Picture Wagon »

Donna Getzinger has been writing and publishing since she graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 1991. Her works have been read in many literary magazines and anthologies, most notably: Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul, Children's Digest, Teaching Theatre, Listen, and Funny Times. For her photo-anthology Couching, Donna won the 1997 Honorable Mention Literary Masters Award from Center Press. Her children's fantasy novel Saving Christmas Spirit is still available. Currently she is compiling and editing comedy sketches for the series, L.A.'s Best Sketch Comedy, from Meriwether Press Ltd. Donna has most recently turned her craft toward writing screenplays and television scripts. She lives in Burbank, California with the man she loves.

Night Riders have set fire to the neighbor's barn. Joanna Prescott and her father help extinguish it all the while knowing that their house could be next. Living in Tennessee as former residents of Vermont is not very safe for the Prescott family at the outbreak of the Civil War. All the same, Joanna's father has a booming photography business in town, and the family has finally settled after years of traveling about in Pa's old picture wagon, so none of them are ready to leave just yet.

After the fire scare, however, Pa buys a new picture wagon - just in case - and takes Joanna out to teach her the ropes. Unfortunately, on their return trip Joanna and Pa find out that Pa's shop has been burned down by the Night Riders who also threatened Ma and Betsey's lives.

The family packs up and head toward Kentucky where they plan to stay with relatives until the fighting is over. Before they can leave the state, Pa is shot by the Night Riders chasing them out of town.

With Pa barely alive and bills to be paid in a town with which they're not familiar, Joanna takes the wagon and goes into business. This is no small feat for a twelve year old. Joanna takes the wagon out for two day trips to bring in some money. During one of those trips she meets Greg, a Yankee spy, who needs her help to get to Illinois. During the often dangerous trip, Greg decides that Joanna would be a perfect spy with the perfect cover - the picture wagon.

But instead of becoming a spy, Joanna returns to find her father well enough to travel on to Uncle Seth's house. There is no talk of picture taking or spying until Greg shows up a month later. He and Joanna convince her parents that the cause is worth the risk, and against everyone's better judgment, Joanna takes off in the wagon to serve her country.

Early on in her journey she happens upon a group of Rebels with stolen Federal supplies. Afraid to knock on the door of the nearest drop point to tell the news, she merely leaves a note. The following morning she picks up two runaway slave children and learns more about the stolen supplies. She returns to the drop point to ask what to do about the children only to find the whole household empty.

Checking around the house for injured, she is discovered by a Rebel soldier left to guard the place. There is a chase and an incident winding up with the Rebel being shot in the leg. Desperate, Joanna and the slaves pull the Rebel into the wagon and take off for the next drop point.

The man who helps remove the bullet form the Rebel's leg informs Joanna that the best place to get rid of the Rebel is at General Buell's headquarters. The best place to catch up to the Underground Railroad is in a different direction. Joanna hasn't much time to take care of either matter. If she doesn't take the children that night, they'd miss their chance. If she waits too long to get rid of the Rebel, he might wake up and cause trouble.

She chooses to help the slave children first. Problems arise when the Rebel wakes up as she's discussing the plan with the Reverend who will help the children. Quick thinking allows her to save the children from the Rebel and gives the Reverend time to tie the Rebel back to his cot. The Reverend warns her that the Rebel will be too hard for her to control all by herself. The slave children volunteer to stay with Joann and help rather than go with the Underground Railroad.

As Joanna drives the wagon closer to the headquarters, she drives right into a battle scene. She can't resist the chance to get some pictures. Mistake. The Rebel escapes and knocks her out. She wakes up in the back of the wagon wit the slaves locked up in the darkroom. Trying to escape, she gets thrown from the wagon in the middle of the now quiet and body-littered battlefield.

Joanna runs all night until she sees her abandoned wagon on the side of the road guarded by a Yankee soldier. Needing help, she gets directions to General Buell's headquarters and finds Greg there. Greg sees the importance of helping her find the children and capture the Rebel and any of his companions. Greg tells her that the Rebel might be connected with the Night Riders who have caused so much tragedy.

Though Greg points the way, it's really Joanna who saves the day. Sharp thinking and good planning allows her to save the slave children and send the Night Riders straight into Federal headquarters.

Scribes World - Maureen Boylan

A wonderful story. I'd recommend The Picture Wagon to all young people wishing to get a feel for what life was like during the Civil War. Looking through the eyes of a youngster you can feel the excitement, the fear, and the wonder as she tries to survive a war being fought around her. An entertaining story as well as educational.