Away West tells the story of a young, black boy named Everett. He was born free, and learned to read and write. His parents both were deceased, and Everett went west, seeking out his enlisted brother, Cole. He left behind his brother Gus and the family farm. He ended up in a town in Missouri, where he encountered a horse trainer. Desperate to go west, he told a lie about being trained by the horse trainer. In exchange for actual training, he taught the trainer how to read and write. His brother eventually found him, but instead of insisting he leave, Gus fell in love and stayed in town. Everett went west and found himself along the way, with help from a horse named Shadow.
This story was inspirational. Everett set his sight on a goal and pushed forward. His enthusiasm was contagious, and Gus followed his own dream in the end. I loved this easy read, both for the history it shared and the ease of reading. This entire series has been wonderful.
I can't wait to share this book in the classroom. I expect I will use it during black history month. It may be a good resource for teaching about western settlers and the process they went through to be able to be residents in a new settlement.

I enjoyed reading this story because it reminded me of how we take advantage of things as humans. I felt like I was on this journey trying to find out more about his dads medal with him. This book was sort of motivational for me to go home and learn more about my ancestors and family history. The illustrations were very unique to me and fit the book well. ( )

RGG: Adventure-filled tale of the post Civil War African American migration out West. Nice references to the Buffalo Soliders. Reading Level - 10.