In the 1840s, 14-year-old Mary Jane lives on a trading post in the Minnesota Territory. A letter from Ma’s sister asking for a “helping hand” provides the impetus for Mary Jane (white) to head south. Observant, forthright Mary Jane proves to be capable and open-hearted, if sometimes naïve, on her journey. She helps her aunt’s family and, when tragedy strikes, accompanies her now-orphaned teen cousins when they’re sent by a judge to another uncle farther south. That uncle turns out to be a slaveholder. When she catches him abusing one of her cousins, Mary Jane plots to secure their safety, thwarting two con men—including the young, handsome Huck Finn—in the process. This adventure starring a minor character from Huckleberry Finn (and offering satisfying parallels and references for readers familiar with Huck) shines with exemplary characterizations and plotting. The novel deftly blends eye-opening historical authenticity with 21st-century sensibility, from generous, gender-amorphous Mrs. Captain, who pilots a riverboat and takes Mary Jane under her wing; to Mary Jane’s schooling in white saviorism when she hopes to free Candy and Sugar, the enslaved mother and daughter at her uncle’s; to demeaning laws and attitudes that contradict women’s obvious capabilities. Mary Jane is admirable through the lenses of both historical authenticity and modern sensibility: She is strong, smart, kind, and resilient; she’s also flawed, learning from her experiences. A fascinating author’s note details the exhaustive research that went into this rousing tale.