Booklists

CCBC Review:

This novel-in-verse about 19th-century Black pioneers is told in three female voices: Lettie, 11; her mother, Sylvia; and Philomena, 18. The decision of Lettie’s family, which includes two younger brothers, to head west is driven by Lettie’s father Thomas. Thomas talks big to cover the hurt of a painful past in slavery, and of not being able to do all he’d like for their family under the yoke of Mississippi racism in 1879. When Thomas hears that Nebraska is welcoming homesteaders without regard to race, he insists they go despite Sylvia’s reluctance to leave extended family. This immersive, finely detailed story follows their journey as part of a group of Black homesteaders. There are tensions, twists, and turns as they leave everything they knew behind and venture into the unknown. Philomena joins them in Independence, Missouri; Lettie’s parents need the money she can pay to accompany them to Nebraska, where she has a teaching job waiting. Spirited and independent, Philomena eventually becomes an essential part of Lettie’s family. A compelling narrative full of challenges, adventure, heartbreak, and hope, the potential appeal of this story to middle grade readers is huge, although the unfortunate book design—particularly the unusually small font—may demand adult encouragement to convince some to pick it up. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 9-13
Age Range: Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10) Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Format: Novel
Subjects: 19th Century Action/Adventure African Americans Grief and Loss Historical Fiction Hope and Healing Journeys and Quests Novels in Verse Slavery
Diversity subject: Black/African

Publisher: Holiday House
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 296
ISBN: 9780823450169
CCBC Location: Fiction, Cline-Ransome

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