Charlotte's Rose

"I'll care for the child tomorrow. And the day after that! And the day after that! I will carry that baby to Zion! Just see if I don't!"

                                                         Charlotte Edwards's quate

Charlotte's Rose is a touching pioneer story of a young immigrant girl who has recently suffered a loss, who finds love in a motherless baby in this breathtaking novel written by A.E. Cannon

Plot
The story begins with young 12-year old girl, Charlotte Edwards. She is a poor immigrant from Wales. Her and her father are traveling along the Mormon Trail heading to Zion, the promised land in Salt Lake City, Utah where they can begin new lives in July of 1856. Charlotte and her father, Daniel Edwards travel on a ship, then migrate on foot with over 700 other mormons across the new country of America. They are traveling with family friends, the Bowens and are separated into wards.

Although nervous, Charlotte is very mixed-up about her feelings for the things around her. Charlotte is starting puberty, and still dealing with the loss of her mother. She is also unsure about her feelings for her childhood friend, John Bowen and excited and scared about journeying to America. She finds comfort in her father however, who loves her dearly.

On the trip, Charlotte entertains herself by thinking up stories and hoping to one day be able to write her tails down on paper, since she cannot read or write. Although, she isn't fond of the language, Charlotte knows she also must learn english. Charlotte also meets the strange Catherine Jones who is mysterious and full of secrets. Charlotte then begins a friendship with a young woman named Mary Owen who is expecting a baby. Before the baby is born, Charlotte is enraged to be treated like a child, since she works like an adult and is developing like a woman. Then on the night of Mary Owen's baby's birth, Mary Owen dies of blood loss. The father of the baby, Thomas Owen, is too traumatized and in shock to care for his baby himself. So Charlotte decides to show everyone that she is an adult, and vows to care for the baby herself and carry the baby to Zion all by herself.

After the baby is given to Charlotte, Charlotte is at first mesmorized by her. She believes she can do it because she is very strong and decides to carry the baby on her back in a shawl. After the first few days of caring for the baby, Charlotte is frustrated and tired because of the baby's crying all day and night, and how hard it is to change her. Charlotte later names the baby Rose, because her mother loves roses. And every night, she sings a special lullaby to Rose. Over time, Charlotte can't help but think of Rose as her own, and begins to love Rose a lot. And as Charlotte learns how to become a mother, people soon realize how much of a woman she really is. Charlotte also realizes her feelings for John Bowen, and learns the dark secret of Catherine Jones.

3 months later, they are still traveling on the Mormon Trail. Rose is almost 3 months old now, and thinks of Charlotte as her mother. It is October now and with a disease going around, Rose soon catches it and becomes sick. One night, Rose even stops breathing and the chances were very low that a baby so small would survive. Refusing to let Rose go, Charlotte does the only thing that she can and sings to Rose their special song. The next morning, miraculously the fever has dropped and Rose lives. Then Rose's father, Thomas Owen confronts Charlotte and tells her that he was afraid his daughter might die before he could even get to know her. He then asks to have his daughter back. Charlotte refuses at first. But then everyone reminds her that Rose isn't her daughter, and needs to be back with her father. After a long talk with Catherine Jones, Charlotte decides to give Rose back to her father. She also gives Rose her mother's old blanket to remember her by.

The story ends with Charlotte, her father, the Bowens, and Catherine Jones smashing their hand carts in happiness when they finally reach Salt Lake City.