Bonanza Girl

by Patricia Beatty

Paperback, 1993

Status

Available

Local notes

PB Bea

Barcode

1126

Publication

Beech Tree Paperback Book (1993), 210 pages

Description

A widow and her two children head for gold rush territory in Idaho, hoping to find jobs and a new life.

Awards

Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (Nominee — 1963-1964)

Language

Original language

English

Physical description

210 p.; 7.53 inches

User reviews

LibraryThing member satyridae
Mama is widowed, with two children and no job prospects. She decides to start a school out in the gold fields but is shortly and firmly disabused of all her city slicker notions. The story is narrated by Ann Katherine, who is a nicely written young teen. Her younger brother is the bane of her
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existence, naturally. The Wild West flavor is pungent and gamy and it feels very real. I wonder if Beatty wasn't a closet Betsy-Tacy fan, as the hired girl has an extraordinary hat and is Swedish, stout and single. Coincidence? Maybe.

A little iffy in its treatment of Native Americans, though no doubt historically accurate. Also some interesting (historically accurate) bits about the Chinese not being welcome in the gold fields of Idaho. The essential wrongness of the treatment of the Chinese is stressed quite strongly. Not so much with the treatment of the Natives, sadly.
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Pages

210

Rating

½ (8 ratings; 3.5)
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