“This lovely novel, based on the journals, letters, diaries and oral stories of the author's grandmother, . . . supplies the deep kind of pleasure I remember feeling when I first read the Little House books in childhood. This novel is one of the best I've read in years.”

“This book is a first-rate treat. Readers feel the strength and grit that was both a part of Lavina Cumming and the countless others who, then and now, find the courage to do what they must.”

“This book is a first-rate treat.”

“Lavina is ten years old when her father sends her to live with his sister in California. Her new world with two-story houses, automobiles, and her bratty cousin . . . leaves her homesick for the dusty splendor and outdoorsy lifestyle of her family's Arizona ranch. . . . Lowell's descriptive narrative provides a detailed sense of setting and an accurate depiction of life in the early twentieth century.”

“In this delightful book the author incorporates the art of storytelling into her tale.”