Silver Dollar Girl [Paperback]

Katherine Ayres (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Set in the 1880s, Valentine Harper heads West to the Colorado Silver Rush to find her father in this fast-paced adventure!

Valentine Harper’s father has been in Colorado for more than a year seeking his fortune in the Silver Rush. But she’s tired of waiting for his overdue return. Aunt Margaret is nice, but Uncle Franklin seems unhappy to have an extra person in the house and Cousin Harold’s pranks have been getting meaner. Unfortunately, a girl can’t get far on her own in America in 1885. But with a haircut, the right clothes, and a big dose of courage, Vallie Harper just might make it on a journey across the country to look for her father, and pull off an adventure that will change her life.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-It has been over a year since 12-year-old Valentine Harper's father went to Colorado in 1885 hoping to strike silver, and she has grown tired of waiting for him to send for her. Though her aunt treats her nicely, her uncle is resentful of having an extra person in the house, and her nasty cousin plays increasingly mean pranks on her. After finding five gold coins hidden in a doll her father sent her, she decides to venture out West and find him. Disguised as a boy, she begins a journey that will test her courage and open her eyes to a whole new world. Vallie maintains her disguise upon arriving in Aspen, takes a job at a local caf?, and begins the arduous task of finding her father. The protagonist is a likable heroine who leaves the confines of a comfortable Victorian lifestyle and discovers the ruggedness and rough lifestyle of a Western boomtown. The carefully orchestrated chapters and the fast pace will hold children's attention throughout. Vallie's courageous journey of self-awareness and self-reliance is one readers will enjoy sharing.
Janet Gillen, Great Neck Public Library, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-8. Valentine Harper has lived with her aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh since her mother's death and her father's leaving to search for silver in Colorado. Tired of Cousin Harold's routine sabotage of her belongings, Valentine decides to run away and find her father. Disguised as a boy, she travels west by train and on foot, finally arriving in Aspen. Unfortunately, no one has heard of Daniel Harper, so she takes a job in a local cafe serving meals to the miners. Eventually, father and daughter are happily reunited, but not before Valentine experiences life on the run from a Pinkerton detective during the silver rush days of the 1880s. Ayres' strength is her attention to background details, especially those of the Colorado mining boomtowns. She also accurately depicts expectations of women and girls of the time, contrasting those of women living in the settled towns "back East" with those of their less-corseted, Wild West sisters. Valentine is a spunky heroine whose saga will appeal to history buffs and adventure fans. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (August 13, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440417058
• ISBN-13: 978-0440417057
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.5 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,672,648 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A girl's adventures during the silver rush., July 17, 2000

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Silver Dollar Girl (Hardcover)

Ever since her father headed west to mine for silver in Colorado, motherless twelve-year-old Valentine "Vallie" Harper has lived with her relatives in Pennsylvania. Her aunt is sympathetic, but her uncle resents her and her cousin plays mean pranks on her. Disguising herself as a boy and taking the money her father left for her, Vallie sets out for Colorado with the intention of finding her father. But many obstacles stand in her way, and it will take all her courage and determination to complete the journey and begin the long search for her father. I highly reccomend this novel to fans of historical fiction.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great historical fiction, May 20, 2009

By 

Carol (Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Silver Dollar Girl (Paperback)

This is just a great adventure, especially for girls who are not "girly girls," as my daughter says. My daughter is 9 and loved this book. We both learned more about the time period and the Silver Rush, but the information was blended seamlessly with the story.

5.0 out of 5 stars once upon a time, April 5, 2011

By 

purplepassion - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Silver Dollar Girl (Paperback)

i had read this book when i was still in middle school. this book is what started my passion for reading. it's about a girl who just wants to be with her father so she sets out to find him.its set back in the odd west and women could not travil alone so she comes up with a plan to become a boy.its an adventure that you would not want to miss.