The sweeping Western tale of a young girl's enduring spirit and courage.

In the summer of 1880, twelve-year-old Alice Calder is left alone to run the family's horse ranch on the outskirts of Baker City, Oregon, after her ma, pa, and little brother die of smallpox. The ranch is all she has left of her family, and she will do whatever it takes to hold onto it, even if it means greeting strangers at the business end of her Winchester rifle.

But when a man bearing an uncanny resemblance to her ma rides up and claims to be her Uncle Hank, Alice must decide whether to turn away blood kin or accept his help. It's a decision that will ultimately lead her on a journey of strength and resourcefulness across two territories, as she comes to terms with the meaning of family and just how far she's willing to go to save it.

Kay Snow First Place Fiction Award