School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-6-In 1868, 14-year-old Libby West and her family leave Denver for Cheyenne. Her father and his young friend Pete are working as "stringers," eyewitness reporters covering the race to complete a transcontinental railroad. In her diary, Libby records her observations and her family's adventures as they follow the Union Pacific builders. The author does a good job of integrating information about the period into the story and depicting the girl's confusion over which of the many conflicting news stories to believe about the railroad. Both plot and characters are well developed. Readers will enjoy Libby's friendship with Ellie, a girl she meets on her travels, and the beginnings of her romance with Pete. While the diary ends on the last day of the race, an epilogue relates what happened to the fictional characters. The book concludes with a historical note that provides background information and black-and-white pictures from the period. For fans of this and the "American Girl" series (Pleasant Co.).-Cathy Coffman, Sunrise Mountain Library, Peoria, AZ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.