“Newbery Medalist Avi brings us mud-caked, tent-filled San Francisco in 1848 with a willful heroine who goes on an unintended – and perilous – adventure to save her brother.”
Synopsis
Victoria Blaisdell longs for independence and adventure, and she yearns to accompany her father as he sails west in search of real gold! But it is 1848, and Tory isn’t even allowed to go to school, much less travel all the way from Rhode Island to California. Determined to take control of her own destiny, she stows away on the ship. Though San Francisco is frenzied and full of wild and dangerous men, Tory finds freedom and friendship there. Until one day, when Father is in the gold fields, her younger brother, Jacob, is kidnapped. And so Tory is spurred on a treacherous search for him in Rotten Row, a part of San Francisco Bay crowded with hundreds of abandoned ships.
#MelAndNikkiReview
Gold Rush Girl is set during the Gold Rush of 1894 and is filled with adventure to draw a reader in. What captivated me as a reader was the strong female main character, Victoria (Tory). She embraces the unknown and refuses to be underestimated – love that! Tory also portrays great qualities such as being a good friend and being empathetic toward others. Furthermore, she becomes aware of her own shortcomings. Not in a way that belittles her strong character, but rather provides a depth look to who she is. You can’t help but respect it as you see her grow.
It is an interesting era to write about as the author combined real history facts into a functional story which made this book an interesting read. Make sure to read the Autor’s note in the back as there are some really cool facts he shares.
Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give Gold Rush Girl 4 stars out of 5! Adventure awaits for readers between 10 to 14 years of age and an empowering story too.
If you would like to purchase a copy, click here.
About the Author
Avi is one of the most celebrated authors writing for children today, having received two Boston Globe – Horn Book Awards, a Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, a Christopher Award, a Newbery Medal, and two Newbery Honors. He is the author of more than eighty books, including The Button War, What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything? And Other Stories, and The Most Important Thing: Stories About Sons, Fathers and Grandfatherd. Avi lives in Colorado.
Until next time…Happy Parenting!
-Momma Braga
*This book was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.
