Dallas, Sandra. The Quilt Walk.

Dallas, Sandra.       The Quilt Walk.               Sleeping Bear Press(Cengage)     213p      $15.95  978-1-58536-800-6            2012    elm/ms                  VG-BN                      Historical fiction

                                   

Ten-year-old Emmy Blue Hatchett and her family leave their Illinois farm during the 1860s and head for Colorado to establish businesses to supply the needs of Gold Rush hopefuls.  The challenging journey forces difficult decisions on every family member, as they choose what to keep and what to leave behind, but Emmy is excited by the adventure and keenly observant as the story progresses.  This book would be a fine companion volume to the Little House series by Wilder. While Emmy is similar to scrappy Laura, her mother is reminiscent of Wilder’s “Ma” -- especially when she stubbornly wears every stitch of clothing she owns for hundreds of miles because her husband claims there is insufficient space for clothing and quilts to be packed in the wagon. 

Emmy is a tom girl, so the trek allows her to test the boundaries of her bravery.  There are Indians, and river crossings, and even death on the trail.  Emmy must also bend to conformity.  She must work on her quilt every day, help out with chores, and learn about the bonds formed by women of all ages.  This is particularly evident when she demands justice for a young woman trapped in an abusive relationship.

The novel ends well, and readers can clearly see that Emmy will thrive in the Western frontier.  They will also be clamoring for a sequel!                

Western expansion-Fiction, Adventure                                                                                --Hilary Welliver