It was sickening, the amount of details used in this short book. I have three words that explain my opinion on all of that unnecessary junk... I DON'T CARE! I don't care how exactly their water looked or how exactly the pioneers stored their food. I just want to know about Willow and her quest to survive. That's why I bought the book for goodness sakes! Not to read a textbook on pioneer life! If the author is so obsessed with putting those details in, the least she could do is put them in in an interesting way. I know these books are supposed to take place in just one day, but one day just doens't work for the Oregon Trail. The only thing I liked was that Willow was a pretty good character in that she was terrified of the river for a reason and in her feelings about her stepfather. But, I mean, where was the stinking survival in the book? WHERE?