The Oregon Trail is notoriously long and difficult, but Lorena Emerson and her uncle set off with the hope of a better future. When her uncle is killed by a thief Lorrie is told she can't continue driving her oxen alone and must stay at the next town. But the determined girl gathers a few other discards such as the Browns and their broken wagon, and joins the next small train. On the way Lorrie, who started travelling light, collects abandoned furniture, mattresses and cast-iron stoves. When the steep mountain climbs become too much for a pregnant woman, Lorrie investigates a side DETOUR TRAIL to a river and the prospect of settling near a mountain man and his Arapaho family.

The next section shows the plentiful hard work and planning involved in building a settlement, from splitting logs to planting gardens, and Lorrie makes a few back journeys to buy goods such as flour, chickens and a wise mule called Jake. The girl is good at planning but less so at backwoods skills such as butchering. She can hold her own against trail thieves though, who imagine a girl and loaded wagon will be easy prey. The settlers only have a few short months to prepare for winter, and their lives will depend on their buildings and supplies.

This is a spirited tale of a brave young woman, without any great drama of Indian wars - the pioneering life is exciting enough. I enjoyed seeing the little settlement prosper and grow, and Lorrie had further adventures every time she ventured for supplies, to add variety. DETOUR TRAIL by Joy Smith is a decent young adult read for a slice of American history.