Retta Barre's not the first 12-year-old girl to travel the Oregon Trail, and she won't be the last. But for something that's supposed to be the grandest adventure of her life, the days sure are dull! Thick dust, vindictive bugs, and picking up buffalo chips--not exactly the stuff of the action-packed penny novels she loves to read.
When things change in Retta's life, though, they change fast! A simple trip into the prairie, mixed with Retta's enthusiasm and timing, brings adventure and trouble--all at the same time! Soon Retta is the talk of the wagon train, and her friends don't want to miss the next caper she's sure to stumble into. And Retta certainly won't let them down.
Stephen Bly (1944-2011) authored more than 100 fiction and nonfiction books for kids and adults, including the Retta Barre Oregon Trail series, the Nathan T. Riggin Western Adventure series, the Lewis & Clark Squad series, and Adventures on the American Frontier. He received the Christy Award in the category of Westersn. His wife, Janet, and their three sons--Russell, Michael, & Aaron--finished his last novel for him, Stuart Brannon’s Final Shot, a Selah Award Finalist.