When the Pony Express came along, it cut the time it took to send a letter across the country in half. But only a year and a half later, with the arrival of transcontinental telegraph lines, it was put right out of business.

Along with a family's story told through cross country letters, Verla Kay uses her trademark short, rhythmic verse to pack in loads of information about how the Pony Express came to be and why it didn't last. And Barry and Kim Root's gorgeous illustrations help bring this fascinating, fleeting bit of history to new life.