ALA Booklist

On a wagon train headed to California, Colton is left to care for his family after his father accidentally shoots him and then runs off in horror. His mixed race family (Pa was white; Ma is black) is harassed, ignored, and finally abandoned by their fellow travelers, but Colton still manages to lead his mother and siblings to the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas before Ma's illness stops them. Ma entrusts Colton with her sister's freedom papers and begs him to deliver them to Sacramento, their ultimate destination. To meet her request, Colton joins the Pony Express--a job that brings further hardship and danger as Colton braves the coming winter to carry the mail on its final leg into California. Set in 1860, with the pending Civil War as its backdrop, Wilson's novelsubtly exposes the dangers of being mixed race in a volatile society. Wilson masterfully creates a multidimensional character in Colton, who possesses both youthful impetuousness and the wisdom of a man who has seen too much sadness for his young years. Societal barriers, played out larger than life in Colton's heart and mind, are the ultimate strength of this story. Readers will absorb greater lessons as they become engrossed in the excitement, beauty, and terror of Colton's journey to California and manhood.

Horn Book

His biracial heritage is among the obstacles twelve-year-old Colton faces as he and his family travel west in 1860. When his family fails to reach California before winter, Colton joins the Pony Express to pay his mother's medical bills; to do this, he must "pass" as white amid growing racial and political turmoil. A fast pace brings this slice of history to life.

Kirkus Reviews

<p>On the eve of the Civil War, Colton Wescott is "a boy with a foot in each of two worldsa"the black and the white, the slave and the free, the East and the West." On his way west by wagon train, Colton is shot by his father who disappears, and the family eventually stalls before making it to California. But Colton sees a poster advertising for Pony Express riders and sees a chance to become a man in his father's place. He'll relay freedom papers from his mother to her sister in Sacramento and carry an important message from Washington about a plot to blow up forts and steal ammunition in an attempt to support the South in the coming war. Driving the historic Pony Express route, visiting museums and bookstores and reading journals, letters and obituaries, Wilson has done the research to make the story alive and immediate. An exciting story written with style. (map, author's note) (Fiction. 10-14)</p>

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10-In 1860, Colton Wescott, 12, is determined to keep his Sacramento-bound family alive and heading west. His distraught white father abandons the family after accidentally shooting his son; the wagon master has ordered the mixed-race family to leave the wagon train; his freed-slave mother is sick from childbirth; and his two sisters cling to Colton in hopes of survival. When they finally arrive in Chinatown, 12 miles outside Carson City, NV, a sign for Pony Express riders captivates Colton, who lies about his age, passes for white, demonstrates his horse-handling skill, and is hired for the dangerous ride over the mountains. When he is injured in a fall, he loses his job but decides to take matters into his own hands. Eschewing the superintendent's orders and Pony Express protocol, he grabs the mail, rides his own temperamental horse, and heads for Sacramento, knowing he might be carrying news of two subversive plots "to blow up some forts and steal some ammunition" and to assassinate Presidential candidate Lincoln. Heroically, Colton delivers the mail, finds his mother's runaway sister, and gives her precious legal papers proving her freedom. Colton is determined, reflective, and courageous in his vivid, vernacular descriptions of moral dilemmas, treacherous trails, and exhaustion. Based on historical facts and footnotes, this fictional account offers an appealing, energetic, and provocative look at racial issues across America, the remarkable but short-lived scheme of Pony Express service, the fortitude of its riders, and the courage of one boy who stands up for family, himself, and his beliefs.-Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, NC Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Voice of Youth Advocates

Traveling from Missouri to California in 1860, twelve-year-old Colton Westcott and his family suffer a series of tragedies. Considered outsiders by their companions because they are a mixed-race family, the Westcott's troubles increase when Colton's father accidentally shoots Colton in the leg. Abandoned by his father, Colton is left to care for his little sisters, mother, and newborn brother. The death of the baby and Mrs. Westcott's deteriorating health bring their journey to a halt. By posing as white and lying about his age, Colton pursues an opportunity to become a Pony Express rider and eventually lands the job. He travels a treacherous route, delivering mail and exchanging exhausted horses for fresh ones along the way. An injury soon causes Colton to lose his position. But when a storm threatens the delivery of a letter that may save the life of Abraham Lincoln, Colton and his own ornery horse ride into action, delivering the letter and preserving the country from war. The Pony Express and the coming Civil War provide a fascinating backdrop for this fast-paced story featuring an engaging hero. Colton has problems, and his fear is often palpable, as when he faces a pack of hungry coyotes, a gruesome slave catcher, or the bitter cold along his Pony Express route. Readers will cheer for Colton to beat the odds and delight in his victories. Middle school boys will respond to Colton's independence and honesty, and historical fiction fans will devour the details about Pony Express operations.-Paula Brehm-Heeger.