed reading your book “Scout of the Oregon Trail.” I thought your heartwarming story was so realistic (through your descriptions, dialogue, and historical information), that I felt like I was alongside the Churchill family as they trekked the Oregon Trail through all kinds of weather conditions and terrains. I also thought you were effective in telling the story from Scout's point of view. Scout was portrayed in a very realistic way a dog would think and act. You could really tell Scout had a great love for her family (especially the children) throughout the journey, and I loved how Scout saved the day on more than one occasion. The first chapter was a perfect introduction to how Scout came into the Churchill family's lives. I also thought that all of your chapter titles fit very nicely with the stories. Your book was rich with historical information and I learned some new things like the odometer attached to the wheels that kept track of the distance traveled, the ferries they had to pay to cross rivers, and the women wearing bloomers on the trail. My favorite chapters were 9 and 10 when Molly was bitten by the snake and during the buffalo stampede and thunderstorm. It was suspenseful and a lot happened - I wasn't sure the outcome until I got to the end of the chapter!”
— Laura S. – 4th Grade Reading & Writing Teacher
It is difficult to find historical fiction books that actually teach about specific events in history. Todd Crickmer did a fantastic job of showing readers what it was like to travel the Oregon Trail in the 1800s with superb attention to facts and detail along the way. His unique perspective from the family dog, Scout, offers a refreshing point of view for the audience to experience the Churchill family’s dangerous escapade. Scout is a loveable dog that everyone who reads this book will want to take along on their own adventures!
Things I love:
· The idea for the book is very cute.
· Your knowledge of the Oregon Trail is evident in your writing.
· The settings in the book are realistic and easy to visualize.
· War Party was a fun chapter to read.
· You do an excellent job with the description of places and things. In my opinion, this is your biggest strength.
· The chronology of the book is well thought out and realistic.
· The mini conflicts throughout were exciting to read.
Martina C. – 4th and 7th Grade Reading & Writing Teacher
My dad emailed a digital copy of Scout of the Oregon Trail to us a few weeks ago. My kids and I read a chapter a night and just finished the book a few days ago. I wanted to pass along a few pieces of feedback to you from our family.
Ben said he gave the book an "A+" and that he really enjoyed the historical fiction format. He liked how the characters were realistic and interesting. He could picture himself making the same kind of journey as the Churchills! Abel said it was one of the "best books I ever read" and said he wanted to buy a copy of it once it comes out in physical form. They both said they were interested in "another Scout book" coming out in the future.
For me, I appreciated the historical elements. The kids and I learned more about the Oregon Trail in a fun and accessible way! As the mom of two boys who are on the more sensitive side, I also really appreciated that there were no major tragedies that befell the main characters. The suspense of Molly falling into the river or the sadness of the little boy dying felt realistic to the story without being unnecessarily emotionally trying. I saw on your website that you mentioned that some books like Old Yeller are just too tragic. I would agree that some kids' books are a bit too intense for certain readers.
We are looking forward to when it comes out in physical form so we can buy the hard copy as well!
Lael Z. – California Mom of two boys