Rachel Kelley Laurgaard

Patty Reed's Doll: The Story of the Donner Party Rachel Kelley Laurgaard

Brief Description: In the winter of 1846, a group of pioneers known as the Donner party was stranded by heavy snows in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Many of them died, but eight-year-old Patty Reed and her wooden doll survived. Her doll tells the story.

Contributor Bio:  Laurgaard, Rachel K Laurgarrd taught English at Sacramento State College (now California State University at Sacramento). She is now retired. Contributor Bio:  Michaels, Elizabeth As a teenager, Elizabeth Michaels loved to solve mysteries and became fascinated with the idea of catching criminals. She developed an admiration for crime writers and frequently emptied the local library shelves of their crime-fiction novels. As an adult, her love of literature led her to become a teacher of English; a job which she has enjoyed for over 14 years! During that time, she has continued to write many short stories, poems and fan-fiction and has gained many international fans thanks to the internet. She believes whole-heartedly that everyone has an imagination and actively encourages students of all ages to read (especially teenagers) and escape into brand new worlds.