Book excerpt: With the Shenandoah Valley Railroad now operational and the American Civil War lingering in recent memory, narrator Billy Washita sets his heart on finding the secret to his past. Along with his friend, Rascal, Billy follows where the railroad leads. Along the way, the two fatherless wanderers encounter five more orphans, each with their own stories of abandonment. Together, their uncertain hope for adoption means facing fears, suffering unrequited love, and discovering a future no one could have imagined. Will the mystery of the past bring the hope they seek? Social entrepreneur specializing in global orphan ministry, Blake Fite, turns his energy to historical fiction as he teams up with burgeoning young authors in the first book of the Carriage Kids Series for a one-of-a-kind journey from bondage to freedom—fatherlessness to family. Young readers and parents alike are drawn into the action of each chapter with engaging discussion questions and gain real-life survival tips along the way!