AUTHOR: Sid Fleischman
PUBLISHER: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
PUBLICATION DATE: April 30, 1998 (first published 1963)
PUBLICATION DATE: April 30, 1998 (first published 1963)
FORMAT: Paperback, 224 pages
GENRE: Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 9780316286121
GENRE: Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 9780316286121
In this rollicking adventure set during the California Gold Rush, Jack's aunt is forced to sell her beloved mansion to meet her debts. She is still unable to raise enough money to pay her creditors, and twelve-year-old Jack goes to California in search of gold to help her. Joined by his trusty butler, Praiseworthy, Jack finds adventure and trouble at every turn. Will Jack strike gold in San Francisco or come home empty-handed?
This new edition features illustrations by Brett Helquist.
MY REVIEW:
I read this book aloud to my children. It won the 1972 George C. Stone Center for Children's Books Recognition of Merit Award.
This is a fantastic adventure story that is set in 1849 during the time of the California Gold Rush. It features an orphaned 12 year-old boy named Jack Flagg, who lives with his aunt, Arabella, in Boston. In order to save the family from financial ruin and force the sale of the family’s estate, Jack sets out to strike a fortune in California. Accompanied by the family’s butler, Praiseworthy, the two set off to purchase their tickets to sail aboard a ship. Unfortunately, their money to pay for their passage is stolen and they must stow-away on the ship. They work off their passage by stoking the boiler with coal. One of the passengers has his map marking the site of gold stolen, and Jack and Praiseworthy devise an ingenious method of ferreting out the thief.
Jack and Praiseworthy encounter one obstacle after another, but they are unswerving in their dedication to complete their mission. They make a great team! I loved seeing the change in their relationship over time from butler/master to more of a father/son dynamic. Praiseworthy really surprised me with his cleverness, and my kids and I laughed on many occasions. It was also really interesting to see what life was like as a gold miner.
If you are looking for a funny adventure story to enjoy with your kids, I highly recommend this book!
This book qualifies as:
#13 for my 2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
#13 for my 2013 Read-a-Latte Challenge
#5 for my 2013 Let Me Count The Ways Reading Challenge: Book Version
#6 for my 2013 Where Are You Reading? Challenge
#6 for my 50 States Challenge 2013
#6 for my 2013 Quick Fix Challenge
#3 for my 2013 2nds Challenge
#6 for my Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2013
#6 for my 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
#7 for my Embarrassment of Riches Reading Challenge 2013
#5 for my 2013 Dusty Bookshelf Challenge
#11 for my 2013 Literary Exploration Reading Challenge
#5 for my 2013 Eclectic Reader Challenge
#11 for my 2013 Genre Variety Reading Challenge
#2 for my 2013 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
#5 for my 2013 Award Winning Books Reading Challenge
Design by Parajunkee Design
I miss the days of reading these fun stories to my son, but will admit my guilty pleasure of still reading them myself with I come across a good one. Thanks for sharing today :)
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Denise! You are right - kid's books are NOT just for kids ;)
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