Klondike Gold

Klondike Gold

By Alice Provenson

Simon & Schuster Books, 2005

38 pages 

Historical Fiction

          Klondike Gold is set in 1897 when gold was discovered in the Klondike. Thousands of men and women traveled north to lay hold of a ten foot piece of land and pan for gold. This story follows a young man named Bill and his enthusiastic friend Jim. It tells of how they left their home and traveled by train, ship, and even foot to get to the Yukon Territory.This book follows every leg of their trip and shows their trials and joys. 

           I love how this book tells the story of the life of a prospector. It highlights the many struggles they had to overcome, most especially trekking with a year's worth of supplies. Provenson's pictures are entertaining. I especially enjoy the bar across the bottom that provides pictures and true facts about that year. It amazes me how a small 29 person town grew to be the second largest town in Canada, only to become a ghost town within a couple years.

          This book is designed for older audiences, maybe 3rd-5th grade. I would use it when discussing the Klondike Gold rush, when talking about business endeavors and the crazy things people do, or when introducing new vocabulary.