James K. Polk grew up to become the 11th President of the United States of America. We have books and books about him as a grownup. But not much is available about his younger years. When he was ten, his family moved in covered wagons from North Carolina to Tennessee - over 450 miles. They crossed dangerous mountains and struggled through rough land. When they arrived in middle Tennessee, they had to build a house on land full of trees and cane. James K., who was a frail, sickly boy, was a part of it all.

This story, based on historical research, follows young James K. from boyhood through his teen years, envisioning the life he would have experienced as his family settled in Tennessee.