When Mattie McAlister finds herself abandoned in small-town Texas in 1898, she must find a way to survive. Her choices are few: go to the children's home or make her own way with grit and determination. Opportunities are few, especially for a smart girl who struggles to read.

She finds a place to live by agreeing to work for a poor family with seven kids and a depressed mother. Over the next few years, her positive attitude and ability to make do in difficult situations endear her to her new family and the community. Her gift for training horses and her skill with a rifle even make her locally famous.

But her wish is to find a husband and have a home of her own. And then she meets him....

Laugh, cry and experience the triumph of the human spirit in Mattie, a riveting historical narrative that will haunt and inspire you long after you've turned the last page.