Call of the Klondike: A True Gold Rush Adventure

Gr 8 Up--Stanley Pearce and Marshall Bond were adventurous young men in the summer of 1897 when they watched prospectors coming into Seattle from Canada's Northwest Territories. Loaded down with gold dust, the prospectors told of the incredible riches to be found in the Klondike. Pearce and Bond both came from mining families and felt certain that their fortunes would be made if they could convince their parents to advance them money to venture north. With the funding forthcoming, the two mounted a well-planned, swiftly mobilized expedition that would see them working at superhuman levels for nearly a year-and returning with little to show for their efforts. Coauthor Richardson is a descendant of Pearce. Using the men's letters, along with newpaper accounts, excerpts from Bond's diary, and period photographs and reproductions, the book brings immediacy to the experience of young men in extreme conditions. The writing style is engaging, the inclusion of primary-source documents seamless, and the story thoroughly engrossing. Despite the high-interest nature of the text, the syntax and spelling could prove challenging for many students because much of it was written by late-Victorians. However, with some guidance, the book will find a readership. More focused on the experience of a few specific individuals than Charlotte Foltz Jones's Yukon Gold (Holiday House, 1999), this is excellent reading not only for interest, but also for support of the Common Core Standards as it is an excellent example of text complexity. The bibliography rounds out this volume nicely. Solid fare.--Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma, WA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

." . . An eye-opening work, which is a natural companion for Jack London's Call of the Wild and other historical-fiction works about the Klondike gold rush." —Booklist

* "A remarkable collection of documents paints a picture of the Klondike gold rush in vivid detail. . . Adding only transitional paragraphs, the authors skillfully arrange these letters plus diary entries, telegrams and Pearce's articles for the Denver Republican to convey the men's story in compelling, first-person voices. The attractive design incorporates intriguing pull-out quotes, maps, posters, documents and many well-chosen, captioned photographs, including one of Jack London, who camped near Pearce and Bond's cabin . . . an excellent companion to The Call of the Wild. A memorable adventure, told with great immediacy." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

." . . this is excellent reading not only for interest, but also for support of the Common Core Standards as it is an excellent example of text complexity . . . " —School Library Journal