History teacher pens ‘Matthew’s Secret’ to tell story of Oregon Trail: Book signing Oct. 7 in Hood River

Cline will be at Waucoma Bookstore, 212 Oak St., downtown Hood River, on Saturday, Oct. 7 from 2-4 p.m. for a book signing event. Sale proceeds will go towards providing free books to children at school, church, museum and other community reading events, she said.

Cline taught U.S. History in Hood River and White Salmon, as well as other Washington schools, and in 1990, received a $2,500 grant to research and write such her book from the National Society of Colonial Dames of America. Using the money to purchase a used pop-up tent trailer, camping supplies and a video camera, she traveled all 2,200 miles of the Oregon Trail with her three grade school-aged daughters, beginning in Independence, Mo., and ending in the Willamette Valley.

“They trekked 20 miles a day, stopping at every historical location, interviewing local historians, pouring through dusty archives in library basements and filming documentation of each discovery,” said a press release. “Matthew’s Secret was the result of that adventure.”

Cline completed the outline for the manuscript in the summer of 1990, but due to several life circumstances, the book’s final research and completion were suspended.

Until now.

“At long last, Matthew’s Secret takes readers on an adventure through the American frontier in 1845,” said the press release. “This inspirational tale follows the experiences of a young boy, Matthew Evans, as he embarks on a treacherous journey with his family and a group of pioneers to settle in the uncharted territory of Oregon.

“As Matthew confronts the challenges of the journey, he matures and grows in ways that he never could have imagined,” continued the press release. “He learns the value of hard work, determination, and self-sufficiency, and develops a deep appreciation for the natural world. But will he ever control his quick condemnation of others? Can he overcome his fear, tremendous loss, and death itself?”

The book recounts the hardships and successes of the pioneers “who risked everything to make a better life for themselves and their families” through Cline’s descriptions of the harsh terrain, treacherous river crossings and daily struggles to survive, as noted in her research for the book.

Matthew’s Secret is written for 5-8 grade level readers and is available at retailers such as Waucoma Bookstore, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.