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The Road From Nowhere
From master storyteller and Newbery medalist Avi, The Road from Nowhere 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 Alys, 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.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 6, 2026
9 people are currently reading
2456 people want to read
About the author
Avi
350 books1,724 followersAvi is a pen name for Edward Irving Wortis, but he says, "The fact is, Avi is the only name I use." Born in 1937, Avi has created many fictional favorites such as
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle,
Nothing but the Truth,
and the Crispin series. His work is popular among readers young and old.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 31, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Gus and Ollie are brothers living in Gatchett's Gulch, Colorado in 1893. They are unable to leave this silver mining town even though their father was killed in an explosion, because their mother doesn't have the money to move, even though she is barely able to keep everyone afloat by doing laundry for miners. Since they are the only children in the area, aside from Alys Thomas, there is no school for them to attend, and neither boy can read or write. Mr. Gatchett keeps a stranglehold on the town, forbidding anyone from doing any prospecting, claiming all the land around is his, and running anyone who crosses him out of town. When Gus and Ollie are out with a divining rod looking for silver, their dog, Poco discovers a cave-- of course, there is a run in with a snake before the boys are able to get in. Once they do, they are amazed to find a large space with what they suspect is silver ore. They ask a newcomer to town, Bertram Blake, how to stake a claim, since he is a well educated geologist who teaches at a university. Mr. Blake is interested in their discovery, and goes with them to look at the rocks. He concurs that there is probably silver, but since Mr. Gatchett's henchmen overheard Ollie talking to Blake, Gatchett soon shows up at Ollie's house threatening to run the whole family out. After Blake talks to Ollie's mother, the group decides to borrow Alys' family's wagon and go to Franklin, 25 miles away, to file a claim. However, when they set out, Gatchett's me refuse to let them pass. Later, Ma tells Gus and Ollie that Mr. Blake has asked to marry her, and if it's okay with them, she would like to. The family will have to move, but there will be more financial security, and Blake seems like a good guy. The couple sneaks off to walk to Franklin to get married, and leave the boys behind with orders to lay low. Ollie, who just really wants to strike it rich with a silver mine, despite the fact that Blake has warned him that silver may soon not have as much value, decides to take a rock with ore in it to the saloon, at night (when they are forbidden from going), to try to see if the miners will join his cause. This doesn't go well, and soon the news comes by stagecoach that the price of silver has fallen so much that all the miners have stopped shipping ore, the smelter has shut down, and the coach and mules who have been bringing supplies to Gatchett's Gulch will do so no more. Ma and Mr. Blake aren't back yet, but the town clears out. Alys and her mother take off for Alys' sister's in Denver, and Gatchett even blows up his mine as well as the cave! Will Gus and Ollie's mother come back to take them away from what has become a ghost town?
Strengths: There aren't as many books set in the American west written now; when I was growing up, there were tons, both historical and involving the ghost towns that events like the silver panic of 1893 created. (Didn't both the Brady Bunch AND the Partridge Family visit ghost towns?) Avi has investigated a lot of history from the 1800s (think Gold Rush Girl, as well as The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle), so his details of daily life, as well as the larger historical context, are fabulous. Modern middle schoolers probably have no idea about what life was like in a mining camp, and how hard children their own age had to work. Of course Ollie wants to strike it rich, but it is reassuring that even though he doesn't, the kind Mr. Blake comes through for his family.
Weaknesses: My students aren't great fans of books set in the West, even though I would like them to be, so I am debating purchase. Once Mr. Blake offered to marry the mother, I couldn't get too invested in Ollie's quest, especially since there was no way he could stand up to Mr. Gatchett, but young Readers won't have that objection.
What I really think: While there are some titles about gold mining (like the late Will Hobbs' City of Gold and Rose's Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine), I haven't read any about silver mining. If you're looking for an adventure set in the West to go along with other books by Avi like Avi's The Secret School or Dallas' TenMile, this is a good choice.
