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Millie is a girl growing up in Maine in the early 1910s. She lives on a farm with her parents and older brother. When an interurban trolley line is built and runs through her small town, she is fascinated by the beautiful trolley car named the Narcissus. Her father supports Teddy Roosevelt, and when she hears that Roosevelt will be coming to her town on the trolley, she decides she must see him. Although their wagon wheel breaks on the way to see him, Millie chases after the trolley car hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous man and give him a bouquet of sweet peas. This moment, along with the opening of travel opportunities provided by the interurban, will shape Millie's life through the decade and the trials of World War I.
Flahive's book is historical fiction targeting early middle-grade readers. It offers a well-written and well-researched glimpse into the everyday life of a curious farm girl growing up during this tumultuous decade. Readers familiar with the American Girl series will have a general understanding of the book's content. Flahive does a terrific job of incorporating the important events of the decade and the introduction of the trolley with the commonplace life of an American farm family. There isn't much tension in the novel, but the family does suffer tragedy. The pictures and historical background included at the novel's end further enrich the experience. Readers who enjoy the period and habitually pick up the informative books often found in museum gift shops will find this to be a satisfying read.
Winner of the 2020 Eric Hoffer Book Award Middle Reader Category and a Grand Prize Short List book