The Bite of the Gold Bug: A Story of the Alaskan Gold Rush (Once Upon America) [Paperback]

Barthe DeClements (Author), Dan Andreasen (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1994 | Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: Once Upon America

It's 1898, and 12-year-old Bucky, his father, and Uncle Tanner are off to Alaska to prospect for gold. The journey is hard, and they face deadly storms, numbing cold, and a grueling six-hour nonstop trudge up a mountainside with heavy backpacks. Will the journey be worth it in the end?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- Twelve-year-old Bucky's adventures begin when his feckless Uncle Tanner persuades his dad to join the Klondike gold stampeders. Soon the boy and the two men begin the rigorous journey from Seattle to his uncle's river claim. The ending of the story is rather abrupt, and there is little time for character development. The journey occupies 38 of the book's 56 pages; unfortunately, no map is included, and the pencil illustrations don't convey the same drama DeClements describes. While she supplies flavorful period details, readers may be left reaching for the historical background. One hopes that their search takes them to the resources she alludes to in a helpful afterword, including Robert Service's poetry. The illustrations and maps missing here can be found in Michael Cooper's Klondike Fever (Clarion, 1989) and Delia Ray's Gold! (Lodestar, 1989). For fiction about the California gold rush, try Dorothy Hoobler's Treasure in the Stream (Silver Burdett, 1991). --Sally Bates Goodroe, Houston Public Library
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Here, in an excellent addition to the ``Once Upon America'' series, Bucky, 12, vividly describes the extremes he endures--and others fail to endure--to strike it rich in 1897. The 1000-mile trek to Dawson City begins in mid-March and takes months as Bucky's Pa and Uncle Tanner each haul a year's supply of food over the grueling trail. The work of shoveling muck into the sluice box, rinsing, scraping gravel from riffles, and panning for gold is relentless but also rewarding as gold flakes accumulate. When Bucky and his father realize that Uncle Tanner may be gambling away their hard-earned profits, they track him down and head for home. DeClements's warmly drawn characters and taut account will have kids hungering to know more about this bit of history. A closing note combines historical fact with the author's own experience of Alaska. Illustrations not seen. (Fiction. 7-11) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (November 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140360816
• ISBN-13: 978-0140360813
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #880,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical fiction that most likely describes what happened to someone, July 4, 2006

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Bite of the Gold Bug: A Story of the Alaskan Gold Rush (Once Upon America) (Paperback)

This book is an example of the best kind of fiction for children, it is based on history and could have even happened to someone. Bucky is a boy in his early teen years and his uncle Tanner is just back from the gold fields in Alaska. The gold rush is on and while Tanner owns a claim that is producing, he gambled away all his money. Therefore, he is back visiting and trying to convince his brother, Bucky's father to join him in Alaska during the next season.

Bucky's father has been trying to save money to purchase his own hardware store, but at his current rate, it will take years until he has the money. Therefore, Bucky, Tanner and his father outfit themselves and set out for the gold fields. The trip is hard, they must pack a years worth of supplies over a mountain in bitter cold. While Bucky struggles, he pulls his own weight and they eventually arrive at the claim.

Once there, they begin working the muck, extracting the gold and saving it. Once they have enough, Tanner goes into town, where he follows his nature and gets in a card game. Bucky and his father get there before Tanner loses their money as well and they immediately depart for their home in Washington State with enough money to buy a store.

This book accurately describes the gold fever and the harsh conditions in the Alaskan gold fields. The temperatures and work were brutal and only the resourceful and cautious survived. Many people went bust and there were always unscrupulous people willing to prey on the innocent. It is an excellent adventure for young people, Bucky is a character that they can relate to.