First sentence: Have you ever been struck by lightning? I have. I write not of the sparkling that bolts from the sky, but of gold, the yellow metal buried in the earth and the shatter-wit world of those who seek it. That world turned me topsy-turvy, so that I did things I never dreamed I would or could do.

Premise/plot: Victoria 'Tory' Blaisdell leaves her Rhode Island home with her father and younger brother, Jacob, to go to California to find gold. The book chronicles their many adventures and misadventures. Tory did not want to be left behind with her mother in the care of a bossy aunt. But she didn't quite count on how rough, dangerous, and appalling the situation would be when they arrived. The dad soon leaves to go to the diggings leaving fourteen-year-old, Tory, in charge of Jacob. She has to be his caretaker yet also the one who earns enough money day by day by day to survive. Tory soon learns that she can do just about anything she sets her mind to, but, it is easier to dress as a boy if you want to find work. She makes a few friends--including Sam and Thad--but as the months go by....the family faces the unthinkable.... one day she returns home to discover that Jacob is completely missing. Can she find her brother????

My thoughts: It was a quick read. It was well-paced and packed with adventure, danger, and mystery. I loved Tory's narrative. I loved that she was brave and spunky. She was inspired by Jane Eyre to "take hold" of her own destiny. She was a positive person who tried to hold onto hope despite her circumstances. She wasn't one to let life just happen to her. ( )

The California Gold Rush (1848-1855) began when gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill. The news of gold brought more than 300,000 people seeking their fortune. While some “forty-niners” found gold, others were more successful in selling supplies and goods to miners.

Read the recently published children's book, then learn more at the website:

GOLD RUSH GIRL by Avi tells the story of a young girl’s adventures on the high seas and the gold fields of 1848 California. Set during the Gold Rush, this middle grade novel successfully weaves in elements of historical events in San Francisco during this period.

THE GOLD RUSH ERA, 1848-1865 from Calisphere: University of California contains six digital exhibitions related to the time period. Topics include murder and mayhem, disasters, everyday life and people, environmental impact, the growth of cities, and diversity in the changing state.

To visit the digital collection, go to https://bit.ly/2R0UeiF.

ARC courtesy of Candlewick Press. ( )

Lives up to Avi's authorship. Sadly, my daughter was not as intrigued as I expected her to be. She gave up a lot earlier than I expected, and I was shocked. I almost want to question if kids just aren't the readers they used to be. I HOPE not. My son is a voracious reader, but my daughter is VERY reluctant and this didn't float her boat without encouragement.

The book is GREAT... or at least I think it is.

I received a free paperback review copy through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. ( )

A nice adventurous book, and one with a POV character that actually feels like she comes from the era in which it's set! That is to say, our heroine does not feel like a modern girl thrown into the past, but rather a girl of her time who finds reason and motivation to do truly heroic things. The story does not shy away from presenting the realities of the time, including race, but neither does it really confront them head-on.

As an adult reader, it took a bit of work to get through, but mainly because I've read a lot of other YA coming-of-age stories before, and this one treads familiar ground. For its target audience, especially for anyone who actually lives in the SF area, I think there is a lot to recommend this one. ( )

I've been a fan of Avi for years. This isn't one of my favorites, but it will certainly find an audience for adventure-seeking young readers. It's refreshing to hear the story of the gold rush from a young girl and how she takes a part in the historical events. ( )