Snelling (A Land To Call Home, LJ 6/1/97) begins with the compelling story of Zeb MacCallister, who flees Missouri for the West after accidentally murdering a neighbor. Reluctantly teaming up with two malnourished orphan girls, Zeb eventually lands in Blessing, Dakota Territory. Unfortunately, the core of the book focuses on the trials and tribulations of the Bjorklund family, who are not half as interesting as Zeb and the girls. By the time Zeb and his two companions, especially the sulky and bad-tempered Manda, arrive in Blessing to give the Bjorklund family yet more problems to test their faith, readers may be wondering why a whole book was not devoted to such well-rounded and amusing characters. Still, readers who enjoyed the first three books in this series about immigrants settling the West will certainly want to read this one.