Product Description

Catch the fever! Gold fever swept the nation—and the world—in 1848 when carpenter James Marshall discovered a gold nugget in the American River near John Sutter's mill. As word spread of gold in California, the news set off a westward stampede. Fortune seekers and adventurers poured into California by land and sea, wild with excitement and expectation.

Rosalyn Schanzer's engaging and humorous book tells the story of these prospectors in their own words. Schanzer has gathered her favorite quotes from journals and letters written by the forty-niners to recount the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill. Her irresistible narrative also uses newspaper accounts to trace the various routes the forty-niners took from the East Coast to the West, the adventures they experienced along the way, and the challenges they faced on arrival. The characters recount their stories in their own words, in well-researched and authenticated quote bubbles.

Step into an intensely exciting chapter of American history. Learn about the dreamers who dropped everything to head out west. See who found gold and how. Meet the lucky ones—and the many whose dreams turned to dust. Listen to the intriguing tales of the prospectors, and find out what the gold-diggers did with their newfound wealth.

To write and research Gold Fever!, Rosalyn Schanzer visited many California Gold Rush historical sites, and took more than 600 photographs of everything from gold nuggets to saloons in order to make her art as accurate and flavorful as possible. With skill and humor she brings historical characters vividly to life and puts the spirit of the age into her vibrant art. History shines brightly on every page of this evocative book.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91861 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-09
• Released on: 2007-01-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 48 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781426300400
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Plying the same visually jam-packed format she used to great advantage in How We Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark, Schanzer here turns from the lucid narrative provided by Lewis's diary to a more atmospheric account of the California Gold Rush. She begins with the January 1848 discovery of gold at Sutter's mill andAin comic book-style panels accompanied by snippets from actual diaries, letters and newspaper accountsAfollows the topsy-turvy routes by land and sea to the hustle and bustle of the West Coast boomtowns. Employing such first-hand quotes as "I hate to desert. I am almost crazy, as I have the gold fever shocking bad" from a California soldier's letter to his brother in Boston, Schanzer vivifies the past and weaves her information together thematically (old-fashioned handbill style typeface announces such subjects as "Off to the Diggings" and "Night Life"). This overview, with its brief, digestible chunks, will likely tempt the appetites of budding historians, and the visual structure keeps the pace brisk. An author's note at the end puts into context the engaging historical anecdotes. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-As she did in How We Crossed the West (National Geographic, 1998), Schanzer inventively combines first-person accounts with lively artwork to bring history to life. Her amusing folk-art illustrations, drawn with acrylic paints on rough canvas, match the spirit of the times, showing a variety of emotions through simple and appealing figures. She depicts the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, details the various routes travelers used to get to California, and describes the triumphs and disappointments of the prospectors. Paintings full of color and motion show the rocky roads of the overland trails, the excitement of the digging sites, and the liveliness of San Francisco. All of the accompanying text comes directly from historical sources, including letters, newspapers, and journals, and is presented in blocks of text and dialogue balloons. By deftly arranging the dozens of quotes and carefully laying out the illustrations, the author presents a smooth and easy-to-follow narrative. Some of the tidbits are humorous while others are more serious. Many, such as the description of blankets "well filled with athletic and courageous and determined fleas," are both interesting and illuminating, conveying the day-to-day concerns of the people involved. Other books can fill in the facts and figures related to the gold rush, but Gold Fever! makes a uniquely exciting introduction to a fascinating period.
Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
The author of How We Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark (1997) employs the same format in this new offering. Schanzer uses quotations from diaries and writings of participants to recount the story of the California gold rush, beginning with James Marshall's discovery of gold nuggets at John Sutter's mill in 1847. The accounts describe treacherous land and sea journeys to the gold fields, life in the mining camps and boomtowns, and the reasons for the end of prospecting. Colorful, lighthearted paintings (acrylic on rough canvas) add many details to the book and enhance the overall appeal; an appended note fills in a few facts missing from the text. Although Schanzer provides no list of references, browsers and history classes emphasizing primary sources will welcome this. Kay Weisman

Customer Reviews

Gold Fever! Tales from the California Gold Rush
The story of the California gold rush is told through (short) actual quotes from those involved, arranged in a sequential manner. This non-fiction book is entertaining and informative and reads like a comic book. It is a historical edition and has excellent color illustrations. Recommended reading for 1st through the 6th grade, as well as the teachers of these grades,

Great Book
Gold Fever by Roz Schanzer is a terrific book, not only with the information that it covers, but with its glorious illustrations. The children I teach are totally entralled when we read this book together. Hope to see more great work from this author/illustrator in the future.

Adults as well as children love this book.
The quotes make the telling very readable and enjoyable. I like the style of paper and the way Ms Schanzer did the pictures, told the story and made the reader feel like he/she had more information and a feel for the times. Good work!