  | City of gold Author: Hobbs, Will | |
| Price: $6.50 | ||
Summary:
Determined to recover his family's mules, fifteen-year-old Owen is joined by his kid brother and Telluride's notorious marshal in pursuit of a rustler--all the way to Butch Cassidy's hideout.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 5.30 Points: 8.0 Quiz: 509583 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (05/15/20)
School Library Journal (06/01/20)
Booklist (05/15/20)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 05/15/2020 After Owen’s father passes away and Owen moves from Kansas to Colorado with his mother and brother, Owen knows that selling crops is the only way his family will survive. When he spots a thief stealing the family’s beloved mules—Peaches and Hercules—Owen sets out in pursuit, a journey on foot through rough terrain and weather that ultimately brings him to the mining town of Telluride. With help from kind miners and a young girl, Owen tracks down the mules and learns more about this City of Gold and the difficulties faced by its people, and along the way, he rubs shoulders with some of the most famous outlaws. Fast-paced, suspenseful chapters will have readers flipping pages and cheering on patient, persevering Owen on his quest to recover Peaches and Hercules. Fans of historical fiction and adventure will find much to love here, and readers are sure to appreciate discovering what happens to the characters after the adventure is over. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 06/01/2020 Gr 4–7—Part quest and part adventure, this story of courage and resilience describes one family's journey across Colorado in search of two stolen mules and a family's legacy. Following the death of their father, the Hollowell family has just settled on their new farm when 15-year-old Owen discovers their two mules have been stolen. Knowing they won't survive without livestock to plow the fields, Owen sets out to track down the rustler and bring home their beloved Hercules and Peaches. After a dangerous mountain trek, he finds himself in Telluride, the self-proclaimed "City of Gold." With help from a colorful assortment of townsfolk, miners, a girl named Molly, and even his Wild West–loving brother Till, Owen learns the truth about the mules and the man who took them. Now all he must do is convince the town's infamous marshal to help him catch the outlaw. Balancing a narrative packed with descriptive details and a full range of characters, including some notorious names from Wild West lore, Hobbs's oftentimes slow trudge through the Colorado mountains is lightened by rich dialogue and the protagonists' strong sense of purpose. VERDICT This historical novel set in the American West touches on everything from unions and illness to xenophobia and criminality. Hobbs seamlessly surrounds the Hollowells' quest with an authentic view of mining life at the turn of the century.—Rebecca Redinger, Lincoln Park Branch, Chicago P.L. - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
