From master storyteller and Newbery medalist Avi, Chasing Rocks is a tightly plotted adventure in the old west, a tale of boyhood and two rivaling brothers stranded in a small mining town, and a deep dive into the history of one of America's most desperate periods of economic crisis.
Only three kids live in the tiny, remote high Colorado desert silver mining camp of Gatchett's Gluch, population 45.
Brothers Ollie and Gus, thirteen and eleven, and Aly, the only girl in town, are the only kids. Bored and restless, they want to find silver on their own and liberate themselves from isolation.
When they stumble upon a cave that contains traces of silver, the boys (along with Alys) are determined to set up their own mine. But Elijah Gatchett, the man who owns and runs the town, won't allow other prospecting in his area and has harsh ways to enforce it.
Moreover, this is 1893, a time of economic crisis, with the price of silver going steadily down. Meanwhile, the boys' mother has found a man she wants to marry, a visiting geologist. At the heart of this story is the beating heart of Ollie and Gus's ever competitive relationship--often at odds but mutually dependent. How the kids navigate all this-with a surprising ending-is an old-west adventure that has not been told.
Distinctions and Praise for The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
A Newbery Honor BookBoston Globe-Horn Book Award
An ALA Notable Children's Book
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
A Booklist Editors' ChoiceA Horn Book Fanfare Book
An NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
* "A thrilling tale, tautly plotted, vividly narrated." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Riveting. Nonstop action. A story hard to forget." --Booklist, starred review
Distinctions and Praise For Nothing But the Truth
A Newbery Honor Book
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book
An ALA Notable Book
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
"The story of Philip Malloy, his family, friends, teachers and school, shouts to be shared." --The New York Times
"It is clear that Avi is attuned to the modern high school scene. With frankness and remarkable insight, he conveys the flaws of the system while creating a story that is both entertaining and profound." -- Publishers Weekly Avi's work spans nearly every genre and has received countless major prizes, including the Newbery Medal for Crispin: The Cross of Lead and Newbery Honors for Nothing But the Truth and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Avi lives in Colorado. You can learn more about him online at avi-writer.com.
