Gold! Gold from the American River!: January 24, 1848: The Day the Gold Rush Began

Be the first to write a review

Overview

When James Marshall found a small, soft shiny stone in a California stream, he knew it could only be one thing: Gold! His cry of discovery would be heard around the world. In the third installment of Don Brown's Actual Times series, Gold! Gold from the American River! is the story of the California gold rush—the uncharted journey across hostile land, the laborious process of panning for gold, the success of savvy entrepreneurs, and the fortunes of the marginalized, from slaves and American Indians to women and ...

See more details below
Hardcover
$15.38
BN.com price
(Save 14%)$17.99 List Price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up In Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (Hardcover)
  • All (24) from $1.99   
  • New (14) from $9.69   
  • Used (10) from $1.99   

Available on NOOK devices and apps  
  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK HD/HD+ Tablet
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK Kids for iPad

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

NOOK Book (NOOK Kids)    
A digital children's book for use with the NOOK Color reader
$9.99
BN.com price
Note: Kids' Club Eligible. See More Details.

More About This Book

Overview

When James Marshall found a small, soft shiny stone in a California stream, he knew it could only be one thing: Gold! His cry of discovery would be heard around the world. In the third installment of Don Brown's Actual Times series, Gold! Gold from the American River! is the story of the California gold rush—the uncharted journey across hostile land, the laborious process of panning for gold, the success of savvy entrepreneurs, and the fortunes of the marginalized, from slaves and American Indians to women and foreigners.

Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Brown (All Stations, Distress!) adds another installment to his Actual Times series, this time focusing on the California Gold Rush, using numerous primary source quotes to flesh out the lively chronology. "You're working in freezing water up to your waist for hours at a time. You're reaching down, moving rocks." Readers hear from participants in all aspects of the story, from the initial gold find near Sutter's Mill in 1848 to the treacherous migration of fortune seekers (one route even took travelers on "a harrowing jungle tramp across the Isthmus" of Panama) and the often disappointing, impoverished endings to gold diggers' efforts. Full-bleed watercolors, rich in dusty brown and gray hues, fill the pages, illustrating not only the 49ers' hardships, but also the role of women and the plight of foreigners and Native Americans who crossed miners' paths, as one graphic illustration reveals ("The California Indians' tragic fate is a national shame" writes Brown). This well-researched account details how several things originated from the country's gold fever—such as the idiom "pans out," Levi Strauss jeans, and the dramatic expansion of the city of San Francisco. Ages 6–10. (Feb.)
School Library Journal
Gr 4–6—This colorful book recounts the discovery of gold in the American West circa 1848. From James Marshall's discovery through the treacherous trip by more than 300,000 migrants willing to leave home to try their luck, Brown relates their history through firsthand accounts from the Library of Congress and personal stories of success and failure. The author offers facts and describes experiences to show the arduous travel, toil, and suffering that the forty-niners found at their destination. The full-page pen-and-ink and watercolor artwork surrounds the text nicely with detailed maps and realistic vignettes of the travelers' and miners' lives. The author does not hesitate to reveal the darker side of mining communities. One illustration vividly depicts the shotgun murder of an American Indian, with a description of the tragic fate of many Indians in the goldfields through violence, disease, and enslavement. The book presents a thorough description of a unique period in American history, illustrated in a manner to attract younger readers.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX
Kirkus Reviews
Watercolors and text depict the story of the discovery of gold in the Territory of California. It is an exciting tale of special interest to Californians and marks a key period in U.S. history. Unfortunately, this book fails to convey both excitement and description of characters, of which the time and place had many. The author tells of the discovery at Sutter's Mill and of Sam Brannan's shouted news in Yerba Buena (later San Francisco), which caused the Rush. Why not say more about Brannan, an interesting cad? Why not more about John Sutter, a disappointed man? The remainder of the book relates the experiences of the emigrants and the successes and failures of the gold hunters, but this breadth of approach reduces the overall energy of the book. Readers may find themselves wishing for both a glossary—what was meant by the "cradles" miners used?—and a map. Brown's illustrations show scenes and representations of persons but are not really helpful. The California Gold Rush was energetic, thrilling and important. Alas, this book is none of those things. (author's note, sources)(Nonfiction. 8-10)
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781596432239
  • Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
  • Publication date: 2/15/2011
  • Series: Actual Times Series , #3
  • Pages: 64
  • Sales rank: 353,800
  • Age range: 6 - 10 Years
  • Lexile: 1010L (what's this?)
  • Product dimensions: 7.20 (w) x 9.10 (h) x 0.50 (d)

Meet the Author

Don Brown is the author and illustrator of many highly praised picture-book biographies and histories for children. He lives on Long Island, New York.

Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
( 0 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
    If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
    Why is this product inappropriate?
    Comments (optional)