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Gold Fever!: Tales from the California Gold Rush
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Gold Fever!: Tales from the California Gold Rush
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by Rosalyn Schanzer
Sales Rank : 364963
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Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books January 9, 2007
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426300409
ISBN-13: 978-1426300400
Product Dimensions:
10.3 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
From Publishers Weekly
Plying the same visually jam-packed format she used to great advantage in How We Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark, Schanzer here turns from the lucid narrative provided by Lewis's diary to a more atmospheric account of the California Gold Rush. She begins with the January 1848 discovery of gold at Sutter's mill andAin comic book-style panels accompanied by snippets from actual diaries, letters and newspaper accountsAfollows the topsy-turvy routes by land and sea to the hustle and bustle of the West Coast boomtowns. Employing such first-hand quotes as "I hate to desert. I am almost crazy, as I have the gold fever shocking bad" from a California soldier's letter to his brother in Boston, Schanzer vivifies the past and weaves her information together thematically (old-fashioned handbill style typeface announces such subjects as "Off to the Diggings" and "Night Life"). This overview, with its brief, digestible chunks, will likely tempt the appetites of budding historians, and the visual structure keeps the pace brisk. An author's note at the end puts into context the engaging historical anecdotes. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-As she did in How We Crossed the West (National Geographic, 1998), Schanzer inventively combines first-person accounts with lively artwork to bring history to life. Her amusing folk-art illustrations, drawn with acrylic paints on rough canvas, match the spirit of the times, showing a variety of emotions through simple and appealing figures. She depicts the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, details the various routes travelers used to get to California, and describes the triumphs and disappointments of the prospectors. Paintings full of color and motion show the rocky roads of the overland trails, the excitement of the digging sites, and the liveliness of San Francisco. All of the accompanying text comes directly from historical sources, including letters, newspapers, and journals, and is presented in blocks of text and dialogue balloons. By deftly arranging the dozens of quotes and carefully laying out the illustrations, the author presents a smooth and easy-to-follow narrative. Some of the tidbits are humorous while others are more serious. Many, such as the description of blankets "well filled with athletic and courageous and determined fleas," are both interesting and illuminating, conveying the day-to-day concerns of the people involved. Other books can fill in the facts and figures related to the gold rush, but Gold Fever! makes a uniquely exciting introduction to a fascinating period.
Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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