In this historical written for young people (but probably enjoyable for older readers as well), Gessner tells of a boy, his widowed mother, retarded little brother, and uncle, who become stranded in the Arizona desert on their way to a new life where the mother was to have worked as a cook. A Navajo man finds them, and they travel to a nearby reservation, where the white man who runs the trading post helps them to recover from dehydration. They learn more about not only the Navajo's traditions and changes that have come with the white people, but also about the place where the mother was to have worked and their talents. Then they must make a decision about how to build their future life. Gessner has lived in Arizona (she came to speak to students when my sixth-grade teacher read this and another book to my class, through our librarian's arrangement), so her depiction of the setting comes from firsthand observation. Finally although there is definitely a romance or two in this story, its being told from the older son's viewpoint should keep it from putting off readers who don't think they want to read a romance. It is unfortunate that this title has gone out of print at the time of my review, but it is worth either trying to order or looking for at your local library.