Destination Gold!

VOYA

It is 1897, and Ned Turner is determined to make his fortune in the gold fields of the Klondike. He sets off, certain that in no time he will send enough money back to his mother and sister in Victoria, British Columbia, to support them. He envisions a quick trip, followed by a period of scooping gold up off the ground he intends to claim. His twelve-year-old sister, Sarah, is not so sure. Sarah is practical, not a dreamer like Ned and their mother. Little does Sarah know that soon she also will be sent to the Klondike when Ned disappears. Catherine, a sixteen-year-old on the run, heads to the Klondike for reasons of her own. The lives of these three characters become intertwined as they undergo a series of adventures that put all their lives at risk. Lawson's research in Dawson City in the northern Yukon has helped her to produce a richly textured landscape that shows the excitement and difficulties faced by the hopeful thousands struck by gold fever. Astute readers will foresee Ned's dilemma long before he does, but they will be unsatisfied with the sparse explanation of Catherine's problematic past. Sarah's character surely will captivate readers. This shy, practical, and terrified girl discovers strength of character and resourcefulness she never expected. This story, set amidst one of the most frantic dashes in North American history, is a delightful discovery for readers of historical fiction and those who enjoyed Will Hobb's take on the Klondike in Jason's Gold (Morrow, 1999/VOYA December 1999). VOYA CODES: 4Q 3P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9).2000, Orca, 212p, . Ages 12 to 15. Reviewer: Betsy Fraser SOURCE: VOYA, April 2001 (Vol. 24, No.1)

Children's Literature

When Ned left his hometown of Victoria to seek the goldfields of the Klondike in 1897, he was not very different from many of his fellow adventurers. He was sure that it would only be a matter of weeks before he would stake his claim to gold and return to Victoria, far richer than he left. But the trip through Alaska was not exactly what he had expected. Waiting at home, his sister Sarah decides to set out on her own to find her brother and bring him home. A third character, Catherine, is introduced as she searches the Alaskan countryside for a completely different reason. The three teenagers give the reader a look into the gold rush of 1897 and how difficult and life changing that experience was. This is an excellent introduction to the historical fiction genre, and will hold the attention of the middle school reluctant reader. This is the author's twentieth book written for young people, and this one was researched while the author was living in the Yukon. 2000, Orca Book Publishers, $16.95. Ages 12 to 16. Reviewer: Joyce Rice

KLIATT

"Klondike fever" infected the world in the wake of a huge gold discovery there in 1896. Sixteen-year-old Ned Turner is determined to get his share of the riches, in order to pay off his widowed mother's debts and support his family in style. He sets out in July of 1897 from Victoria, BC by steamship to the north. On the way he is befriended by an older man who calls himself Montana, who warns the naïve "cheechako" or newcomer not to be too trusting. Of course, Montana isn't exactly trustworthy himself: he turns out to be a gambler and a vicious scoundrel. He cheats Ned and exploits him as the two struggle over the difficult White Pass Trail to Dawson City. Ned does find a true friend, however, a stray mutt he calls Nugget. He ends up working for wages, digging out someone else's gold mine in the bone-chilling cold. Meanwhile, a 16-year-old girl named Catherine has also made her way to Dawson City, escaping Montana, who had been her captor; and Ned's 13-year-old sister Sarah has made her way there too, in search of her brother. The three meet up and Ned finally and unexpectedly strikes it rich, despite the efforts of the evil Montana, who is vanquished at last with the help of Nugget. Like Will Hobb's novel Jason's Gold (reviewed in paperback in this issue), this appealing adventure story conveys both the excitement and the difficulties of the gold rush era, when you could stumble across a fortune or just as easily die of cold or scurvy. It offers female as well as male protagonists, however, and Ned, Catherine, and Sarah are all believable characters, admirably soldiering on despite the hardships of life in the Klondike. Black and white archival photos augment the text. Theauthor lived in Dawson City while writing this book, and its details were clearly carefully researched. KLIATT Codes: J—Recommended for junior high school students. 2000, Orca, 216p, illus, maps, $16.95 and $7.50. Ages 13 to 15. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick; January 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 1)

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-It's 1897, and 16-year-old Ned Turner is caught up in the excitement over the discovery of gold in the Klondike. Leaving his mother and sister with promises of riches, he sets off from Victoria, British Columbia, for Skagway, with little knowledge of the grueling trip that lies ahead, and with a na vet that causes him to lose his entire outfit in a card game shortly after his arrival. A gambler wins it back for him, but in return for the favor, Ned has to share his food, supplies, and labor with Montana on the long journey to Dawson City. Also traveling to the Klondike is 16-year-old Catherine, whose father lost her in a card game with Montana. She escaped and sees the gold country as a chance to start over, little knowing that she is headed straight to where Montana waits for revenge. On her way, she meets Ned's younger sister, Sarah, who is searching for her brother. Their three stories gradually come together in a satisfying conclusion. This novel captures the harshness and danger of the gold country, and the optimism and often eventual despair of those who ventured there. The details of gold mining and traveling in the Klondike are well researched and vividly described, with accompanying photographs of the time period scattered throughout the book. The characters are likable, if a little one-dimensional, and Lawson does a good job of switching story lines at critical moments to build suspense and dramatic tension. On the whole, this is an exciting, fast-paced adventure.-Ashley Larsen, Woodside Library, CA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.