Dorothy Bolton and her family are making ends meet in Britain in 1903, but the growing number of stories about vast expanses of fertile, free land have caught the eye of her father and her brother. Her father dreams to have a farm of his own. When young Frank loses his clerk job to a returning Boer War veteran, the Boltons' last good reason for staying where they are is gone with it. They follow the lead of Reverend Isaac Barr, whose stated mission it is to create an exclusively British colony in the new world. In lively language and crystal-clear detail, Anne Patton recreates the Boltons' farewell to friends and family, their journey across the Atlantic in a ship packed with other emigrants on the Barr Colony mission and their journey by train from the Maritimes to the Canadian prairie. Based on interviews with the original Dorothy Bolton, Full Steam to Canada is a novel, but it absolutely is a true story.

Based on a true story, the sequel to Full Steam to Canada follows Dorothy Bolton as she discovers the true strength of community as a settler on the plains. Dorothy’s father has always dreamed of having his own farm. So, with the help of Dorothy, her family, and a community that comes together despite their different backgrounds, the Boltons set out with their wagons, horses, dogs, and belongings, to create a life for themselves on the vast prairie landscape. After travelling thousands of miles, Dorothy and her familyhave arrived in Canada, and are adjusting to their new lives on the prairies. Things are different than they were in England – even the small things like food and water have to be worked for – but Dorothy is excited for the adventure they’ve started. However, the Barr Colonists who arrived with Dorothy and her family are getting restless. Lack of food and other resources have caused many families to fall ill and go hungry, and the prairie and its weather are unforgiving. Fire and floods consume homes and supplies, and many promises made to the Colonists before leaving England have proven false. Will this colony of settlers have what it takes to put down lasting roots in this strange new world?