History of the area, excellent descriptions of the small towns and the culture of the people come alive as you read. A few of the 80 plus tales include going to the fruit cellar when a tornado was approaching, assisting her dad on cattle drives in the springtime, the pain of his death at the young age of 53, her feelings about changing high schools. She regales us with stories of having been born into a large Irish family, making forts from tumblin' weeds, attending dances, riding in an airplane when the pilot, twice, flew under the telephone line, taking a tour of McCook Air Base during World War II, driving around a German prisoner of war camp while waving at the enemy, the annual Christmas school program, a pet skunk, and of course, the ant hill challenge. The author wanted history to correctly remember how children, on the prairies of Nebraska, spent their lives during the 1940's and 1950's. However, where this book is highly successful is the attraction to those of us who were children during the same era. While you take this nostalgic reading trip your memory bell will ring many times of similar events and feelings that occurred in your childhood regardless of where your roots were planted. We are all fortunate that Jeanne Boyle Oldweiler has taken the time to tell us stories of growing up in southwestern Nebraska.