The book tells the story of a young pioneer family that comes to Texas in the 1890's. The book emphasizes tales of faith and courage with a focus on family values. Earnest Walkingstick is the child that a lot of American families worry about. They are mischievous, out-spoken, and are forever seeking adventure to spice up daily life. In this book, Earnest gets into trouble at times but has been given the gift of "vision dreaming." The gift gets him into scrapes on the prairie but he manages to get out of them and learns life lessons along the way. His "vision dreaming" comes from his Cherokee ancestors. The "Spirit Gods" show him the way as his vision dreams turn into reality. Earnest gains courage to explore without fear. His family surrounds him with love and keeps him on the right trail as he ventures through his early childhood.