Book excerpt: In Kate McMullan's first My America book, the drama and adventure of the American prairie come to life when Meg must leave her family and move to Kansas to avoid the St. Louis cholera epidemic. Margaret Cora Wells is a resilient young girl living in St. Louis where cholera has become an epidemic. When her mother and sister get sick, Meg wants only to tend to them. But, in an effort to protect his children, her father sends Meg and her brother, Preston, to their relatives on the Kansas prairie for the summer. After an adventurous journey, Meg and Preston arrive in Kansas where they learn about life in another part of the country, and even more about the politics of the time. Meg is sweet and strong with a deep moral sense and a real sense of humor.