Frozen Summer — Mary Jane Auch / M.J. Auch

In 1815 Remembrance "Mem" Nye and her family pack up their covered wagon and head for the Genesee Country in western New York for a better life. But their first summer in their new home proves more difficult than they ever imagined. Papa's crops are ruined by the severe frosts, so food is scarce. And since the birth of baby Lily, Mama has been having terrible spells. Now Papa must rely on young Mem to take care of her sister and brother, and especially her sick mother. Mem's struggles go from bad to worse when Mama and Lily disappear in the woods on a cold and stormy night. It's up to Mem to find Mama and Lily and bring them safely home.

In a powerful companion novel to the highly acclaimed Journey to Nowhere, twelve-year-old Mem comes face-to-face with the hardships that befell many early settlers. Mary Jane Auch writes about mental illness during pioneer times with compassion and hope in this gripping historical novel.