The year is 1910, and Emma Schweitzer and her family are immigrating to America in hopes of finding a better life. Their German colony in South Russia is falling under new restrictions imposed by the Russian government, and in order to escape poverty and tyranny, the family decides to move to North Dakota to live with an uncle. But their journey is not an easy one. The ship is overcrowded, health inspectors can detain any family or deny them entry, and swindlers are eager to prey on new immigrants. Can Emma be strong enough to succeed in a new country where she can't even understand the language? Through Emma's story, this gripping historical novel captures the hardships immigrants faced in pursuit of the American dream.