Gold Rush Literature: Books about the California Gold Rush

 

If you were to go to your local library and ask for books on the California Gold Rush, you’d probably be brought over to the historical fiction section-and find dozens of books on the topic! Which ones to choose? What ones have adventure in them? Are they clean?

Not to worry! Marin and I have read through hundreds of historical fiction books (okay, well at least Marin has. I love to read Albert Einstein’s works, or Popular Mechanics. Talk about good reading! Anyways…) and we’ve got a pretty good idea which ones are likely to give you a good dose of adventure, humor, excitement and of course a good feel for the time period.

So get your library cards out, ‘cause we’re going to give you a list of books you’re going to want to bring home to read!

Goldtown Adventures Series

Goldtown Adventures Series

#1 Badge of Honor

#2 Tunnel of Gold

#3 Canyon of Danger

#4 River of Peril

By Susan K. Marlow

Saddle up for a good dose of adventure and gold town-style lessons with twelve-year-old Jem Coulter!

The son of the town Sheriff, Jem, his younger sister Ellie and their cousin Nathan stumble through perilous plots and fast drawing outlaws as they search for gold in the panned out streams of the nearby creek. With memorable characters like Strike it Rich Sam, their worrisome Aunt Rose and their brave Pa, there’s never a dull moment on the Coulter ranch as the three kids make discovery after discovery. From wolves to claim jumpers, strikes and a collapsed mine, a dried up creek and a stolen horse, let the Coulter clan lead you through the wild streets of Goldtown and discover how much more precious family is than gold. Book 4, River of Peril, just released!

What we like about this series: Its fast paced and chucked full of adventure. There’s never a dull moment and you’re always on the tip of your toes wondering who the bad guys are. Though this series is mainly for boys, girls will enjoy Jem’s sister, Ellie, and her harebrained schemes as well as her cheerful demeanor. 

Age range: About 9-14, though teenagers will find the stories intriguing, too.

Audience: Boys. But girls will enjoy these books, too.

Cautions: These may be a little too scary for anyone younger than 9, as the kids get kidnapped, shot at and find a friend of theirs left for dead. There is no swearing, major violence or immorality, but the Coulter kids do find themselves in some sticky situations that may scare younger children.

Era: Around 1861-62, several years after the gold rush but with a lot of miners still hoping to strike it rich.

Special notes: The illustrations really add to this series and give you a nice way of “seeing” what the characters are experiencing.

The Journals of Corrie Belle Hollister

* The Journals of Corrie Belle Hollister

#1 My Father’s World

#2 Daughter of Grace

#3 On the Trail of Truth

#4 Place in the Sun

By Michael Phillips and Judith Pella

Head down the trail to Miracle Springs as Corrie Hollister and her siblings search for their long lost Uncle, the only family they have.

After their Ma dies in the desert, Corrie and her four siblings, Zack, Emily, Becky and Tad, finish the journey alone in hopes of finding their Uncle. What they do find is a small town known as Miracle Springs, a rowdy Californian mining area with numerous saloons and no churches. Aided by a kind woman named Almeda Parish and a grumpy miner known only as Drum, the Hollister children find that they may have bit off more than they can chew when their uncle can’t be found and he’s being accused of shooting a man.

With the help of God, Corrie comes to terms with the bitterness she’d held against her dead father and learns that, though she may be alone, she’s always being watched by her Father in heaven.

What we like about this series: Not only is this a good series that focuses on Corrie’s relationship with God, but it isn’t your typical Christian fiction. We’re talking rowdy miners, a ten-year-old mystery, a cunning banker and a hotheaded woman. There are so many elements in the series that we can’t even begin to tell you, otherwise we’d give away what happens!

Age Range: 13 and up.

Audience: We’d say girls and boys, though it is written about a girl there is plenty of action that will keep the boys on their toes!

Cautions: These books are definitely written for a more mature audience, as there are some adult themed references, (nothing serious, but it’s in there) character death and frightening discoveries. There is no swearing, no immorality (save a reference or two from some miners) and the violence is moderate. It’s far more serious though, so we advise an older reader with maturity.

Era: 1852, when the Gold Rush was just panning out.

Special Notes: These books are Marin’s favorite Gold Rush series, the stories are intriguing and the message is heartfelt. But don’t worry, there is a lot of humor in them, too!

* There are many more in the series, but these are the ones we have read.

Join us next week when we head to the gold towns to find some real gold of our own!