The Empty Bucket

Here’s Charlene’s latest book.

The Empty Bucket

On the untamed prairies of South Dakota before 1920, the Russell family stake their claim on land, determined to build a farm and future as part of the Homestead Act. Through bitter winters, hot summers, crop failures, storms, floods, sickness and disease, the family works together trying to grow successful crops and have a successful farm.

Abby, the oldest daughter, measures her world by the weight of the wooden bucket she carries from the well each day. Some days, it is full—brimming with hope, love, and hard work. Other days, it is nearly empty—drained by loss, sacrifice, and the relentless demands of life. The bucket becomes a symbol of the family’s resourcefulness, their resilience in the face of difficulties, their perseverance during challenging times, and their ingenuity in finding joy despite hardship. No matter what they experienced, the family never lost faith, no matter how hard times were, and Abby believed the bucket would never stay empty for long even as they entered the years of the Great Depression.

This historical novel is a journey through the joys and sorrows of a family who dared to dream on the American frontier.

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