Derailed

After losing her mother to tuberculosis, 13-year-old Gretta Anderson longs for more than housework and a future in the local mill. She dreams of high school, college-even becoming a reporter like her hero, Nellie Bly. But with a shy streak and a father who expects her to follow the path of "all the other girls," those dreams feel far out of reach. Then, in the early hours of May 24, 1911, a train carrying the famous "Two Bills Show" derails outside Gretta's village-sending wild animals into the streets. Gretta leaps into action, facing down a giant python, a wayward elephant, and her own fears to help restore order. In the chaos, she discovers courage she didn't know she had-and a story worth telling. Set in a time of social change, daring dreams, and traveling Wild West shows, DERAILED is a heartfelt tale of grit, friendship, and finding your voice when it matters most.

This fictional story was inspired by the derailment of "The Two Bills" train on the Stony Brook Rail Line between Westford and West Chelmsford, MA on May 24, 1911.