Orphan Runaway is the best book I've ever read. It makes you keep going on to the book in till your to the end of it because you never want to stop.Something new is happening in the book.You definitley want to read this book if you like mysterys and adventures and you definitley like a good book of orphans and runaway people, then you'll love Orphan Runaway by: Kristiana Gregory.You will definitley have a great time with this book I know I did. I've read this book three times and I'd read it again.

This great book written by Kristiana Gregory is the story of to orphan brother that escape from there orphanage in San Francisco, and try to reach an uncle that lives in a mining camp named Bodie (was created at the time of the gold rush). Captain Billy, Madame Mustache, and Smoky Joe and his friends are here to help Danny and his little brother Judd to adapt to the ruff climate of the mountains until there uncle Hunk accept to be there new father. Danny has one problem, his uncle is friancaded to a woman of Chinese origin. At that time Chinese people were not very well accepted in the United States. After skiing and almost killing himself Danny, Judd and his friends go for a treasure hunt. Will they find it? How? Who was the thief? These questions can be answered if you read the book which I promise you is exiting. The story takes place in a mining camp named Bodie in California. It is the worst mining camp in the hole United States. The story happened in 1879 at the time of the gold rush. A lot of the facts about the story and the characters are true. The book was written in the third person point of view. The conflicts that the hero has to endure are most likely person vs. Nature and person vs. Society. One conflict is that the friance of uncle Hunk is Chinese and that Danny is scared that his friends might make fun of him if his new mom is Chinese. The other conflict is the ruff winters that occurs in Bodie. This book reminds me of how harsh people were in the 1800 hundreds and how lonely an orphan can feel. It will also show you who in those days epidemic were very deadly for everyone. This is a unique book that you will want to read. If I were to rate the book from one throw ten I would give it a ten because its true facts and attractive story. This is a great book to read for young teenagers. I guaranty you that you will never get board but instead you will rapidly finish is to find what happened to are heroes Danny and Judd.

This was a great book. It is about two orphan brothers, 12 year old Danny and 6 year old Judd, who search for their uncle in the California gold camps after their parents die in an epidemic. I noticed that the brothers were related to characters in three of the authors other books, ACROSS THE WIDE AND LONESOME PRAIRIE, THE WINTER OF RED SNOW, and EARTHQUAKE AT DAWN.

"Five Smooth Stones: Hope's Revolutionary War Diary" is a decent book for younger readers learning about the lifestyle led by colonists during The Revolutionary War. For historical points, this book is lacking, until the Historical Note at the end of the story. Read "The Winter of Red Snow: The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1777," also by Gregory, with or instead of this book, to get a bigger and better picture of The Revolutionary War. A good book for younger readers interested in history, but might be boring for older more knowledgeable history buffs. I "kind of" recommend.

Five Smooth Stones is about a regular girl in the Revolutionary War period.Hope has her father is at war, her brother is away and her mother is expecting a baby. This novel revolves around the lifestyle and history of the late 1700's and gives you a great lesson about that time period and has you conncet with a girl in that world. Although this book is only 93 pages not counting photos and drawings and has a little bit large typing the book give you a lot of feelings to take in and the use of the words, shall, ye, and thou are many.I reccomend this book to girls or boys with an avid interest in history within a diary formed book.

Nine-year-old Hope Penny Potter is finding the Revolutionary War tearing apart her family. Since Christmas her father has been gone for purposes still unknown to her family and now her brother Ethan is accusing her father of being a Tory and abandoning the family. Hope finds little comfort but she does have her best friend Polly who she confides in about her family problems. There is also hope in the family of better times for Hope's mother is expecting a new baby. However their happiness is shattered when one day Ethan runs away from home, most likely looking for his father. As the British press closer and closer the Philadelphia Hope finds that she might have to leave her beloved home too. Will Hope's family ever be reunited again? Or will the Revolutionary War keep her apart.

