In 1858, twelve-year-old Sallie Fox and her family leave Iowa in a wagon train, dreaming of California. They follow the Santa Fe Trail to New Mexico. Then they strike out due west across the bleak desert. Suddenly, Indians attack the pioneers, driving off their cattle and oxen. One hundred people--many sick and injured--are now stranded in the searing summer heat, five hundred miles away from anyone who can help them! Yet, through grit, determination, and luck, Sallie and the others survive to reach California, though not without paying a heavy price. This lightly fictionalized account of a true story is drawn from diaries, memoirs, letters, and many other historical sources. It tells the heartwarming story of a plucky pioneer girl who learns that through courage and the love of her family, she can overcome any adversity.