Worth

John Worth is taken off of the orphan train to help on the Peale family 19th century farm. He doesn’t know that he is walking into a family reeling from personal tragedies and previous financial failures. The Peale’s young daughter Missy had died years earlier and now their only son Nate had just been maimed in a terrible accident.

Nate struggles, thinking that John has taken his place working beside Pa. At the same time, John wrestles with his position within this family. City boy versus country boy, son versus interloper — this book has all of the elements to create a real emotional storm for teens who read it. Add to this a range war between rival farmers and the mystery of who is cutting fences and you’ve got a compelling story that will grab the interest of young readers. Over time the boys become best friends. Together they learn to enjoy life again in spite of their pain-filled pasts. The author does a great job describing the historical time period making it interesting and alive.