A new American journey.

Lovisa King, 17, comes of age on the Oregon Trail and finds the strength to help her family survive a deadly shortcut on their journey to the Willamette Valley.

In the mid-1800s thousands of pioneers crossed the western plains of the United States using the 2,000-mile pathway called the Oregon Trail. Minnow and her family live in one of the many native villages scattered across the plains. She has a lively sense of adventure and her favorite pastime is swimming in the nearby river where she rightly earns her nickname. Rose and her family are traveling in one of the many wagon trains making their way west. It's been a tedious journey with little excitement. Rose can't wait for something thrilling to happen. And one day it does. On the banks of a rushing river that divides one way of life from another, two very different cultures come face-to-face, with life-changing results.In addition to writing children's books, Judy Young teaches poetry writing workshops for children and educators across the country. Her other books with Sleeping Bear Press include the popular R is for Rhyme: A Poetry Alphabet and The Lucky Star. Judy lives near Springfield, Missouri. A graduate of the Ringling School of Art and Design, Bill Farnsworth has created paintings for magazines, advertisements, children's books, and fine art commissions. He has illustrated more than 50 children's books and his book awards include a Teachers' Choice Award, the 2005 Patricia Gallagher Award, and the 2007 Volunteer State Book Award. Bill lives in Venice, Florida.