Guest Review on The Valiant Seven

I have been taking a summer unit on Oregon history. I thought I would read a book on this time period, so I looked on my dusty book shelf and that’s were I laid my eye on The Valiant Seven. The Valiant Seven, written by Netta Sheldon Phelps in 1941, tells the remarkable story of the Sager family traveling by covered wagons on the Oregon Trail from Missouri to Oregon. From what the title describes, there are 7 children in the family, 2 boys and 5 girls.

In their dreadful, long journey the children’s parents die, which leaves them orphans and in the care of a Dutch doctor who is part of their caravan. But not losing hope, each child stands firm and presses on to their destination. With attacks by buffalo, sightings of Indians, and breathtaking moments, this book is not boring in the least. Netta Sheldon Phelps does a fantastic job describing what it was like during that time on the Oregon Trail. I’m from Oregon, so I probably appreciate the book more than others who live out of state.

I learned that nothing can break a real family apart, even when it means losing a family member. These children never lost hope or ever gave up, except for a moment of wishing they would have stayed in Missouri fighting malaria instead of losing their parents on the Oregon Trail.

I would recommend this book for educational and casual reading. The Valiant Seven is definitely a classic. I now know a lot about the Oregon Trail and how much sacrifice it was to take it. When I read this book it made me appreciate my family members more. The chapters are considerably short and easy to read. The book is based on a true story but Phelps adds a little more story line to make it interesting. The Valiant Seven is a must read.

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Written by Ben Edmonds from Gresham, Oregon