It isn't easy being a pioneer in the state of Washington in 1899, but it's particularly hard when you are the only girl ever born in the new settlement. With seven older brothers and a love of adventure, May Amelia Jackson just can't seem to abide her family's insistence that she behave like a Proper Young Lady. She's sure she could do better if only there were at least one other girl living along the banks of the Nasel River. And now that Mama's going to have a baby, maybe there's hope. Inspired by the diaries of her great–aunt, the real May Amelia, Jennifer Holm has crafted a beautiful tale of one young girl whose unique spirit captures the courage, humor, passion and depth of the American pioneer experience. Newbery Honor
Reviews
...
In her 2000 Newbery Honor Book and first novel, Jennifer Holm brings her Finnish-American grandaunt into the realm of historical fiction. May Amelia Jackson, a sister with seven brothers, lives on the Nasel River in Oregon in 1899. Emmy Rossum's presentation of this spunky 12-year-old is intense and genuine. Rossum lets the listener be the heroine's ever-present companion in the logging camp, the woods, or nearby Astoria. Through Rossum, the reader shares the intensity of May Amelia's frustration with her grandmother, disappointment with the role her family wants for her, and heartbreak at her sister's death. Rossum brings the action and characters close to our hearts. A.R. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine
