Everything readers ask us
The story, the history, the hard parts, the byline, and where to get the book — all in one place.
What is The Long Road West about?+
The Long Road West is a middle-grade historical novel set in 1849. Ten-year-old Emily Tanner and her family sell their struggling Illinois farm and join the California Gold Rush, crossing two thousand miles of wilderness by ox-drawn wagon. There are rivers to ford, fever to survive, friends to lose, and a father so caught by gold-hunger that he nearly misses the real treasure riding in the wagon beside him. It is a story about what we chase, what we lose, and what we learn is worth keeping.
Who wrote The Long Road West?+
A father and his daughter, writing together as “Emily and Dad.” They wrote it side by side — which felt like exactly the right way to tell a story about a family crossing hard country side by side. The father’s hope is simple: to build something with his children, not just for them, and to leave a shelf of stories that can be handed down for generations.
What age is this book for?+
The story is written for ages 10–13 (grades 4–8), and it also makes a wonderful family read-aloud for slightly younger listeners. Every historical word is explained in a kid-friendly illustrated glossary at the back, with pronunciation guides.
Is The Long Road West a true story?+
Emily Tanner and her family are fictional — but everything around them is drawn from the real history of the California Gold Rush. Families exactly like the Tanners really did sell everything they owned and walk two thousand miles toward a promise. The trail, the jumping-off towns, the river crossings, the cholera, the race against the Sierra snow, and the hard arithmetic of the diggings are all grounded in the real experiences of the forty-niners, and a “Did You Know?” section at the back separates fact from fiction.
Is the book sad? Is it appropriate for sensitive readers?+
The authors set out to tell “the true shape of it, and not the pretty version.” There is real hardship and real loss in the story — including the death of a child on the trail, handled with honesty and great tenderness — because there was real hardship and real loss in the true history. But there is also real hope, real family, and a good ending honestly earned. Many families will find the harder chapters open the best conversations.
Does the book teach real Gold Rush history?+
Yes. Readers finish the story knowing how wagon trains worked, why river crossings were feared, what cholera did on the Platte, why the Sierra Nevada had to be crossed before the snow, and why the people selling flour often did better than the people digging gold. The back matter includes a glossary of trail and mining words and a “Did You Know?” section of true history behind the story.
How long is the book?+
The Long Road West is about 32,000 words — 20 chapters plus an epilogue, with a glossary and historical notes at the back. The paperback runs 127 pages, sized for confident middle-grade readers and for a couple of weeks of family bedtime chapters.
Where can I buy The Long Road West?+
The book is on its way to Amazon now, in paperback and Kindle editions. This page will link directly to the store the moment it goes live — check back soon.
Is this a good classroom book for westward expansion units?+
It fits naturally alongside westward expansion, Gold Rush, and pioneer units in grades 4–8. The built-in glossary, the fact-vs-fiction back matter, and themes of family, loss, honesty, and what wealth really means give teachers plenty to work with — and the short, cliffhanger-paced chapters make it a strong class read-aloud.
Are there other books by this family?+
Yes — writing stories together is the family’s favorite tradition. You may also enjoy The Everhart Family Adventures, a five-book mystery series set across the Philippines, and The Tinder Family’s American Adventure, a time-traveling journey through American history.