Jack London and the Klondike Gold Rush

by Peter Lourie, Wendell Minor (Illustrator)

Overview

Here is a compelling middle grade nonfiction tale of how one classic writer drew upon a rugged life of adventure to create works of literature, punctuated by stunning black-and-white art by Wendell Minor and illustrative photographic material.

Swept up in the Gold Rush of 1897, young Jack London headed north to strike it rich in the Klondike and discovered something more precious than gold—the seeds of the stories that would flower into his classic novels The Call of the Wild and White Fang, and timeless short stories such as "To Build A Fire." This gripping tale follows London as he treks up the ruthless Chilkoot Trail, braves the lethal Whitehorse Rapids, survives a bad case of scurvy, and conquers many more dangers of the Yukon during his quest for gold.

A Christy Ottaviano Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780805097580
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	03/28/2017
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
Lexile:	1120L (what's this?)
File size:	129 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Peter Lourie has written many award-winning nonfiction books for young readers. A true adventurer, he has traveled all over the world to research his subjects—from the cloud forest of Ecuador in search of Inca treasure, to Lake Turkana in northwestern Kenya on the Ethiopian border, to Tierra del Fuego, and the jungles of Rondonia, Brazil. He is the author most recently of three books about the Arctic: The Polar Bear Scientists, Whaling Season, and Arctic Thaw. He lives in Vermont with his family.

Wendell Minor is the illustrator of many award-winning picture books for children, including Robert Burleigh's Abraham Lincoln Comes Home, If You Spend a Day with Thoreau at Walden Pond and Edward Hopper Paints His World, as well as the New York Times–bestselling Reaching for the Moon by Buzz Aldrin. He lives in Washington, Connecticut.

Peter Lourie has written many award-winning nonfiction books for young readers. A true adventurer, he has traveled all over the world to research his subjects—from the cloud forest of Ecuador in search of Inca treasure, to Lake Turkana in northwestern Kenya on the Ethiopian border, to Tierra del Fuego, and the jungles of Rondonia, Brazil.

He is the author of several books about the Arctic: The Polar Bear Scientists, Whaling Season, and Arctic Thaw. He lives in Vermont with his family.

Wendell Minor is the award-winning and bestselling illustrator of numerous books, including Ghost Ship, by Mary Higgins Clark. He lives in Washington, Connecticut.

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

Part 1 August 7-September 8, 1897: From the Coast of Alaska over the Mountains to Lake Lindeman

The Trail Begins 3

Cheechako 15

Oyster Pirate and Sailor 21

Dead Horses 28

Sheep Camp 31

Tarwater 36

The Scales 38

Down to Lindeman 46

Part 2 September 9-October 16, 1897: Down the Yukon River to Split-Up Island

Building and Launching the Boats 55

More Lakes 61

Miles Canyon and Whitehorse Rapids 63

Lake Laberge 69

Tributaries Spitting Ice 73

Split-Up Island at Stewart River 75

Part 3 Late October-December 2, 1897: Dawson

The City of Gold 83

The Bond Brothers and Their Cabin 91

Lingering in Dawson 95

Big Alec McDonald, King of the Klondike 98

The Dogs of Dawson 100

Part 4 December 3, 1897-late January 1898: Henderson and the Creeks

Henderson Creek 107

Cabin Living 109

Working the Mine 115

Friendships in the Cold 121

Scurvy in the Creeks 128

Part 5 March-July 1898: Heading Home Down the Long Yukon River

Ice Breakup and Leaving the White Silence 135

Dawson One Last Time 140

Father Judge and His Hospital 142

Shoving Off 144

Home 1898-1899 Capturing the Klondike in Stories 151

Afterword 155

Notes from the Author 161

Notable Places 170

Jack London's Writing 173

Jack London Time Line 175

Glossary 179

Jack London Bibliography and Sources 185

Index 188

Editorial Reviews

01/09/2017
Lourie (The Polar Bear Scientists) delivers a vivid account of Jack London’s arduous trek, along with thousands of other Stampeders, to the heart of Canada’s Yukon Territory in 1897 in search of gold. London returned not with wealth but with the raw material for his best-known writings, which earned him both fortune and fame. Lourie intersperses his narrative with background on London’s boyhood, personality, and literary aspirations, and he quotes amply from the work of London and his contemporaries to convey the backbreaking rigors, awe-inspiring landscape, grime, isolation, dangers, and friendships of the journey. London’s mental and physical strength, sociability, and optimism seem at times almost superhuman: that winter, until felled by scurvy, he spent four hours a day collecting the wood needed to burn a fire to thaw eight inches of ground to dig for gold on his claim. Lourie’s captivating tale of the grueling experiences behind London’s crystalline prose testifies to his endurance. Minor’s windswept spot illustrations augment archival and modern photos and other supplemental material. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Susan Ramer, Don Congdon Associates. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

A Junior Library Guild Selection

"A gripping and harrowing true adventure story and a penetrating look into the formative experiences of a writer, one of the first to become a worldwide celebrity." —Kirkus Reviews

"A fantastic work" —VOYA

"This will scratch the itch for readers who love a great true adventure tale." —The Bulletin

". . .Effectively balances fact, lesson, and suspense." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

02/01/2017
Gr 4–8—For generations, tales of gold rush days and Alaskan or Arctic exploits have been popular, and no one told them better than Jack London. Attempting to live up to that spirit is Lourie's title about London's trip to the Klondike in search of gold just before the end of the 19th century. This book focuses primarily on the hardships and adventures London faced, fleshing out details with historical background on the gold rush and the miners, otherwise known as "stampeders." There are quick forays into London's life as a boy and as a writer. The text is occasionally stilted but effectively balances fact, lesson, and suspense. An epilogue offers more historical information about what happened to London, other miners, and the Yukon in general. In the back matter, the author covers additional topics and concepts. For instance, he clearly identifies "wilderness" as a cultural construct of white settlers and not a reflection on the many First Nations people who lived there before white settlers and still live there today. However, Lourie also acknowledges that he has taken a "few liberties" in regard to London's experiences but does not go into specifics. The volume is illustrated with a combination of historical photos, reproductions of historical documents, and Minor's black-and-white drawings. The frequent images and artwork provide visual interest, especially when it comes to depicting the harsh environment and the sheer number of people packed onto the trails. VERDICT Best for medium to large collections where rough-and-tumble adventure stories do well.—Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK

School Library Journal

2016-11-23
Jack London went to the Klondike at the age of 21 to find gold but instead found inspiration for stories and novels that made him one of the richest and most famous authors of his time. In this thoroughly riveting real-life-adventure story, Lourie recounts in visceral detail the frequently treacherous, relentlessly grueling 500-mile traverse along the ruthless Chilkoot Trail and Whitehorse Rapids to the Klondike gold mines. Lourie explains how London's experiences in the Klondike became the seeds for some of his best-known, most highly regarded works, such as The Call of the Wild, White Fang, and "To Build a Fire." Minor's atmospheric sketches are pleasingly decorative, but it is the abundant use of archival photos that offers an insightful perspective of the times and the ordeals experienced. Though obviously deeply researched, this biography is not completely factual. Lourie admits to taking "a few liberties." "To tell my tale," he explains in an author's note, "I have Jack do a few things he may or may not have done." The unfortunate absence of chapter notes makes it difficult to discern which episodes are imagined. Extensive backmatter includes information on First Nations peoples of the area and additional facts about London's journey. A gripping and harrowing true adventure story and a penetrating look into the formative experiences of a writer, one of the first to become a worldwide celebrity. (photos, timeline, glossary, bibliography, index) (Biography. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews