This story captivates through the urgent countdown of a looming foreclosure and the gritty survival details of two women walking across 1896 America. Readers witness a shifting mother daughter bond as they defy restrictive Victorian norms during a dangerous, true life trek. Books in this family share high stakes, historical realism, and underdog protagonists who must overcome physical exhaustion.
Reach for this book when your teen feels paralyzed by the scale of a problem or trapped by societal expectations of what a girl can achieve. It is a powerful antidote to the fear of failure, providing a historical perspective on grit and the strength of the mother-daughter bond. Based on a true 1896 story, the novel follows seventeen-year-old Clara and her mother as they attempt to walk across America to save their family farm from foreclosure. Through their journey, the story explores themes of financial hardship, physical endurance, and the courage to be different. While it deals with the weight of poverty and the dangers of the road, the tone remains determined and inspiring. It is an excellent choice for middle and high schoolers who are beginning to navigate their own independence and need to see that even the longest journey is conquered one step at a time.
