by Avi
Flap Copy Description:
Life in 1848 in Providence, Rhode Island, isn't terribly exciting for a girl like Victoria Blaisdell. Barred from going to school and forced to borrow books secretly from the library, Tory longs to live a life as adventurous and independent as that of her heroine, Jane Eyre.
Then Tory's father loses his job and becomes so desperate to restore his family fortunes that he decides to seek a share of the newly discovered gold in California. Tory, eager to seize control of her own destiny, stows away on the westbound ship carrying her father and younger brother, Jacob.
Though San Francisco is mud-caked, frenzied, and full of wild and dangerous men, Tory quickly finds friends and independence until her father leaves for the gold fields and the care of Jacob falls to her.
But then Jacob vanishes, kidnapped, perhaps hidden among the hundreds of ships - called Rotten Row - that have been abandoned in the bay. If he is there, Tory must find him in a treacherous search.
My Thoughts:
The master storyteller, Avi, has spun another wonderful tale for middle grade readers! His strong female protagonist, Tory, is just the sort of girl that young readers need today. Additionally, the historical details in Gold Rush Girl bring this period of American history to life in an entertaining and exciting way. I highly recommend this novel to readers aged eight to fourteen!
Click here to learn about the Newbery Award winning author, Avi.
