Enjoyable middle grade historical fiction. ( )

Rory and Violet have lived at the Sisters of Charity Foundling Hospital in New York City since the death of their parents nearly three years ago. Rory made a death bed promise to her mother that she would always look after her younger sister Violet, only a year old, and has done everything in her power to keep that promise. When Rory learns that Violet and a number of the younger children are to be placed in homes in the Arizona Territory she tries to convince the nuns to let her go, but the harsh reality is that Rory at age 12 is too old to be adopted. Rory is determined to make her way out west to ensure Violet’ safety and happiness. Her selfless acts of courage to protect her sister are nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Once in Arizona the children and the nuns find themselves in a terribly polluted mining town run by a corrupt group of town officials. The children have been promised to Catholic (Mexican) families, but racial tensions in the town are at an all-time high and the white families demand that the children be given to them, creating dangerous situations. Many of the events described actually occurred and a number of the characters were based on real people. It made for exciting reading but it must have been terrifying for those who were actually involved. ( )