The Misadventures of Maude March
The Misadventures of Maude March . Audrey Couloumbis; Random House Books, 2005
Grade Level: 6-8
ISBN & Cost: 037583245-9 Random House Books, $15.95
SYNOPSIS: The setting is Iowa and Missouri during 1869. Sallie March, 12, and her older sister Maude, 15, find themselves orphaned a second time when their Aunt Ruthie is killed in a shooting accident. They end up being on the run from the law for horse thievery and for bank robbery as they travel from Cedar Rapids, IA to Independence, MO to find their Uncle Arlan.
GENERAL REVIE W: Couloumbis writes this children’s western story in a backwoodsy tone. The two protagonists, Sallie and Maude, are innocent and trusting of others in many ways. Yet their determination to find a new home with Uncle Arlan and their patience and love for one another is inspiring to the reader. Sallie compares each predicament of hers to a scene she knows from the dime western novels that she so loves to read.
The syntax is unique and delightful.
THEMES: Determination, survival, orphans, humor during adversity
AUTHOR(S) INFORMATION: Audrey is a Newbery Honor winner for her book Getting Near to Baby. Before becoming a full-time writer she worked as a housekeeper, a sweater designer, and a school custodian. Her web site is
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Standard 3, Benchmark 3
What were some chores/responsibilities that the girls had when living with Aunt Ruthie? When living with the Peasleys? At which home would you have preferred and why?
Maude and Sallie learn many survival skills from Marion. Write down at least 6 things that they learned from him. Note the ones that he admitted learning from the Indians.
Do the good qualities of Marion outweigh the not-so-good qualities, in your opinion? Explain.
ACTIVITIES:
Look at a present day map of the Midwest. Make sure that the states of Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas are visible to you. Trace with your finger the route that Maude and Sallie took from Cedar Rapids to Independence. Now, open your book and look at the trail drawn on the two pages right before Chapter one. Does this “map” help you picture the girls’ route? Standard 1, Benchmark 5
Research the size and shape of different animal tracks. Draw and label: horse tracks, mule tracks, bobcat tracks, and deer tracks. Add other animals, if you’d like. Cover up the labels and trade drawings with a classmate. Consider yourself a “Wild Woolie” or a “Joe Harden” if you get all of the tracks labeled correctly.Standard 3, Benchmark 1
Sallie March’s favorite reading material is the dimer. Dimers were softcover chapter books that were sold in stores for ten cents; therefore the name. The stories portrayed the lives of those people who moved west in an exciting way that made the readers of the time want to be a part of it. Stories were given titles that started with the words “the true adventures of” or “ a true account of,” and readers oftentimes believed the tales to be true. Make up two or three original titles for a western “dimer” novel. Then draw the book cover for each title. Standard 5, Benchmark 3
SIMILAR BOOKS FOR FURTHER READING: Holes, Black Storm Comin’,