Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson is a narrative for readers of all ages.

This historical fiction novel begins in Georgia during the gold rush era. Leah Westfall has a good life. Although she is not rich, she has a mom and dad who love her, a best friend, a beautiful mare, and chickens. Oh, and she can sense gold. No one knows about her power except her parents and her uncle, Hiram Westfall.

 Life turns when she hears two gunshots and rushes home to find her dad lying on the front porch, dead, and her mom behind the wood shack, shot, killed for their gold. Her best friend leaves for Independence Missouri, so Leah follows him and she pretends to be a boy to keep her identity a secret and herself safe.

The theme of this book is to be brave and to know you’re self. Leah is brave enough to pretend to be a boy and set for California with a few supplies, some gold, and her mare Peony. She learns that she can have friends just being her self as the journey continues to California.

Carson’s lead brings readers right in turning pages until the conclusion, which picks right back up in Rae’s installment, Like a River Glorious.

  If you love a fast paced historical fiction novel, read Walk on Earth a Stranger.
 

ISBN: 978-0-545-93984-3 Copyright Date: 2015  Copyright: Scholastic