Common Sense Media Review
Author's last novel is a rousing, delightful adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In THE GOLDEN DREAM OF CARLO CHUCHIO, orphaned 14-year-old Carlo, living as an apprentice with his uncle, is given a treasure map by a mysterious bookseller, who promptly vanishes. Cast out from his home for making a mistake with his uncle's bookkeeping, he sets out along the Golden Road to find the treasure. Taking up with a lazy, dishonest camel-puller, a girl who's out for revenge, and a wandering philosopher, Carlo encounters caravans, brigands, violent nomads, and plenty of adventure on the way to discovering what treasure really is.
Is It Any Good?
Published just a few months after the author's death, Lloyd Alexander's final book is a lighthearted romp through a fairytale landscape in a fictional Middle Eastern realm. Though the characters in The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio for the most part come straight from central casting, Alexander treats them with such warmth and fondness that it's hard to mind. Certainly kids won't—they'll be delighted, especially by Baksheesh, a big-talking old scoundrel who works hard to hide his good heart.
This is a rousing adventure of the old-fashioned kind, about a young man out in the world for the first time, seeking his fortune, and finding villains, heroes, wise men, danger, romance, and his place in the world. It's a travelogue with humor, suspense, mystery, and a whiff of fantasy; the kind of story that keeps kids up late at night, under the covers with a flashlight. Can this kind of thing appeal to kids growing up in the modern world of tech and gaming? Check for a flickering light under your kid's door after bedtime—then you'll know.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popular literary theme of setting out into the world to find your fortune and how it's portrayed in The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio. Do people really do that? Do you expect to one day? Is there a modern equivalent that, perhaps, involves less violence?
The characters show courage, curiosity, perseverance, and teamwork. Why are these important character strengths? How do they affect the story here?
What do you think the different characters learn on their journey? How do they change during the book?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
- Publication date : August 1, 2007
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 9
- Number of pages : 306
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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