Jason's Gold [Paperback]

Will Hobbs (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up

"Gold!" Jason shouted at the top of his lungs. "Read all about it! Gold discovered in Alaska!"

Within hours of hearing the thrilling news, fifteen-year-old Jason Hawthorn jumps a train for Seattle, stow away on a ship bound for the goldfields, and joins thousands of fellow prospectors attempting the difficult journey to the Klondike. The Dead Horse Trail, the infamous Chilkott Pass, and a five-hundred-mile trip by canoe down the Yukon River lie ahead. With help from a young writer named Jack London, Jason and his dog face moose, bears, and the terrors of a subartic winter in this bone-chilling survival story.

00-01 Tayshas High School Reading List, 01-02 Young Hoosier Book Award Masterlist (Gr 4-6), 01-02 Young Hoosier Book Award Masterlist (Gr 6-8), 01-02 William Allen White Children's Book Award Masterlist, and 01 Heartland Award for Excellence in YA Lit Finalist

Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2000, National Council for SS & Child. Book Council, 2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA), and 2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults (Recomm. Books for Reluctant Young Readers)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Fifteen-year-old Jason first hears about the discovery of gold in the Klondike while working as a paperboy in New York. He quickly rushes to Seattle to meet up with his brothers, only to find that they have left for the Yukon without him. As he goes the trip alone, adventures pile up. Fighting bears, shooting rapids, and even a crazed moose can't stop him from joining his brothers. Author Will Hobbs (Morrow, 1999) threads Jason's travels with actual historical figures, including Jack London. Also, sprinklings of actual events of the gold rush give listeners an idea of the difficulties encountered. Boyd Gaines is up to the task of narrating Jason through each adventure. His steady, but excited voice adds extra suspense to each dramatic event. Voice changes between characters are minor, though Gaines does manage to make one minor character sound like Jimmy Stewart. With sturdy cassette case and inviting cover art, this audiobook will be well received by those seeking to add to their adventure collections for middle school listeners.
Todd Dunkelberg, Deschutes Public Library System, OR
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

From Library Journal

Grade 5-8-A coming-of-age novel set during the Alaska Gold Rush of the 1890s. Jason Hawthorn, 15, heads north in search of riches and his older brothers who left Seattle as soon as news of the strike hit the newspapers. Along the way, he meets a feisty girl, a young Jack London, and many other colorful characters. The novel is filled with fascinating details about the period, from the excitement and high spirits of the first Klondikers to the extreme hardships and great disappointments suffered by so many. Jason never strikes it rich himself, but he eventually finds his brothers and they settle there. His perils include an icy canoe trip, a moose attack, and a winter spent in a one-room cabin with a one-legged boy. Jason's character sometimes takes a backseat to the Yukon setting, especially in the first part of the book. At times, he acts more as an observer than a protagonist; the setting and other characters emerge vividly through his eyes, but readers don't get to know him all that well. He rescues and adopts a dog as his companion, but the animal seems little more than a story prop. As the tale progresses, though, Jason's personality emerges more, especially as he tries to help the amputee adapt to his condition. Many of the incidents Jason observes are based on actual events and other real-life figures make appearances. The successful presentation of a fascinating era, coupled with plenty of action, makes this a good historical fiction choice, despite the lack of a truly memorable hero.
Steven Engelfried, Deschutes County Library, Bend, OR
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (October 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380729148
• ISBN-13: 978-0380729142
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,574 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

WILL HOBBS is the author of eighteen exciting outdoor adventure novels for upper elementary, middle school and young adult readers, as well as two picture book stories. Seven of his novels have been named Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association, and Ghost Canoe, Will's first mystery, won the Edgar Allan Poe national award for Best Young Adult Mystery. The ALA's list of the "100 Best Young Adult Books of the 20th Century" includes two of Will's titles: Far North and Downriver.

A graduate of Stanford University and a former reading and language arts teacher, Will lives with his wife, Jean, in Durango, Colorado. Visit Will's website at www.willhobbsauthor.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jason's Gold, May 21, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jason's Gold (Paperback)

Jason Hawthorn, after hearing the news about the Klondike gold mine, hurries home to tell his brothers that he was going to Alaska. When Jason arrives home, he finds out that his brothers had already left for Alaska. They had also taken the money that his father had left for Jason when he died to by their own food and supplies for the trip. This left Jason with absolutely nothing. He decides to go to Alaska anyways to catch up with his brothers. Since he was not carrying much, he would be able to move quickly.

I really enjoyed this book because it has a little bit of everything. There is action, just a bit romance, and tragedy. It was pretty hard for me to put down this book. There was a lot of suspence, which made me sad whenever I had to put this book down to eat or use the restroom. This event actually happened, so while you are enjoying this book, you are actually also taking in information. It shows a lot of what happened and how people felt when they had accomplished their goal by reaching Alaska or how they felt when they had failed to reach Alaska. Many people died since it was so cold up in the up there in the mountains. A lot of animals also died, such as dogs and horses. Many people that bought them had no idea what they ate or how to care for them.

My favorite part of this book was when a little boy had got his legs frozen. While he was walking to Alaska, he had gotten water in his boots and had forgotten to take them off the dry them. The only thing that he could have done was cut his leg off. The little boy's uncle leaves him there with Jason because he thought he would die. The uncle also didnt have any time to wait for the little boy's legs to heal, so he just left. He had lost a lot of blood when they cut off his leg, and his uncle gave up hope for him surviving. If he did survive, Jason would not have enough food to last him the whole winter. How in the world was he supposed to feed the little boy now?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Against All Odds, May 30, 2002

By 

Peter (Earlysville, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jason's Gold (Paperback)

The book, Jason's Gold, written by Will Hobbs, conveys themes of determination, disappointment, and hardship. These themes led to a well-written, page turning thriller that makes you feel lucky for all that you have.
Fifteen-year-old Jason Hawthorn hears news of a gold rush, taking place in the Klondike. Jason leaves his job as a newspaper boy, and is immediately infected with klondicitis as it comes to be called, or Klondike fever. Jason wishes to return home to Seattle, and rejoin his two older brothers, Abe and Ethan, and then set out for gold!
Along the way, Jason runs into many problems, such as food shortages, transportation, bone-chilling cold, and fierce competition with other people infected with Klondike fever. To survive the elements along the way, Jason has to use all of his skills, and comes blisteringly close to death. Just making it to Dawson city, where the gold has been found, will be a challenge. Jason will have to battle infamous trails such as the Dead Horse Trail, and the Chilkoot Pass. This is not including a 500-mile trip down the Yukon River that must also be completed, and completed before the harsh winter sets in, and the river freezes up.
Jason's Gold is a book for anyone who enjoys suspense and action, with sudden turns along the way. Jason shows amazing courage and a will to survive that fuel him along his journey. This story is based on the ancient Greek myth, Jason and the Argonauts, which tells of Jason braving impossible odds to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Will Jason Hawthorn retrieve his golden fleece, or will he fall the at the hands of the merciless Klondike?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A RALLY REALLY REALLY GR8 Book, March 29, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jason's Gold (Hardcover)

I read this in 2 days and it was excellent. I recomend it to anyone in the world, thats how good it is. Its about Jason Hawthorne and how he gets to the Klondike and what happens on the way. I loved this book.