(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Wendell Minor. This is a well-researched account of Jack London's 1897–98 adventures during the Klondike Gold Rush, after which he returned to California with little gold but a wealth of writing material. In notes, Lourie admits he's "taken a few liberties" in crafting the compelling wildnerness narrative, which is enhanced by archival photographs and Minor's evocative illustrations. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 After hearing about gold in the Klondike, eleven-year-old Jasper and his older brother, Melvin, run away from their drunken father in 1897 Washington State. They search for a mysterious stake of land worth millions, available to whoever can solve the riddles to find it. The rough and wild reality of the Alaskan wilderness is brought to vivid life in this entertaining and heartfelt tale.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 1-3 Ready-for-Chapters: The Klondike Kid series. Illustrated by Bill Farnsworth. Eleven-year-old Davey, caught up in the 1897 Klondike gold rush and hoping to find Uncle Walt, his only living relative, stows away on an Alaska-bound ship in the Seattle harbor. Appealing black-and-white drawings place the story in its historical setting. This well-paced chapter book will appeal to historical fiction buffs and whet their appetites for further adventures in the proposed trilogy.

Reviewer: Pamela McCuen

(4) 4-6 In 1897, sixteen-year-old Ned leaves his home in Victoria, British Columbia, in pursuit of Klondike gold. The novel charts his struggles in the north while following Catherine, a teenage girl running away from her past, and Ned's twelve-year-old sister, Sarah, as they, too, make the dangerous trek to the mining town. The plot is full of coincidences, but the characters are appealing and the setting is wonderfully realized.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(2) 4-6 Fifteen-year-old Jason encounters the hazards of the Canadian wilderness in 1897 as he struggles to join his older brothers searching for wealth in the goldfields. The young Jack London makes several cameo appearances, along with a number of lesser-known characters--all historical, as an informative author's note indicates. Hobbs blends fact and fiction to create a believable story that is fast reading but never simplistic.

Reviewer: Mary M. Burns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 1999

(2) 4-6 Illustrated with vintage photos, the book includes vignettes describing discoveries, friendships, and rivalries, all related in a lively narrative that could have originated around a sourdough's campfire. Jones presents an intriguing picture of a remote event, its place in history, the hardships and successes it encompassed, and the people who are remembered for their part in making it happen. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elizabeth S. Watson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 1999

(4) YA Whole Story series. Illustrated by Philippe Munch. London's classic novel, which follows a half-wolf dog from the wild to domesticity, is presented in an unabridged format, with supplemental facts, commentary, reproductions, and photographs crowding the margins. Although the auxiliary information may be helpful for students seeking background on the novel and its subject matter, it is also distracting and draws attention away from the story.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Scribner Illustrated Classics series. Illustrated by Wendell Minor. London's classic novel about Buck, a beloved pet who becomes the fierce leader of an Alaskan sled-dog team, is newly illustrated with fourteen full-color paintings. Although romanticized, the illustrations suit the dramatic survival story and contribute to the tale's strong sense of place.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(4) 4-6 First Book series. Largely a bust for all but a lucky few of the 100,000 who rushed to the Klondike region in 1896, the Klondike Gold Rush created a subculture of amateur prospectors almost overnight. This informative, loosely organized account examines this makeshift society--how people lived there, searched for gold, and coped with the inflated economics. Small color maps and black-and-white photos supplement the text. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman