Children's Fiction, Boys & Men

Jason's Gold

Name: Jason's Gold
Author: Will Hobbs
ISBN: 9780380729142

by Will Hobbs

Available on Bookshop Write a review

Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.

Overview

"Gold!" Jason shouted at the top of his lungs. "Read all about it! Gold discovered in Alaska!"

Within hours of hearing the thrilling news, fifteen-year-old Jason Hawthorn jumps a train for Seattle, stow away on a ship bound for the goldfields, and joins thousands of fellow prospectors attempting the difficult journey to the Klondike. The Dead Horse Trail, the infamous Chilkott Pass, and a five-hundred-mile trip by canoe down the Yukon River lie ahead. With help from a young writer named Jack London, Jason and his dog face moose, bears, and the terrors of a subartic winter in this bone-chilling survival story.

00-01 Tayshas High School Reading List, 01-02 Young Hoosier Book Award Masterlist (Gr 4-6), 01-02 Young Hoosier Book Award Masterlist (Gr 6-8), 01-02 William Allen White Children's Book Award Masterlist, and 01 Heartland Award for Excellence in YA Lit Finalist

Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2000, National Council for SS & Child. Book Council, 2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA), and 2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults (Recomm. Books for Reluctant Young Readers)

When news of the discovery of gold in Canada's Yukon Territory in 1897 reaches fifteen-year-old Jason, he embarks on a 10,000-mile journey to strike it rich.

Synopsis

Racing to catch up to his brothers in the Klondike gold fields, fifteen-year-old Jason Hawthorn meets an adventurous girl named Jamie and the not-yet-famous Jack London. But mostly he travels alone with King-a husky he's rescued from a madman. After crossing the perilous Chilkoot Pass, Jason and King still have to get five hundred miles down the Yukon River before freeze-up. When a near-fatal accident stops them, the pace escalates and the emotion deepens. Told with bone-chilling authenticity, this gripping survival story glitters with real details from the Klondike gold rush. Includes maps and an author's note.

Horn Book

(Intermediate)
Will Hobbs is a master at writing the tantalizing beginning so essential to the success of the adventure story: "When the story broke on the streets of New York, it took off like a wildfire on a windy day." That sentence sets the tone and style of a gripping account of a fifteen-year-old boy's encounter with the hazards of the Canadian wilder-ness in 1897 as he struggles to join his older brothers searching for wealth in the goldfields. He is well named in his quest: like the Greek hero of old, Jason encounters a number of trials. There are several cameo appearances by the young Jack London before his success as a writer as well as a number of lesser-known characters, some less than savory but all historical, as an informative author's note indicates. This is a real page turner, complete with near-disasters: men driven to madness by their environment and failures, primitive frontier surgery, attacks by moose and bears, poignant moments when the wilderness exacts its price from those who would challenge it-as in the death of Jason's beloved companion, the dog King. Hobbs is right on target, blending fact and fiction to create a believable story that is fast reading but never simplistic. m.m.b.

About the Author, Will Hobbs

Will Hobbs is the award-winning author of eighteen novels, including Far North, Crossing The Wire, and Go Big Or Go Home.

Take Me To The River began with the author's week-long canoe trip through the remote Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande on the Texas/Mexico border.

Will's fondness for Texas goes back to his high school years in San Antonio. A graduate of Stanford University, Will lives with his wife, Jean, in Durango, Colorado.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

Horn Book

Children's Literature - Laura Hummel

Shortly after hearing that gold had been discovered in the Klondike, fifteen-year-old Jason Hawthorne was on his way to join his brothers in Seattle. Upon his arrival, Jason found that his brothers had gone to Alaska and borrowed his inheritance to stake a family claim. With only gritty determination and ten dollars, Jason stows away on a steamer heading north. After being removed from the ship, Jason continues on foot. He gains the companionship of King, a husky he rescues from uncertain death. Together they face many dangers posed by the allure of gold within the setting of the northern lights. During his journey, Jason meets with many unsavory characters and colorful personages such as Jack London. Although the story is fictional, many of the people, places and events are told with bone-chilling accuracy. Scenes at Dead Horse Pass are not for the faint-hearted and, at the Chilkoot Pass, the reader will surely feel the strain of the trek. Although there are some scenes of animal cruelty and realistic danger, the book lends itself to a historical study of the era and would be useful in a social studies program.