After fifteen-year-old Carrie Hill's parents are killed in an Indian attack in the Idaho territory in 1875, Carrie goes to live with Beaver Dick, an American explorer, and his family. Beaver Dick's wife is a Shoshone Indian called Jenny. Jenny and Carrie don't get along very well at first, but as the days go by, Carrie learns to respect Jenny and her ways. While living with Beaver Dick, Carrie goes on many adventures. One time Jenny, Carrie, and the children meet a grizzly bear and since Jenny has an excellent aim, she shoots the bear and then Carrie starts looking at Jenny in a new way. Meanwhile, Carrie falls in love with Miles, an explorer working with Beaver Dick. And in the spring of 1877 they are married. The next winter, Jenny gets sick from taking in a sick Indian and her child. It quickly spreads to the rest of the family including Jenny and Beaver Dick's children. It is a race for survival and they might not win.

This would be a great book for people who like adventure. It is a great book for people of all ages. If you are looking for a book that speaks highly of Indians, this would be a good choice because Jenny, is the hero in her own special way.

Carrie's family is ambushed by indians. She is put under the care of an englishman named Beaver Dick. To Carrie's horror she finds out Dicks wife is an Indian. Carrie instantly hates her. However thru time Dicks wife {jenny} displays such kindness and gentleness Carrie starts to feel love toward her and her kids. This historical tale is well written and is constantly interesting for kids and adults alike.
Word of caution for sensative youngsters, This does not have a happy ending.

This is a great book for learning about the old times and has alot of neat facts. The author used very good descriptions and put fact on fantasy in the same book. If you love the west then this is a book for you!

Kristiana Gregory includes maps, a glossary of Spanish and English words and a note on the historical facts of this work. I listed all Challenging vocabulary in this novel and found 334 words to know! The novel is apt for those studying Alta California, the Spanish settlement of the New World, and the attacks of Bouchard the pirate on these settlements. The characterization is realistic. The protagonist struggles with himself over poor decisions and his determination to avenge his father's death. Life on a pirate ship is vividly described. Real life in the beginning of California is clearly portrayed. Danger and cooperation keep the reader fully engrossed in the adventure. Give it a try. It is a short read and adds to the imagination for what could be a dry subject.

This story is based on the life of Elijah Nicholas ("Nick") Wilson, for whom Wilson, Wyoming, is named. Unlike the review from HORN BOOK, I didn't think this book needed a map; a "regular" modern map of Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Montana works well.

The plot does meander--but so did Wilson's life! If you are looking for a book about a child unsure of his place in the world, this is certainly a good one. Jimmy doesn't know if he wants to live with the white men or the Indians. (Read or see LITTLE BIG MAN for a humorous take on exactly the same theme but a different Indian Nation.)

The story is not sugar-coated. Bad things do happen (scaplpings, buffalo killing, etc.) and the author tells the tale realisticly. I have travelled greatly in this area and found that it brought back very fond memories--and a strong desire to summer in Wyoming and Idaho again!

Also good reading are JIMMY SPOON AND THE PONY EXPRESS and JENNY, A GIRL OF THE TETONS by the same author. The former is based on Wilson's further adventures and the latter is based on the life of the namesake of Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

My main problem with this book was that it didn't have a lot of page-turning material in it. Other than that, it was GREAT! It really showed how the Indians lived, and their views on different things. I found it a little annoying that he didn't miss his family as much as I thought he would. But still, I recommend this book to anyone interested in Indian culture but don't want to read through textbooks.

Jimmy Spoon is a ten year old boy living in Salt Lake City,Utah. He really wants a horse but his dad said he couldn't until he was 14. One day when Jimmy was playing in his backyard two Shashoni boys came up to him and played for a while. The next day they came back with a horse named Pinto Bean and they said,"If you come to our village, Jimmy, we will give you Pinto Bean." Jimmy thought, "Sure! Why not?" So he went with the boys to the village. Little did Jimmy know that the boys meant forever. After Jimmy found out he said,"Ok, I'll go with you for a while". Jimmy never would imagine all the adventures and fun that would come in the future.