"Don't get me wrong. I didn't want to be adopted.
Why, some of those folks who came for an orphan
seemed awful suspectable, talking hogwash and
flapdoodle, smiling, holding hands, and patting
heads. I pitied the kids who had to go with those
smooth-tongued phonies, even with new clothes,
hope and promises. What if their friendliness
and niceness was all fakery? What if those folks
were even meaner that Madame Cruddly? No,
thank you. I wouldn't be bamboozled. I'd rather
stay an orphan with old clothes and little hope.
And that's as true as water is wet."
Sally O'Malley is an orphaned 13-year-old determined to make her way in the world after deciding to head west on her own in search of a better life. After leaving her workplace because of abominable working conditions, she is faced with countless difficulties (food, a place to sleep, the dangers of being on the road alone in 1894 Oregon) until she meets Major, an older woman whose work is to get supplies from one place to another using a wagon pulled by Mabel, her donkey. They are accompanied by Major's canine companion, Sarge.
Major treats Sally with kindness and respect, and does her best to let Sally know she has a friend after never having any. Sally is reluctant to get too close to the old woman. Adding to her consternation is the fact that Major agrees to transport whiny 7-year-old Lafayette to cousins along the trail they are taking. Still, Sally remains as Major provides her only way to get to the western sea that holds promise.
Sally's first-person narration is riddled with personal thoughts, a colorful vocabulary and a penchant to collect unfamiliar but intriguing new words along their way. Each character is worthy of attention and admiration; they will tug at heartstrings as they travel together - animals and humans. Though thwarted by some of the restrictions on women at the time, the two plod forward from one danger to the next with confidence and bravery.
Despite a serious setback, Sally moves forward to complete the journey. Her search for belonging is fulfilled and her heart is healed through the connections she makes. No dull moments here; some are scary, sad, educational, downright dangerous, even humorous. It is a worthy readaloud in a middle years classroom that is both historical in nature and meaningful in terms of learning to trust and love others.
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