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Wil Drury and his brother, Tall, go off to fight in the Great War, but only Wil returns in 1918 to his family and his true love in Wyoming. He has no idea that his life will take a strange turn when his young son dies, and a young lad from New York City turns up at his doorstep to make his life complete again. Jesse James has traveled on one of the historic “Orphan Trains” to Cheyenne, looking for his father after his mother, Memory, becomes ill. He carries in his backpack a homemade knife with Wil’s name on it, a dime novel, and a playing card that his mother said would keep him safe. Wil knows immediately from these artifacts that this is Tall’s son.
Soon enough, Jesse comes of age and departs for the Second Great War. The Japanese capture him on Borneo after he is sent on a secret fact-finding mission. Jesses exchanges a promise with a Japanese officer and eventually finds his way home to Wyoming via Australia, along the way creating an international crisis.
Inspired by true events, the story reveals the strength of familial love and the power of a promise. The combination of straightforward though sometimes uneven writing, strong imagery, engaging characters, and clever plot shifts make this a tale to remember and share time and time again. Storytelling is deeply rooted in America’s history, and this author’s distinctly American voice gives the piece a simple authenticity reminiscent of tales told around a campfire or gatherings at the family hearth. Adults and young adults alike will devour this charming historical novella in one sitting.