Frozen Summer

In 1815 Remembrance "Mem" Nye and her family packed up their covered wagon and headed for the Genesee County in western New York for a better life. But their first summer in their new home proves more difficult than they ever imagined. Papa's crops are ruined by the severe frosts, so food is scarce. And since the birth of baby Lily, Mama has been having terrible spells. Now Papa must rely on young Mem to take care of her sister and brother, and especially her sick mother. Mem's struggles go from bad to worse when Mama and Lily disappear into the woods on a cold and stormy night. It's up to Mem to find Mama and Lily and bring them safely home. In a powerful companion novel to the highly acclaimed Journey to Nowhere , twelve-year-old Mem comes face-to-face with the hardships that befell the early settlers.

"Even better than its predecessor...Auch's attention to the unromantic details of pioneer life, combined with evocative description and unusually involving dialogue, gives her work uncommon dimension." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"...a refreshing, highly realistic entry in pioneer fiction." - Kirkus Reviews

"A well-paced, bracingly realistic novel." - The Horn Book

“The reader of this finely researched historical novel feels the physical and emotional challenges of pioneer life.” – Children’s Literature

"The novel joins Pam Conrad's Prairie Songs as an unflinching look at the price of Western settlement." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“This is a great book, one I cannot imagine could be better written.” -- Voya 

“It is exciting and action-packed from start to finish. Auch creates a vivid picture of life in 1816. Her research shows in the close attention to detail.” -- Kliatt