by Nancy Barnes
First published 1946
Ellen Martin faces a year of change when her family starts fresh on a Colorado ranch at the turn of the century. The Martins live in a tent while they build their new home, watching the structure take shape alongside the crops they plant in unfamiliar soil. Ellen learns to navigate her bicycle across rough terrain and discovers the rhythms of country life. Her father understands the challenges of this transition, while her cheerful mother keeps spirits high during the hardest moments. Ellen must adapt to everything from the physical demands of ranch work to the isolation of their remote location. The family supports each other through setbacks and small victories alike. As seasons pass, Ellen grows into this new version of herself, shaped by the land and the daily work of building a life from nothing. The year tests the Martin family's resilience while revealing their deep bonds with each other.
Genres: family-life, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Colorado
Period: Turn of the Century
185 pages · Hardcover · Julian Messner