the best book ever!!! It has everything that makes readers want Joseph as a friend

When his beloved horse is sold, Joseph sets off across unknown country to track the man who has her. Along the way he meets a Chinese boy who seems to have been left to die. Together, they brave and best the dangers of the frontier. This is a great read. If you liked Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, this is the book for you

Fabulous book. Couldn't put it down. Wonderful characters, great plot. What's not to like? This western has everything, really it does.
Rose in PR

I loved this book. Loved the adventure of it, set in familiar Washington state, the beautiful scene of two boys not speaking the same literal language but successful in telling their stories to each other, the great good guys, the awful bad guys, oh and that Grizzly moment. I can't say any more or I'll spoil it. Must read!

Yes, this is an emotionally hard-hitting survival story. It is gripping page turner for all ages and great for reluctant readers.
It can be too hard for some readers regarding stories of parents dying. It is also the Wild West with many references to guns.
But the main character is true, honest, loyal and fights for the rights of his family, friends, animals and even the bad guy! It is a wonderful story about the respect of all people; whites settling in the West, living among the First Nations and respecting people of another race; the Chinese in this story.

A big warning sign to me is when I'm on the phone with someone and I'm trying to rush them off the phone so that I can finish reading my book. Nicely paced adventure story of a boy trying to get his horse back. It is set in the western days. The main theme is about the boy facing his loneliness and having good morals along his journey. He runs into many a situation where he reflects back on the standards and principles his parents taught him to guide his actions. Despite that I didn't feel that it was too preachy in trying to lecture him into doing the right thing. It clears shows he feels normal emotions and indecisiveness facing the obstacles. He befriends a Chinese boy along his journey and it is really about those two more than about a boy and his horse. Keep the tissue box handy and go on the journey with them.

Darn you, Dan Gemeinhart, for making me cry in my corn flakes! There is a lot of love expressed in this book, longing for a missing horse and dead family, and a decent buddy story that crosses language barriers as boys struggle through the 1890 Central Washington wilderness to recover what is theirs. Powerful.

Loved this adventure tale, great for middle school aged boys. Action packed, so it really is a quick read despite the 234 pages.

Set in the late 19th century, this is historical fiction at its most exciting. Our 12-year-old hero Joseph is tragically orphaned and alone in rural Washington State. He goes on a quest with one goal: to get his horse back. She's all he has left in the world. Along the way, Joseph faces danger and makes new friends. In some ways this is very different from Gemeinhart's first book (THE HONEST TRUTH) but both books have a strong emotional core and riveting plots.