It's 1863 and 10-year-old Emmy Blue Hatchett has been<br><br>told by her father that, come spring, their family will<br><br>leave their farm, family, and friends in Quincy, Illinois,<br><br>and travel the Overland Trail to a new home in Golden,<br><br>Colorado. Emmy has mixed feelings about going.<br><br>"Part of me was like Pa, wanting the excitement of going<br><br>to a new place where we might be rich. But the other part<br><br>wanted to stay in Quincy with my friends and grandparents,<br><br>with everything I knew, where I would be safe."<br><br>It's difficult leaving family and friends behind. They might<br><br>not see one another ever again. When her grandmother<br><br>comes to say goodbye, she gives Emmy a special gift,<br><br>something to keep her occupied on the trip.<br><br>The journey by wagon train is long and full of hardships.<br><br>But the Hatchetts persevere and reach their destination<br><br>in Colorado, ready to start their new life.<br><br>Based on an incident in Colorado history, Sandra Dallas<br><br>crafts a spellbinding story for young readers.