From Booklist
Gr. 6^-9. Combining adventure and historical fiction, Ferguson tells the story of 15-year-old Molly Harrington, who lives with her widowed grandmother in Butte, Montana. The year is 1899, and Butte's culturally diverse population includes Chinese, Irish, and Cousin Jacks (people from Cornwall, England) as well as Italians and Scandinavians. Molly's mother's death and her father's disappearance have sent Molly on a quest--for her father's identity as well as her own. When she learns that her father, a Cousin Jack, is stealing from the town's silver mine, she faces a difficult moral decision. Ferguson's narrative voice is a bit preachy at times, but the plot's fast-moving excitement will provide enjoyment for readers. Additionally, the author's portrayal of the conflict between the Irish and Cousin Jack populations in the American West is fascinating, and the story's lessons on the price of socioeconomic class prejudice, ethnic conflict, and racism make the book useful for classroom discussions. Merri Monks
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
About the Author
Mr. Ferguson is a resident of Great Falls, Montana.
