Gr 4—6—Emma Wright, 10, is excited to ride the steamboat Sally May up the Missouri River to Kansas City to meet her father. From there the family will travel west to California to make their fortune during the boom time of 1852. However, she loves her pony, Licorice Twist, and as she and her mother are getting settled on the boat she worries about his welfare. During a trip down to the forbidden main deck, Emma meets stowaway Patrick O'Brien, who is about 11 or 12. At first the two don't get along, but they eventually become friends and he takes care of her horse in exchange for food. When the boiler explodes, Emma finds out just how much of a friend Patrick really is. As she schemes and struggles to find a way to see her horse, readers are given a child's-eye view of a steamboat trip in the mid-1800s. True to the time, the word "Negro" is used and there are some stereotypical attitudes about Indians. Though unevenly paced and with some unbelievable aspects—particularly Emma's ignorance about her mother's pregnancy—this novel is a good introduction to the period. It is especially suited to "American Girl" series fans looking for slightly longer books. Emma is a plucky heroine and while not much happens until the very end of her story, readers will enjoy following her as she learns and grows. The ending leaves open the possibility for a sequel.—Necia Blundy, Marlborough Public Library, MA
In 1852 Emma and her mother board the steamboat Sally May. For headstrong Emma, a forbidden trip to visit her pony, Twist, on the main deck reveals a new world full of danger and unlikely friendships. Hart's diverting historical adventure includes authentic period details and an informative afterword on the history of riverboat travel.
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