Gus and Ollie are brothers living in Gatchett's Gulch, Colorado in 1893. They are unable to leave this silver mining town even though their father was killed in an explosion, because their mother doesn't have the money to move, even though she is barely able to keep everyone afloat by doing laundry for miners. Since they are the only children in the area, aside from Alys Thomas, there is no school for them to attend, and neither boy can read or write. Mr. Gatchett keeps a stranglehold on the town, forbidding anyone from doing any prospecting, claiming all the land around is his, and running anyone who crosses him out of town. When Gus and Ollie are out with a divining rod looking for silver, their dog, Poco discovers a cave-- of course, there is a run in with a snake before the boys are able to get in. Once they do, they are amazed to find a large space with what they suspect is silver ore. They ask a newcomer to town, Bertram Blake, how to stake a claim, since he is a well educated geologist who teaches at a university. Mr. Blake is interested in their discovery, and goes with them to look at the rocks. He concurs that there is probably silver, but since Mr. Gatchett's henchmen overheard Ollie talking to Blake, Gatchett soon shows up at Ollie's house threatening to run the whole family out. After Blake talks to Ollie's mother, the group decides to borrow Alys' family's wagon and go to Franklin, 25 miles away, to file a claim. However, when they set out, Gatchett's me refuse to let them pass. Later, Ma tells Gus and Ollie that Mr. Blake has asked to marry her, and if it's okay with them, she would like to. The family will have to move, but there will be more financial security, and Blake seems like a good guy. The couple sneaks off to walk to Franklin to get married, and leave the boys behind with orders to lay low. Ollie, who just really wants to strike it rich with a silver mine, despite the fact that Blake has warned him that silver may soon not have as much value, decides to take a rock with ore in it to the saloon, at night (when they are forbidden from going), to try to see if the miners will join his cause. This doesn't go well, and soon the news comes by stagecoach that the price of silver has fallen so much that all the miners have stopped shipping ore, the smelter has shut down, and the coach and mules who have been bringing supplies to Gatchett's Gulch will do so no more. Ma and Mr. Blake aren't back yet, but the town clears out. Alys and her mother take off for Alys' sister's in Denver, and Gatchett even blows up his mine as well as the cave! Will Gus and Ollie's mother come back to take them away from what has become a ghost town?
Strengths: There aren't as many books set in the American west written now; when I was growing up, there were tons, both historical and involving the ghost towns that events like the silver panic of 1893 created. (Didn't both the Brady Bunch AND the Partridge Family visit ghost towns?) Avi has investigated a lot of history from the 1800s (think Gold Rush Girl, as well as The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle), so his details of daily life, as well as the larger historical context, are fabulous. Modern middle schoolers probably have no idea about what life was like in a mining camp, and how hard children their own age had to work. Of course Ollie wants to strike it rich, but it is reassuring that even though he doesn't, the kind Mr. Blake comes through for his family.
Weaknesses: My students aren't great fans of books set in the West, even though I would like them to be, so I am debating purchase. Once Mr. Blake offered to marry the mother, I couldn't get too invested in Ollie's quest, especially since there was no way he could stand up to Mr. Gatchett, but young Readers won't have that objection.
What I really think: While there are some titles about gold mining (like the late Will Hobbs' City of Gold and Rose's Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine), I haven't read any about silver mining. If you're looking for an adventure set in the West to go along with other books by Avi like Avi's The Secret School or Dallas' TenMile, this is a good choice.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
eARC provided by Netgalley.
This book isn't in my favorite genre and was a little slow for my taste. But it gave me a glimpse into a part of history that I haven't given much thought to and definitely knew little about. I have a special place in my heart for Colorado, so that "local" touch was nice.
Ollie is stuck in Gatchet's Gulch, a small mining camp in the Colorado Rockies, along with his mother, his brother Gus, and a friend, Alys. The three are the only children in the whole place. All he wants to do is get out. But they are poor, stuck, and at the mercy of the Boss, Mr. Gatchet. While playing fetch with their dog, Poco, the boys discover the entrance to a hidden cave that they believe contains a lode of silver. Will this be their ticket to riches? Ollie sure thinks so.
Avi is a wonderful researcher and the story feels like you are reading straight off of the pages of history and living this little slice of story along with these boys. If your students love history and learning about parts of it that aren't as well-known, then this is a book you can put into their hands.
This book isn't in my favorite genre and was a little slow for my taste. But it gave me a glimpse into a part of history that I haven't given much thought to and definitely knew little about. I have a special place in my heart for Colorado, so that "local" touch was nice.
Ollie is stuck in Gatchet's Gulch, a small mining camp in the Colorado Rockies, along with his mother, his brother Gus, and a friend, Alys. The three are the only children in the whole place. All he wants to do is get out. But they are poor, stuck, and at the mercy of the Boss, Mr. Gatchet. While playing fetch with their dog, Poco, the boys discover the entrance to a hidden cave that they believe contains a lode of silver. Will this be their ticket to riches? Ollie sure thinks so.
Avi is a wonderful researcher and the story feels like you are reading straight off of the pages of history and living this little slice of story along with these boys. If your students love history and learning about parts of it that aren't as well-known, then this is a book you can put into their hands.
February 21, 2026
As the plot intensifies, the novel examines trust, perception, and the fragility of truth.
Avi’s structural approach is the novel’s primary strength. The prose is concise and intentional, well-suited for middle-grade and early YA readers prepared to engage with moral complexity without unnecessary exposition.
