Jason's Gold

Jason's Gold #1

by Will Hobbs

"Gold!" Jason shouted at the top of his lungs. "Read all about it! Gold discovered in Alaska!" Within hours of hearing the thrilling news, fifteen-year-old Jason Hawthorn jumps a train for Seattle, stow away on a ship bound for the goldfields, and joins thousands of fellow prospectors attempting the difficult journey to the Klondike. The Dead Horse Trail, the infamous Chilkott Pass, and a five-hundred-mile trip by canoe down the Yukon River lie ahead. With help from a young writer named Jack London, Jason and his dog face moose, bears, and the terrors of a subartic winter in this bone-chilling survival story. 00-01 Tayshas High School Reading List, 01-02 Young Hoosier Book Award Masterlist (Gr 4-6), 01-02 Young Hoosier Book Award Masterlist (Gr 6-8), 01-02 William Allen White Children's Book Award Masterlist, and 01 Heartland Award for Excellence in YA Lit Finalist Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2000, National Council for SS & Child. Book Council, 2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA), and 2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults (Recomm. Books for Reluctant Young Readers)

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Historical, Survival, Middle Grade

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

WILL HOBBS is the author of seventeen novels for upper elementary, middle school and young adult readers, as well as two picture book stories. Seven of his novels, Bearstone, Downriver, The Big Wander, Beardance, Far North, The Maze, and Jason's Gold, were named Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association. ALA also named Far North and Downriver to their list of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of the Twentieth Centrury. Ghost Canoe received the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1998 for Best Young Adult Mystery.

In outdoor stories that appeal to both boys and girls, Hobbs has readers discovering wild places, sharing adventures with people from varied backgrounds, and exploring how to make important choices in their own lives. A graduate of Stanford University and former reading and language arts teacher, Will has been a full-time writer since 1990. He lives with his wife, Jean, in Durango, Colorado.

Will's books have won many other awards, including the California Young Reader Medal, the Western Writers of America Spur Award, the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Award, the Colorado Book Award, and nominations to state award lists in over thirty states.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am not a big fan of Jason's Gold.

[Natalia]

I just finished jasons gold and i dont remeber any of it

[Jacob Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was very boring in the middle, but the end got more interesting. There was also a lot of dying going on in the book. Overall the book wasn't really my type of book, and its was kind of boring.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. i dont see why other people are so bored with it. maybe because there's no magic? why be disappointed when the book is actually realistic?

[Angela Barta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason’s Gold, written by Will Hobbs, is a historical fiction book that paints a picture of what is was like to travel in the late 1800’s from New York to the Klondike in search of gold. As a future teacher, I would use this book in 5th through 8th grade to engage my students in the Klondike Gold Rush along with using authentic pictures taken by Eric Hegg during this time period. Mr. Hegg’s pictures may be found on the following website: https://content.lib.washington.edu/he.... There is also a plethora of history that unfolds before your eyes, as you follow in the footsteps of the main character Jason Hawthorn, as he searches to find his brothers.

The story begins in New York City. Jason is selling newspapers to earn a living. Once he sees the headlines of the New York Exchange, he decides to find a way to get back to Seattle, to join his brothers as they search for gold in the Klondike. His dreams are shattered once he arrives in Seattle as he learns his brothers have already set out to find their gold without Jason. They have also taken Jason’s small inheritance but promise to share their riches with him once they find gold. Jason then sets out to find his brothers again on an incredible journey through the frigid temperatures of Alaska and the Klondike.

[Bridger Lytle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason's Gold, by Will Hobbs, si about a boy named jason who gets klondicitis. this book examines the American Dream adn shows the there's endless oppourtunity for those willing to work hard. It has realistic characters and a belivable setting. He gets delayed many times trying to get to the klondike river. this book is written in 3rd person. Eventually he has to winter below a set of rapids. this book is well written and the story flows nicely. I highly recomend this book to anyone looking for more information on the american dream or a great survival story.

