Abstract
The adventures of the Donner Party have never been retold in the form of a children's story, undoubtedly because of certain tragic and gruesome aspects which were dwelt on in adult accounts. However, the children of the party stated in later years that they were too young to comprehend the tragic impact of those months in the mountains, and their parents, of course, did everything in their power to keep them from realizing it. The immediate concerns of hunger and discomfort took up their attention, and, once back in civilization and well-fed, they remembered the happy days of the earlier part of the journey as well as the grim months when they were snowbound. To make their picture of the past living and vital, modern youngsters need to know about real children who traveled the trail of the covered wagons, and the things that really happened to them. The story of Patty Reed and Dolly is a true story, and, as such, a valuable piece of Western Americana. It should be made available to children of today to deepen their understanding and appreciation of the pioneer children of the past. This is the story of pioneering as seen through the eyes of the children and told by their symbol, the little wooden doll.