Author(s): Avi

Senior Fiction | Adventure | Historical

Victoria Blaisdell longs for independence, adventure, and to accompany her father as he sails west in search of real gold. But it is 1848, and Tory isn’t even allowed to go to school, much less travel all the way from Rhode Island to California. Determined to take control of her own destiny, Tory stows away. San Francisco is frenzied and full of wild and dangerous men, but Tory finds freedom and friendship there. Then her younger brother, Jacob, is kidnapped, sending Tory on a treacherous search for him in Rotten Row, a part of San Francisco Bay crowded with hundreds of abandoned ships.
Beloved storyteller Avi is at the top of his form as he ushers us back to an extraordinary time of hope and risk, brought to life by a heroine readers will cheer for in this vivid, absorbing historical adventure.

“With his characteristically suspenseful style, Avi crafts a rousing historical adventure helmed by a spirited protagonist whom readers will love.” —Booklist (starred review)

Avi evokes Gold Rush-era San Francisco through Tory's eyes with empathy and clarity while keeping the action lively. A splendidly exciting and accessible historical adventure.
-Kirkus Reviews
Containing strong feminist themes, this fast-paced tale vividly contrasts the wildness of 19th-century San Francisco with stuffier New England. Tory is a brave yet naive protagonist, who makes a number of mistakes before proving herself a hero, and her dangerous encounters with unscrupulous villains provide nonstop excitement and suspense.
-Publishers Weekly
When Victoria Blaisdell's recently unemployed father catches gold fever and intends to head west, it's Tory's chance to escape her family's rigid expectations...Tory still delivers the goods for adventure-hungry historical fiction fans.
-Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books