Jenny Cameron’s Cattle Rustling Catastrophe by Donna A. Patton

1889 California is full of cattle rustlers and cowboys. Jenny, newly arrived with her father to his family’s ranch, finds herself with a mystery she can’t wait to solve. Her grandmother’s new washerwoman is the spitting image of a notorious female cattle rustler, right down to the pearl-handled pistols she wears around her hips. “Annie O’Banyon” also happens to be the lead character in Jenny’s newest dime novel.

The washerwoman’s arrival sets off a round of missing cattle. This is too much of a coincidence for Jenny and her friend, Brose. They are convinced Annie and her gang are rustling the ranchers’ cattle. They do their best to persuade Jenny’s father and the sheriff, but their “tall tales” fall on skeptical ears.  


Download the free study guide ➡️

  • Grades 4-6
  • California ranching

A five-week unit study for The Cattle Rustling Catastrophe. Vocabulary, comprehension, thought questions, plus history topics related to 1880s California.

  • Grades 4-6
  • Comprehension and thought questions
  • Create a dime novel
  • Vocabulary crosswords and word searches
  • Similes
  • Real-life characters or fictional?
  • Make butter, biscuits, and jam
  • And more!