[Juliette V · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book was ok. It's not my type of book at all! Well, I do like adventure books, but this wasn't a good one for me. The main characters in this book are Jason Hawthorn and Charlie. Jason Hawthorn hears news about a gold rush. Jason wants to go discover the gold rush in the Klondike. It is a big journey. Before his father died, he left him $500 for this big journey. You need many supplies to survive in the severe weather! You need food and water. A very special outfit to go in the weather. His older brothers took the $500 he needed! Jason is now very low on his money. His brothers left before him. Jason is now on two missions; to find his brothers and get to the gold. Jason leaves three weeks after his brothers. Jason Hawthorn is only 15 years old and he is doing a very big journey all by his self. Jason is going to have my challenges also such as seeing many dangerous animals, a Dead Horse Trail, a 5-hundred-mile trip only by canoe and more! Jason lives in Seattle and the Klondike is in Canada! Jason first jumps onto a train to get to some places. Jason rides a ship to get to his next stop in his journey. A kid named Kid Barker is a person on the ship that is bad. Since Jason does not have any money to get a ticket to ride the ship, Kid Barker lets him on for free, but Kid Barker wants Jason to steal! Jason did not listen to Kid Barker. Eventually, Jason gets off the ship and moves on. As Jason comes along he finds a dog drowner drowning many dogs! Jason stopped him. The man was about to drown the last dog, but Jason went up to the man and told him not to drown the last dog. The man gave the dog to Jason and Jason took it. Jason now has someone traveling with him, a husky named King. Another thing Jason came along is called the Dead Horse Trail. The Dead Horse Trail is a very smelling trail with a bunch of dyeing or dead animals. Jason has to go threw this trail to get to his next stop. In the dead horse trail Jason gets attacked by a moose and gets injured. The moose looked dead to Jason, but it really wasn't. Along his journey Jason gets stuck in a little situation. Jason has built a cabin. A boy named Charlie is dropped off at Jason's cabin because Charlie's uncle could not take care of him. Charlie had gotten injured and had to use crutches. His uncle couldn't take care of Charlie because he had to catch up to the gold rush. There is no time to wait! Charlie stays with Jason for the rest of the journey. Another challenge Jason comes across is canoeing a 5-hundred-mile-trip! That takes a while! From there on Jason's comes across more challenges. Jason and Charlie go hunting for bears. King dies by a bear killing him, but Jason still got the bear killed. Good-bye King! Jason buried King! Jason and Charlie kept traveling until they saw the Hawthorn Brother's Sawmill. Jason and Charlie found Jason's brother! Jason always wanted to work at the sawmill but he was to young. Now he is 16 and he has a job! Jason never found gold, but the important thing is that he found his brother!

[Jadon Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

15 year old jason Hawthore is a boy that is always looking for adventure. in the first person story Jasons gold, young jason sets out to the klondike to strike it rich, along the way he faces many problems such as starvation and extreme cold. the story reads well and seems authentic, based on the authors large bank of backgroung reserch, also the characters are beleivable because they act the way people did in that time period. I think that this was a good book and, if you like to read about the alaskin gold rush you should defidenty read this book.

[Rebecca Fehr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked how this book is so adventurous. It seems every chapter brings a new challenge to the protagonist. It would have been a book full of surprises except I read all the most interesting parts ahead of time. The ending was especially well written because it is not how books usually end, but the author still made it satisfying.

[Destiny Dickow · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is unapealing to my taste of picking books. Plus the book is pretty much longer because of the small words!! It's was really slow while reading the book and everyone that said that you hated it I agree!!!!!!!!

[Gina S. · Rating 1 out of 5]

HATE this book with all my life. I'm never going to think about this book ever more, even look at it.

[Logan Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about my friend. A true story so heartfelt and epic 😿🫶

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

this used to be on my brother's shelf. i just got an epiphany. this was indeed gold

[Cloe Stocking · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the book Jason's Gold by Will Hobbs it is about a boy named Jason who wants to make it big in the Alaska gold rush. His brothers also had the same idea, but they left without hime. He desided to still go and try to catch up with them. Along the way he maeets lots of people and faces many difficulties. I thought that this book was well written and felt very authentic. Will Hobbs was able to put detail that made you think that this really could happen adn made you really know what people traveing there went through and all of the difficulties they had to face. Even though Will is a cultueral outsider he made it seem like he reasurched everything every well and he knew all of the facts that he needed to know. This book also showed the american dream very well. It showed that America offers endless opintuniy to those willing to work hard adn Jason was sure willing to work hard. I would recomend this book to anyone wanting to lean a little about the Alaska gold rush, the American Dream, and even hard work, caring, adn love. It may be a little desterbing for some ages ( under 8ish). Over all it is a okay book to read. I personally thought that it wasn't my favorite, but I still found it pretty interesting adn would recomend it to anyone needing a easy read.

[Belle Adler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! The message of this book is that riches, gold, wealth - it doesn't matter. The journey was more important than the destination, and the lessons our Jason learned along the way changed his life. He struck it rich in a very different and better way than he intended. I loved the fact that the author included Jack London in the story.
There are a few gruesome scenes, and we see some grisly characters, but that makes it realistic. I'm sure that's exactly what the Klondike Gold Rush was really like - the author did a good job of capturing both the good and the bad parts of the journey. Jason is a courageous young fellow, good and honorable, a rare character that I wish I could meet in person.

[Brynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was horrible! Would not reccommend to ANYBODY! It is about how there was gold found and Jason wants to go and find it. Jason stops to ask his brothres if he can have each their 500 dollars to use to travel and stuff. Jason gets beat up and has to WALK the rest of the way. He gets attacked and alot of other stuff. Find out what else happens by reading this horrible book!!!

Merged review:

I HATE HATE HATE this book. It is about a guy who goes and tries to find gold, but all this bad stuff happens to him. I would not recommend this to ANYONE. So if you want to read it, because my description is "interesting" you will regret it.

[Roberto Vitale · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't really like this book. I wouldn't recommend this book to most people. This book did not make any sense to me either. I would not read this book again. Only maybe two or three parts made sense or i liked it. I also thought that it was weird that everyone left him at the end. In conclusion I thought it was boring and not so good of a book.

[Aaron Keyes]

Terrible. this book really stinked, with crazy people putting pistols to their heads and drowning dogs, just messed up. I would NEVER ever read this without having to. no offense to people who like the book, it's just really bad.

[Cayley Harris · Rating 1 out of 5]

In the book it wasn't that exciting because i got board during the book.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, the book was ok. I think that it got better near the end

[Nicolette · Rating 1 out of 5]

this is book was ok but i wish it had more excitement to it.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this because my son is assigned this book in 6th grade. Not bad, but would rather jump straight to a Jack London novel

[Bennett R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wanted a good story in regards to a kid searching for gold? In this story Jason’s Gold, his parents died and we learned this at the start of the story, we also learned he and his two brothers got 500 dollars each in inheritance. His brothers were tired of living in poverty, so his two brothers left Jason a note and took his money so they could buy equipment for the purpose of finding gold in Alaska. The Story takes place in 1897 during the gold rush in the United States. The two older brothers (Abraham, Ethan) were tired of living paycheck to paycheck so they went on a hunt for gold.. The three main characters in the story are all brothers, Jason, Abraham, and Ethan.











Spoilers ahead

The story is a high paced historical fiction story, while reading this book you’ll be on the edge of your seat the entire time. This story talks in excellent detail about what it was along the lines of living in the gold rush. When reading this book you get an adrenaline rush wondering if Jason is ever going to find his Brothers? Or maybe even gold? My opinion on this story is great due to the fact that it is the definition of a page turner, and also that the suspense of every page is like if he's going to get frostbite, or if he is going to catch the boat. So has this review changed your mind of the story Jason's Gold?

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book some time ago and the story sticks with me. I mostly listen to audio books now and hope this is available.

I'm a lover of historical novels and I'm a river runner...both inflatable white water boats and my 16-foot expedition canoe for multi-day trips.

I loved this story. By the end, I'd realized this is a historical novel that can be documented—and I did—like a history book with a nice story woven through it. I was able to find images of characters in the book in the exact setting presented in the book. (Not named so no spoilers).

Also, here's an interesting (to me) anecdote:

There is a scene in the book that played out in my life. I met a former Alaskan bush guide who moved in next door to me. I asked where were you based out of? He replied, "Oh, about 500 miles up the Koyukuk." That's almost an exact quote from the book! He was shocked that I knew where it was and was able to find it on a map! I've done three or four river trips with him since. He also owned a sled-dog, Dunie, who he took away from an abusive owner.

If you read this remember it's written for young adults. Give yourself the chance to find that youthful fascination, enjoy the story and enjoy the documentable history found in this easy-reading gem.

From the Western Slope of the Colorado Rockies...

~fotomatt

[Challice · Rating 3 out of 5]

One adventure after another for Jason who is on a mission to Klondike for the gold rush, and to catch up to his brothers who have already gone before him.

This book, because of it's high adventure kept the children wanting one more chapter in order to know what will happen next! My eldest son of 11 definitely was the most enamored with it and would often read again because I wasnt reading fast enough. My husband also really enjoyed this read aloud and kept filling in more reading gaps when I couldn't do it. So this is definitely an action packed adventure for men!

I was specific in my choice of words. I used this as a read aloud and had to improvise words at times and certain scenes I glazed over. This was a difficult time in history--- the wastelands of Canada where you had a rush to beat the freezing weather. You had partners you hoped you could count on. And many more circumstances that put this time period a very bleak. At one point in this book, my eldest that invested his heart in this book had to leave the room to deal with a difficult scene.

