Gold Rush Girl
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Gold Rush Girl is Newbery Award-winning author Avi's tale, set in 1848, of a 14-year-old girl who escapes the stuffy life and her stuffier aunt in Providence, Rhode Island, by stowing away on the ship that's taking her jobless father to the gold fields of California. Seeking to emulate both the independence and the goodness of her heroine, Jane Eyre, Victoria (Tory) winds up being quickest to adapt to the precarious life in San Francisco. The city is full of gamblers, drunks, and criminals, but, not being afraid of hard work, she's soon supporting herself and her younger brother. Then her brother disappears, and she learns that he's very likely been kidnapped by the owner of a gambling house, who drugs his victims and sells them to departing sea captains as enslaved crew. She and her newfound friends face a lot of danger and deal with a lot of dangerous characters, but also find support and kindness from better souls. The story delivers a vivid sense of the day-to-day reality of the time and place, from the dark streets and stinking mud to the spooky fog that holds ships in its grip. Along the way, Tory, who's never lacked determination, also learns a lot about balancing your responsibilities to your loved ones with the need to take your own path.
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What's the Story?
It's 1848 in Providence, Rhode Island, and 14-year-old Victoria (Tory) Blaisdell, soon to be GOLD RUSH GIRL, is already determined to escape the proper, mindless life in store for her there. Her rich aunt controls all their lives, so her younger brother goes to school and Tory doesn't. However, her mother teaches her to read and write, she quickly finagles a library card, and her world expands. When her father loses his job, Tory largely supports the family doing sewing work. But when word comes that gold has been discovered in California and riches are there for anyone who comes to get them, Tory's father (whose critical thinking skills were never the best) gets gold fever and, along with young Jacob, is soon on a seven-month voyage to San Francisco. Unbeknownst to him, but supported by her mother left behind in Providence, Tory stows away and goes along. Before long she will face quite a lot of unexpected challenges in San Francisco, which isn't exactly a city of gold -- and then, after their father has left for the gold fields, her brother disappears.
Is It Any Good?
Avi brings the Gold Rush to life in a tale of a book-loving, adventure-craving teen escaping a bleak future as a proper young lady in 1848 New England by stowing away on a ship to San Francisco. Gold Rush Girl Tory is an appealing hero, independent-minded and determined to go her own way, but also determined and brave in looking out for her loved ones. A few plot developments may be a bit too convenient, and some readers may not love Tory's fondness for using every big word she ever learned, but there's plenty to cheer in a fast-moving tale full of atmospheric description, historic detail, and swashbuckling adventure.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the Gold Rush is portrayed in Gold Rush Girl. What did you learn about it that you didn't know before? Do you think you would have liked to be in San Francisco at that time? Would you have looked for gold or found a job? What other stories have you read or watched that were set in that era?
Tory's not allowed to go to school, but she doesn't let that stop from reading and learning. Are you or anyone you now learning outside of school now? How is that different from taking classes in person? Are you learning as much or even more?
Have you read other books by Avi? How do you think Gold Rush Girl compares?
Book Details
- Author: Avi
- Genre: Historical Fiction
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, History
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Candelwick
- Publication date: March 10, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 14
- Number of pages: 320
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: September 25, 2020
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