Characterization is equally strong. The protagonist is well-developed: earnest, flawed, and increasingly unsure of his own judgments. Secondary characters are given enough depth to preserve ambiguity, reinforcing the novel’s central tension that appearances are unstable and certainty is elusive.
Although the pacing slows at times during introspective sections, the overall effect is thoughtful rather than stagnant. The novel rewards attentive readers, especially those who prefer mysteries focused on psychological depth rather than action.
Overall, The Road from Nowhere is a compelling and discussion-worthy novel, well-suited for classrooms or book groups interested in narrative perspective and moral decision-making within a suspenseful context.
Avi’s structural approach is the novel’s primary strength. The prose is concise and intentional, well-suited for middle-grade and early YA readers prepared to engage with moral complexity without unnecessary exposition.
Characterization is equally strong. The protagonist is well-developed: earnest, flawed, and increasingly unsure of his own judgments. Secondary characters are given enough depth to preserve ambiguity, reinforcing the novel’s central tension that appearances are unstable and certainty is elusive.
Although the pacing slows at times during introspective sections, the overall effect is thoughtful rather than stagnant. The novel rewards attentive readers, especially those who prefer mysteries focused on psychological depth rather than action.
Overall, The Road from Nowhere is a compelling and discussion-worthy novel, well-suited for classrooms or book groups interested in narrative perspective and moral decision-making within a suspenseful context.
January 23, 2026
It's the 1890s, and Ollie lives in a Colorado mining town with his mom, his little brother Gus, and his dog Poco. His dad has passed away in a mining accident, and he's not sure he will ever get out the tiny town, run by a greedy prospector. But then he, Gus, Poco, and their friend Alys discover a streak of silver in an unknown cave. Have they struck it rich? Is this their ticket to a better life for their family?
I've visited a handful of mining ghost towns in the Colorado Rockies, so this was an interesting read for me! I was intrigued at how the lives of these kids were completely unrooted by greed and economics that were so out of their control. Ultimately catastrophe has a silver lining (haha).
I'm not sure whether middle graders will latch on to this story; there's plenty about the silver bust and Panic of 1893 that isn't going to make a lot of sense to a kid (or, um, to an adult). But I still liked it!
Don't skip the author's note and Q&A! Always my favorite parts.
I've visited a handful of mining ghost towns in the Colorado Rockies, so this was an interesting read for me! I was intrigued at how the lives of these kids were completely unrooted by greed and economics that were so out of their control. Ultimately catastrophe has a silver lining (haha).
I'm not sure whether middle graders will latch on to this story; there's plenty about the silver bust and Panic of 1893 that isn't going to make a lot of sense to a kid (or, um, to an adult). But I still liked it!
Don't skip the author's note and Q&A! Always my favorite parts.
January 14, 2026
The Road From Nowhere transports readers to a time of economic crisis centered on the devaluation of silver in the United States.
Ollie is a bright kid, despite his lack of book learning. All he wants is for life to be easier for him, his brother and their mom. Mining’s the only thing he knows, so it’s natural he turns to that to make a difference. His relationships with Gus and Alys feel authentic. As do his frustrations and big ideas.
Author Avi (True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Gold Rush Girl) is no stranger to historical fiction, and The Road From Nowhere is better for it. Details of town and daily life are rooted in reality.
Avi captures a sense of adventure, even though the scope is narrow. That helps the narrative move forward at a good pace, even if it does feel a little short at the end.
The Road From Nowhere is a good option for fans of historical fiction.
Ollie is a bright kid, despite his lack of book learning. All he wants is for life to be easier for him, his brother and their mom. Mining’s the only thing he knows, so it’s natural he turns to that to make a difference. His relationships with Gus and Alys feel authentic. As do his frustrations and big ideas.
Author Avi (True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Gold Rush Girl) is no stranger to historical fiction, and The Road From Nowhere is better for it. Details of town and daily life are rooted in reality.
Avi captures a sense of adventure, even though the scope is narrow. That helps the narrative move forward at a good pace, even if it does feel a little short at the end.
The Road From Nowhere is a good option for fans of historical fiction.
January 11, 2026
From a master of storytelling comes a new family adventure of growth and friendship in a unique historical setting. Who doesn’t love the thought of striking it rich? But there is danger around every corner with rules that are not always clear, but most certainly dangerous!
February 16, 2026
A riveting late elementary-early middle school read, this book presents a part of Colorado's silver mining history to children in a relatable narrative. It (age appropriately) paints a picture of life in a mining town. I would recommend this book for any child who is interested in history.
January 10, 2026
This is a young person’s book but I love Avi so I wanted to read it. It’s the kind of adventure book that appeals to young readers. I think it will be popular.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews