Don't Forget Winona
by Annie Rosenberg
A young girl describes her family's experiences when a drought forces them to make their way on Route 66 from Oklahoma to California in the late 1930s.
Winona, the narrator's younger sister, doesn't want to go, but doesn't want to get left behind. When her family accidentally leaves her behind in New Mexico, "Don't Forget Me!" becomes Winona's mantra for the rest of the book. Whitehouse Peterson's text effectively captures the hardships the family endures, but her depiction of the characters is less successful. Kimberly Bulcken Root's illustrations are lovely, however, and beautifully convey the harshness of the physical environment.
