Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine Hardcover – Deckle Edge, February 7, 2017

Superb story-telling, Caroline Starr Rose! I just finished reading this book with my children and we all thoroughly enjoyed it— we were sad when the story ended! The story begins in the late 1890s in Kirkland, Washington. Two brothers, 11-year-old Jasper and his sixteen-year-old brother, Melvin, live with their widower father who has become an alcoholic and abusive after the death of their mother from influenza. Desperate for a better situation, Mel saves money from his mill job for two years and escapes to the Klondike region (Alaska/Western Canada) to join the Gold Rush. But.... Jasper can’t believe his brother and best friend has left without him! He decides to stowaway on a steamer bound for Skagway, Alaska, and follow his brother.What follows is an exciting adventure story, told in first person narrative by Jasper, about his and Mel’s adventures reaching the Klondike and the various characters, good and bad, they meet along the way. The thread which holds the novel together is the clues to One-eyed Riley’s Mine which keeps both boys filled with hope in finding gold and a new life.One of my favorite aspects of the book was the incredible amount of research on the Klondike region/ Klondike Gold Rush Rose did which she incorporates into the story. We learned American/Canadian history while reading this book! Some of the characters in the book existed in real life such as conman “Soapy” Smith of Skagway, Arizona Charlie Meadows, Lord Avonmore, “Spare-Rib Mackinson” and our favorites—three Catholic religious sisters, all named Mary, who had gone to the Klondike region to serve in St. Mary’s Hospital founded by Father William Judge. Rose does a beautiful job of weaving these real-life people into her fictional story.Probably my favorite part of the book was the relationship between the brothers, Jasper and Melvin. The bond and love that forms between them is beautiful to see. In today’s society, children are often encouraged to look for friends apart from their siblings. Jasper and Melvin are brothers, but by the end of the novel, they are the best of friends as well. Beautiful to read!Kudos to Rose on a novel well-researched and wonderfully written for adults and kids alike to enjoy.

When Jasper’s older brother takes off for the Yukon to join the gold rush, Jasper joins him by stowing away on a steamer and then teaming up with him as they try to fend their way in the frontier ports and travel over the Chilkoot Pass to reach the creeks where gold was found.It’s an excellent adventure and would be a great Disney movie, like The Journey of Natty Gann. What makes it work is a narrator you care about, visceral descriptions that anchor you in the scenes, and interesting details about the ships, towns, mining gear, and camps along the way. Like when they work in a sawpit and help build a boat to take them down the Yukon.It's a much more realistic novel than the cover lets on. With thieves and con men, harsh storms, and grim prospects and grim prospectors, it doesn’t avoid the gritty reality of the times. And with the cold and hunger, it's as much a survival story as an adventure tale. And yet there’s also lots of uplifting moments of wonder, as when first seeing the mountains and herds of caribou.There's also a map at the start and a great author's note at the end, which tells the history of the gold rush and the truth about the dozen of real life characters she placed in the novel, which gives it a real authenticity.

Two down-and-out, but determined brothers, a mysterious mine, callous and greedy miners, an intriguing plot, and rich history weave together in this enchanting and riveting new novel by Caroline Starr Rose. Jasper and the Riddle of Riley’s Mine is a superb way to engage young people in the danger and excitement of the Klondike Gold Rush in an era of time long slipped away. Appealing and true-to-life protagonist, Jasper, will win your heart from the first page as you struggle and victor with him through his dreams, disappointments, and discoveries. This well-written story might be meant for kids, but I found that I had a hard time putting it down, so it’s safe to say this is a wonderful read for any age! As a lover of both history and good fiction, I am always sniffing out good books to recommend and put in the hands of my own children and their friends. Jasper’s story definitely makes the cut! This is Rose’s first book written in prose and it is just as delightful as her free verse titles, May B. and Blue Birds (which I would highly recommend as well). Happy reading!UPDATE on 7/11/17: A brief recommendation from my 11 year old son who read this tale voraciously! Michael says, "I loved it because of the constant adventure and the twist at the end. Two thumbs up!!"

Jasper has everything I love in a book: heart, humor, a character you can't help but root for, a brilliant setting, and beautiful writing.A little exuberant digression on the setting, if you don't mind: the setting of the Klondike Gold Rush was really cool. There aren't enough books set there/then, if you ask me, although I highly recommend the non-fiction Call of the Klondike, by David Meissner, which Caroline Starr Rose also references. There's so much neat history, so many exciting stories, plus the inherent drama of the need to survive. This is one that every twelve-year-old boy is going to want to get his hands on.And then there's Jasper. Jasper is a boy who never, ever gives up, who's not afraid of hard work, whose love for his family outlasts any injustices--real or imagined--that he might suffer at their hands. In a rather difficult season of my life, Jasper was just what I needed. He inspired me to keep pursuing my dreams--and, best of all, he kept me laughing while doing so. Where would we be without the fictional heroes that remind us of what's true and good in life?