A Prairie Infanta

Jane Combs works a small holding near Aguilar, a Colorado mining town divided between its old plaza and the busy coal workings. A dispute over a strip of land has soured relations with her neighbors, the Vigils. When a covered wagon stops nearby and a mother dies, the doctor asks Jane to help the grieving child. Her awkward attempt at consolation begins a story concerned with the practical demands of kindness.

Eva Wilder Brodhead's western tale for younger readers follows Jane's attachment to Lola, a girl whose schooling and future become deeply important to her guardian. At a school gathering, Jane interrupts the doctor's attempt to tell Lola something troubling, revealing a conflict between protection and honesty. The town's coal company also brings unexpected news about Jane's property. Readers interested in childhood, guardianship and life in a mining community will find a story shaped by difficult choices within close neighborhood ties.