The Misadventures of Maude March

by Audrey Couloumbis

Paperback, 2007

Status

Available

Series

Maude March (1)

Genres

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

Yearling (2007), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 320 pages

Description

After the death of the stern aunt who raised them since they were orphaned, eleven-year-old Sallie and her fifteen-year-old sister escape their self-serving guardians and begin an adventure resembling those in the dime novels Sallie loves to read.

User reviews

LibraryThing member ewyatt

Maude and her sister Sallie's worlds are turned upside down when they find themselves orphaned again after their aunt has been shot and killed after leaving the mercantile. A preacher's family takes them in, but it is clear that this family is using the girls for labor and is seeking to marry Maude

off. Maude and Sallie decide disguise themselves as boys and make a run toward Independence to try to find their long lost Uncle Arlen. Along the way the girls encounter outlaws, have numerous run-ins with the man, Marion, who accidently shot their aunt, and find that they are a lot tougher than their knew. Maude soon finds she has a reputation in the newspapers for being a criminal mastermind and gang leader. A fun, wild-west read.

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9 more

LibraryThing member stoog

Girls I told you a hundred times, don't shoot too many guys

LibraryThing member MrsHillReads

What's not to like? Plucky young girls under dire circumstances who are trying to find a new life for themselves...the ending was too quick, it just didn't feel right; however, the book was a fun read. Unfortunately, I don't think any of my high school students will ever read (or like) this book.

LibraryThing member camcleod

This was one of my reads for the Georgia Children's Book Award nominee list. So far, it's my favorite of the ones I've read recently. (Of course Gossamer and The Misfits are nominated too, so picking a final favorite will be tough.)Well-paced adventure story that finds two twice-orphaned sisters

inadvertently becoming outlaws.

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LibraryThing member cablesclasses

Sallie, the comic relief, finds guidance from her dimers, books that tell tales of adventure of outlaws of the wild west. Her childlike credence in the fictional characters and their adventures creates humor for the reader especially while juxtaposed to Maude and Joe. The fast paced read mimics the

pace of the characters in their search for family and relief. Real-life historical figures mentioned gives some historical perspective to the setting of the wild, wild west. Definitely a humorous read and continued in a second adventure even out farther west!

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LibraryThing member osozereposo

A fun and funny adventure! The March sisters are well-rounded, believable, and relatable. I particularly liked how the character of Aunt Ruthie, who dies almost immediately, is revealed throughout the book through the sisters' memories and how they see elements of her personality in themselves and

contrast her with others. The girls learn early in life that sometimes you don't really know or appreciate a person until they're gone. I agree with a previous reviewer that the ending came too quickly. It also didn't end cleanly--too many loose ends--but that makes sense knowing there's a sequel. Hooray for more adventures with Sallie and Maude!

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LibraryThing member book_in_hand

I stayed up late into the night finishing this book. It was so much fun to read I couldn't stop. I have an older sister myself so it was easy to imagine myself as Sallie and my sister as Maude. When I've read other books where characters were on the run I always enjoyed reading what they chose to

take with them. Sallie made me laugh with all the things she packed! I cannot wait to read the next book. If you enjoy westerns and mishap characters who accidently become outlaws, you'll love this book!

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LibraryThing member mysterymax

Sallie March is the most enjoyable young heroine I've come across since Falvia de Luce in The Sweetness At the Bottom of the Pie. Her sister Maude is great as well, making this a story not to be missed.

LibraryThing member kaitanya64

This story of two orphaned sister, after the death of the guardian aunt, set out on stolen horses to find their uncle "out west" is entertaining and touching. Through their wild adventures, the sisters provide a little glimpse of life in the Midwest in the 1800s. The characters are developed and

well drawn. There is a little violence, including at least three violent deaths in the course of the novel. They are intrinsic to the plot and the characters are shocked and surprised by the violence, however.

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LibraryThing member London_StJ

After the death of their parents, young sisters Sallie and Maude March are raised by their no-nonsense, tough-as-nails Aunt Ruthie, from whom they learn hard work and important life skills, like how to shoot a gun. However, when Sallie is 11 and Maude is 15 Aunt Ruthie is killed by a wild bullet

walking away from the general store, and the girls are left alone in the world. Though they are determined to make the best of things, the March sisters soon find themselves in a disagreeable situation, as their temporary guardians attempt to force Maude to marry a much older man. Seeing no other solution, the girls set out in the middle of the night to find their one living relative - their mysterious Uncle Arlen.

A serious of mishaps and mistakes lead to a newspaper trail following the girls, naming Maude a horse thief, bank robber, and murderer, all before they reach their final destination.

Despite the bloodshed, The Misadventures of Maude March is a delightful and up-beat Western novel for young readers. Couloumbis has created two likable and realistic characters that will be easy for readers to relate to, and they provide wonderful examples of determination and strength of character as they work through a series of hardships. Sallie's narrative voice is consistent with her age and situation, without talking down to the intended readership. The Misadventures of Maude March is proving to be a fun way to introduce different genres to my fifth-grade student, and I would certainly recommend it to others.

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