Frost and Fervor

Josephine Wesley is a 17 year old girl who is left for dead in the middle of the Rocky Mountains during the winter. Her house was ransacked and burned by a rouge band of Arapaho Indians in the 1860s. Her father is killed during the raid, and Josephine, her mother and siblings were kidnapped. While traveling with the Indians, Josephine falls off her horse and is left behind. Her isolated experience of survival begins with the first night of fighting off freezing temperatures and a pack of wolves. Josephine stumbles upon an abandoned cabin after a day’s journey of walking, and this becomes her home for the duration of the book. She learns to fish, trap, and grow her own food while combating an instance with a bear, a snake, more ravenous wolves and other scary endeavors. Moreover, Josephine learns how to recognize her mental illness and comes up with coping skills that alleviate her mental distress. Her adventurous story is captivating, demonstrating the strength of a young girl that defies physical and mental obstacles for survival.