KLIATT

To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, September 1999: The Gold Rush in the Klondike was a period of brief madness that Hobbs captures well in this tale of a fifteen-year-old, Jason, who was one of the thousands of people who streamed into the Yukon in the summer of 1897. Jason meets young Jack London, not yet famous, of course; he has a loyal husky dog he names King; he hunts a bear and generally uses all his wits to survive that first winter. Hobbs turns this into a personal adventure, drawing the reader into the action. Emotionally, Jason yearns to prove himself to his older brothers, pities and then admires a younger boy whose leg was amputated because of gangrene; gets a crush on a young girl; and generally shares in the excitement and despair that was part of the Gold Rush folly. If the dangerous adventure isn't enough of a pull, then the love story between Jason and his dog, whom he saves from a cruel death, will capture most readers. King becomes Jason's loyal companion, a teammate who helps haul supplies, who hunts with Jason, and generally keeps him and young Charlie from madness when they are holed up in a tiny cabin for the winter. A historical note at the end of the story helps readers understand the magnitude of this insane rush for gold. Hobbs does a good job of bringing his readers to this historical event. (Editor's note: This is an ALA Best Book for YAs; see also the review of the audiobook in this issue.) KLIATT Codes: JS*—Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students. 1999, HarperTrophy, 221p, map, 20cm, 99-17973, $4.95. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Claire Rosser; January 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 1)

Library Journal

Gr 5-8-A coming-of-age novel set during the Alaska Gold Rush of the 1890s. Jason Hawthorn, 15, heads north in search of riches and his older brothers who left Seattle as soon as news of the strike hit the newspapers. Along the way, he meets a feisty girl, a young Jack London, and many other colorful characters. The novel is filled with fascinating details about the period, from the excitement and high spirits of the first Klondikers to the extreme hardships and great disappointments suffered by so many. Jason never strikes it rich himself, but he eventually finds his brothers and they settle there. His perils include an icy canoe trip, a moose attack, and a winter spent in a one-room cabin with a one-legged boy. Jason's character sometimes takes a backseat to the Yukon setting, especially in the first part of the book. At times, he acts more as an observer than a protagonist; the setting and other characters emerge vividly through his eyes, but readers don't get to know him all that well. He rescues and adopts a dog as his companion, but the animal seems little more than a story prop. As the tale progresses, though, Jason's personality emerges more, especially as he tries to help the amputee adapt to his condition. Many of the incidents Jason observes are based on actual events and other real-life figures make appearances. The successful presentation of a fascinating era, coupled with plenty of action, makes this a good historical fiction choice, despite the lack of a truly memorable hero.-Steven Engelfried, Deschutes County Library, Bend, OR Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Fifteen-year-old Jason first hears about the discovery of gold in the Klondike while working as a paperboy in New York. He quickly rushes to Seattle to meet up with his brothers, only to find that they have left for the Yukon without him. As he goes the trip alone, adventures pile up. Fighting bears, shooting rapids, and even a crazed moose can't stop him from joining his brothers. Author Will Hobbs (Morrow, 1999) threads Jason's travels with actual historical figures, including Jack London. Also, sprinklings of actual events of the gold rush give listeners an idea of the difficulties encountered. Boyd Gaines is up to the task of narrating Jason through each adventure. His steady, but excited voice adds extra suspense to each dramatic event. Voice changes between characters are minor, though Gaines does manage to make one minor character sound like Jimmy Stewart. With sturdy cassette case and inviting cover art, this audiobook will be well received by those seeking to add to their adventure collections for middle school listeners.-Todd Dunkelberg, Deschutes Public Library System, OR Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|