“When I was a boy, my pa dowsed to earn extra money when we had a lean year. And when he put the branch in my hands for the first time, I felt a burning inside me because I had the gift, too. Just be thankful I didn’t hand that gift down to you.” Amos figured it was probably best not to tell his father that it was too late. What would you do if you knew you had a special gift—a sixth sense—that was passed down from one generation to the next? A gift that could help people in times of need, but one your father often saw as a trap. Would you use that gift? This is the story of Amos Kincaid, the dowser’s son.
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"I love historical fiction, and this book doesn't disappoint. Holt does a great job of developing the characters in this westward trip. A few far-fetched notions are involved - ghostly apparitions of the main character's mother keep appearing, but all-in-all, an enjoyable read. " — Pattyb (4 out of 5 stars)
"I love historical fiction, and this book doesn't disappoint. Holt does a great job of developing the characters in this westward trip. A few far-fetched notions are involved - ghostly apparitions of the main character's mother keep appearing, but all-in-all, an enjoyable read. "
" Loved this. 8th grade I think. "
" I enjoyed the character of Amos, the dowser's son, who grows up over the course of this book. There are many rich characters in the book. "
" I really enjoyed this book. I felt the writing was very crisp and clear and it was a fun concept and an interesting journey. I was a little taken aback by the epilogue ending, but all the same, enjoyed it. "
" About a boy in times of migrating to the West and his gift of divination. It being a YA novel, it was conceptually simple yet gave good discussion topics. The setting was great, the plot interesting and shows how a boy becomes a man. Interesting to see how families blend, since when was the nuclear family ever the norm? The characterization of the Native American was a little weak but I appreciated the perspective. Me likey. "
" I really enjoyed the book, but I have no idea who it is for. Also the Nanny McPhee-ish transformation of Gwendolyn seemed kind of ridiculous to me. "
" It doesn't have as much about water as I expected. It has a lot about the west. It reminded me of Little Big Man. "
" Interesting story. Chose it because I know people who have dowsers in their families and I liked the time period. It took me a little while to care about the main character but I enjoyed his journey and how the generations looked at their ability in such opposite terms. "
" I love these characters. The writing helped me be friends with them all along the way. "
" Very good. I didn't want to put the book down. Even though I read it in a Literature Circle at school, I enjoyed reading and writing about it. "
" Argh. I lost my review. In more words I said I like this book, the characters, the narration and the story, but it isn't particularly deep. I wish it were more complex. "
" Interesting look into history. "
" I enjoyed the story. Somewhat like "When Zachary Beaver Came to Town" because the disfigured girl became accepted. "
" Didn't really care for this one...weird plot..don't like the dead mom hovering around each character...even if the reference to it was minimal..it was creepy. "
" I really enjoyed reading this book "
" I liked this book quite a bit, but it's not one I was really wild about. Good story, some suspense, a little romance, historical, and a little mysterious. It wasn't one that I couldn't put down, but still a good story. "
" hastily thrown together ending. meh. "
" Not perfect, but very good. Engaging main characters, enjoyable descriptions of their lifestyles. Ending is a little too easy, but it's a good ending, so I won't complain too much. :) "
" Since when do I like historical fiction about the Oregon Trail? "
" The Water Seeker covers much more time than other Middle Grade books I've read. The hardships of life on the frontier and on the Oregon Trail are presented without softening or sugar-coating. "
" Good but random. It was interesting in a "bits of history thrown into a complicated life" kind of way. Characters come together conveniently while others are killed to make a point. Not a fun book but the writing was smooth and I enjoyed reading it. "
" Since it was set in Nebraska, Missouri, and on the Oregon Trail, I enjoyed reading this. Sometimes I felt like the plot was all over the place from dowsing to wagon trains to smallpox and the Omaha tribe. "
" A little slow in parts. I enjoyed the journey on the Oregon trail and the references to the Willamette Valley. "
" I thought this book would be something completely different. It hardly touches on the dowsing aspect. It's more a book that describes the coming of age of a boy whose mother died when he was born. And his journey on the Oregon Trail. Not bad. A bit slow. "
" Kimberly Willis Holt is an author I enjoy. She seems to always have a sense of place and the reader feels transported to the location. I'm contemplating this as a read-aloud when we study the Oregon Trail. A good boy book. "
Kimberly Willis Holt is the author of the Piper Reed series and several award-winning novels, including Part of Me, Keeper of the Night, My Louisiana Sky, and When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, which received the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. A former Navy brat, she lived all over the world as a child, and now resides in West Texas with her family.
Will Patton is an award-winning actor and narrator. HIs narrations have earned the prestigious Audie Award for Best Fiction Narration and also won dozens of AudioFile Earphones Awards. His numerous film credits include Remember the Titans, The Punisher, The Mothman Prophesies, Armageddon, and The Spitfire Grill. He starred in the TNT miniseries Into the West and on the CBS series The Agency and won Obie Awards in the theater for his performances in Fool for Love and What Did He See.
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