
A young immigrant seeks his father's approval while facing new challenges in the Minnesota wilderness.
In 1900 Minnesota, young immigrant Matti Ojala faces the harsh realities of homesteading after a mining tragedy. As his family struggles to build a new life, Matti juggles work and teaching, all while yearning to step out of his brother's shadow and earn his father's respect. Can he find his place in this unforgiving land, or will the wilderness claim his dreams?
For fifteen-year-old Matti Ojala and his family, Finnish immigrants in Minnesota in 1900, starting a new life in America is both a hardship and an opportunity. After a tragic mining accident kills their beloved uncle, the family turns away from on the iron mines to pursue the dream of owning a homestead in the wilderness. This means constant hard work and new challenges for the entire family. But will it also allow Matti, the in-between child, the chance to escape from his older brother’s shadow and gain the approval of his father, which he so desperately desires?
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