In 1848, young Maggie O'Brien and her family take a riverboat ride up the Mississippi River to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, where her father's new job as an army scout promises a life of discovery on the American frontier.But after Maggie's father dies on a scouting mission, Maggie is filled with grief. Determined to begin again, her family joins a wagon train bound for California, facing the untamed dangers of the Santa Fe Trail.Along the way, unexpected encounters challenge Maggie, opening the door to understanding, healing, and hope in the most unlikely places.Carla Beene's BENEATH THE PRAIRIE STARS is a heartfelt coming-of-age adventure set on the wild American frontier.