Twelve-year-old Will Handler leaves his Pittsburgh home in the midst of the Great Depression to hop the boxcars out to California. The friend he leaves with becomes disillusioned and homesick, and decides to head for home. Will becomes even more determined to continue on when he meets up with an old guy named Gus who befriends him, guiding him to his first hobo jungle by the side of the tracks. Gus and Will hop on the next train in the hopes of being hired by the carnival. Life in the carnival is good, until an accident involving Gus results in the death of another man and Will steps up to accept the blame in his place. He finds himself running from an angry mob, and is once again on the move, hopping boxcars out to California. He takes with him the nickname Unbreakable Will, given to him by Gus. What lies ahead? Will he ever see home again?

Unbreakable Will has the potential to be a great Accelerated Reader book. Written to target the midgrade audience but is just as entertaining for young adults, it gives important historical facts, geographical locations, and key political figures of that time. Children will go to their teachers asking if this really happened, and most of it really did.

Based on the true story of her father’s life, it is a moving tribute. Although she wanted to see it published before he died, it did not happen. Reinhard began working on this novel after discovering her father was dying of cancer. It is based on his true adventures of leaving Pittsburgh when he was twelve and heading for California. She interviewed her father, allowing him to tell his story, conducted extensive research into the Great Depression, read dozens of books, watched films of riding the rails and the construction of Hoover Dam, and of what life was like during that time, and listened to the music from that era, all of which shines through her words and makes you feel like you are right there. What a wonderful legacy to leave her sons!

Lisa Hussey Reinhard is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and Kansas City, Missouri.  She graduated magna cum laude from (SMU) Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and earned a Master’s in education from Texas A&M/Commerce.  She has been an elementary, middle school, and college teacher for over thirty years. She is the author of Unbreakable Will, Washed by a Beach (2017), and Psalms for the Single Mom (2017), all published by Argus Publishing.

Published by Argus Publishing  Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency