The daughter of Irish immigrants and the son of an African slave forge their own destiny in Boston, in this compelling sequel to Shanty Gold. Boston, 1870. Nellie’s mom and Neo’s father met on a coffin ship sailing from Ireland to America, a journey they barely survived. Having heard this tale since childhood, the two teenagers now crave an adventure of their own. When an unfounded rumor gets Nellie suspended from school and puts her future in jeopardy, the lifelong friends flee to New York City to join a circus. And though their escapade is short-lived, it teaches both of them about...

“Charters interweaves many important topics—immigration, civil rights, women’s rights—into her exciting novel . . . An evocative portrait of South Boston.” —Kirkus Reviews After the deaths of her mother and infant sister during Ireland’s Great Famine, thirteen-year-old Mary Boland makes her way to the Queenstown harbor and onto a coffin ship bound for America. But what happens during her transatlantic passage is enough to quash the strongest of dreams. After being assaulted by crewmembers, Mary thinks of ending her life—until a young Black slave named Kamua comes to her...