For heads up with parental screening, some language, emotional tension, and some gruesome descriptions. Would recommend for ages 12 and up, maybe even more depending on maturity of boy.

[Lacy Dohner · Rating 3 out of 5]

News of gold in the Klondike hits America, and within days, Jason Hawthorn has set out to make his fortune. His trip north is fraught with hardship, but also unexpected friendship. He is helped along the way by a fellow Klondiker, an intrepid young adventurer named Jack London. After a near-fatal run-in with a moose, Jason is forced to spend the winter in a secluded cabin with a one-legged boy named Charlie. The following spring, the two boys finally make it to the gold fields, where Jason hopes to find his older brothers and his future.

This would probably be a 2.5. It is most useful as a textbook on the Klondike Gold Rush. It's a somewhat forgotten historical event, and it's obvious that Hobbs loves it and has researched thoroughly. The survival details and descriptions of Alaska are interesting, and there are copious references to historical figures of the time. However, the plot drags at parts, and the characters are dry and underdeveloped. The budding romance especially was awkward because of how little development went into it. I won't be reading the sequel.

[Jersey Toland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason’s Gold
By:Will Hobbs

Jason’s Gold by Will Hobbs, is most likely to be recommended for older kids and for adults. The book is a fiction book about this boy's journey. The reading level on Jason's Gold is a 6th grade level and has a wide variety of emotions. This book itself has no bad words and is a great book if you're trying to pass time or just want to get lost into a new world. Jason's Gold is also a good book to read aloud in a class or as a bedtime story because at the end of almost every chapter there is a cliffhanger. I would not suggest reading this book for people who like things to get straight to the point or that don't like adventure.
In the fiction novel of Jason’s gold by Will Hobbs, a boy named Jason has to go on a long journey to get to the gold klondike where he will try to find his brothers. Jason is a bold character and is super brave. He knows what to say and when to say the things that are needed. Jason makes many friends along the way and strives hard to keep himself alive and beat winter to the finnish. This book takes place in Dawson city and in Alaska by the Yukon river.
Jason is really just a nice person who loves to help but don't get in his way. He is tough and is willing to risk his life. He is also a determined little boy who is really inspiring. This book is full of suspense and makes it seem like you're actually there! Jason's gold is a very sad book but also has moments of inspiration and heroic saves. Jason and King are probly my favorite characters in the book. The two of them literally go threw everything together! This book was not a waste of time and it made me keep reading.
Will Hobbs really wanted to make the book as if you were there. So what I saw he did was added pain, sadness, and adventure. Will Hobbs really expresses the emotion and physical feeling on what the characters are feeling. As Jason and King search for what they are looking for the two of them come to troubled times and have to work with what they got. Jason doesn't make many enemies but does not have the thought of not getting in the way and when he does he learns hard lesson. I think that the whole meaning of the story is to stay determined and never give up. Also, always finish what you started and don't stop because it gets to hard.
This book overall is a fantastic book and I would probably rate it a 5 star just because the emotion, energy, the reading level, and the adventures Jason has with his dog King. Most Likely my favorite part is when he rescues his lifelong buddy King. So the moral is that I would recommend this book to anyone in 6th grade and higher. And it is an amazing book so get it and read it!

[Nana Dona · Rating 2 out of 5]

P. 184: With a sudden powerful jolt, the rifle was knocked from his freezing hands and it fell inside the den. In the next moment, the bear erupted, head and shoulders, through the roof of the den, growling and snarling and clawing at his leg with an outstretched paw ... Jason raised the ax, held tight and dealt the big bear a slicing, punishing blow to the head. The husky was barking wildly. With a glance sideways, Jason saw a second black bear; not full-grown like the first but nearly, come charging out of the tunnel, directly at King. The bear went up on its hind legs... just then a third bear, a twin of the second, came snarling out of the den...

[Patty Grasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, here's the thing about this book. It was sort of an encyclopedia of historical facts crushed and smashed into a novel.
Anything possibly, imaginable that could have happened to ten or twenty folks during the Yukon Gold rush all happened to this main character. So for me that was overkill . . . on the other hand for a enjoyable submersion into history of the Yukon Gold Rush - pretty darn amazing.
I certainly learned a lot about that time period and for a good history read - that would be five stars.

[Libby May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book a lot!! Hobbs has a habit of using the same basic layout for all his books (e.i. Never Say Die, Down the River, etc.) but this one went out of the box and took me on the adventure I wanted to take. His personality was almost the same as mine and I really liked the fact that he did what he set out to do. A really good story. I would recommend it and read it again another time. :)