The Misadventures of Maude March

Maude March Misadventures #1

by Audrey Couloumbis, Gino D'Achille (Illustrator)

Eleven-year-old Sallie March is a whip-smart tomboy and voracious reader of Western adventure novels. When she and her sister, Maude, are orphaned for the second time, they decide to escape their new self-serving guardians for the wilds of the frontier and an adventure the likes of which Sallie has only read about. This time, however, the wanted woman isn’t a villain out of a dime novel–it’s Sallie’s very own sister!
Narrated by the irrepressible Sallie, what follows is the rollicking story of what really happened out there on the range. Not the lies the papers printed, but the honest-to-goodness truth of how things went from bad to worse and how two very different sisters went from being orphans to being outlaws–and lived to tell the tale! Bursting with memorable characters, fast-paced action, and laugh-out-loud moments, this is Newbery Honor winner Audrey Couloumbis’s most unforgettable work yet.

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

304 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Audrey is a recently transplanted (yet again) New Yorker (by choice), now in Bunker Hill, West Virginia (also by choice), where Civil War ghosts scare the dogs at night, where a CSX train track runs behind the house and the romantic sound of a faraway train can be heard three or four times a day, where she is starting a new garden of rambling roses and assorted deer-resistant flowering shrubs and renovating an old house.

Leisure time, what little there is of it, is spent watching how-to acrylic painting videos on youtube and occasionally getting out the paints to play.

New books are on the way: If Wishes Were Princes, Life and Death at the Warwick Arms, and Anthony Was Here. Stay tuned.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sigh.

I was really looking forward to this tale of girls gone wild mild in the wild, wild west, but I was disappointed. The story, as narrated by eleven-year-old Sallie March, tells of her adventures with her big sister, Maude, as they set out alone to find a mystical place called Independence, Missouri. We are told, rather than shown, that Sallie is something of a tomboy, while Maude is a homebody, but it's kind of hard to tell as the girls speak in the same voice, and seem to share the same personality. The tale is enlivened only by the recurring character of Marion, an outlaw with a heart of gold, who shows up when the girls are in need of rescue or a snappy quip. I suspect that he'll be Maude's love interest in later volumes, but I won't be sticking around to find out.

The book seems to be aimed at middle-grade readers, though - be warned - some may be upset by a Tarantinoesque scene where a digit gets shot off, and an appendage is stabbed. I had planned to give my copy to a young library patron I know who loves historical fiction, but I fear her Mama Bear might come after me with a gun or knife . . . and I'd like to keep all of my digits and appendages, thank you very much!

[Brooklyne E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book via the audio book from the library with my sister. I don't normally listen to audio books, but this one was great! I love the story of these two sisters, Sally March and Maude! I think that Maude is a very unique name! ;)

I felt like the ages of these girls were off somehow. They seemed really young... Sally was 11. But then their guardians wanted to marry Sally's older sister (Maude) off to some older man. That's why they escaped in the first place. Then they became "wanted." (little unrealistic, but it made for an exciting story...)

This was a exciting western tale that is probably geared more for a younger audience, but I personally really enjoyed it! It was sweet, fun, and full of adventure!

Funny story: we (me and my older sister) were at a exciting part in the story, listening to it in the car. Then, all of the sudden, my little sister comes up and bangs on the car widow where I was sitting. I jumped and screamed out loud! Hehe, still laugh about that!

It was a while ago when I read this, but I remember my favorite part. When they found their uncle, he was working as a blacksmith, and they came up beside him and saw that he had scars on his back (from Indian attack arrows). When they asked him why he was called "Duck," he just simply replied, "Cause I didn't." I think that might be my favorite part! XD

Thanks for reading this jumbled review!

[Stacy-ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook and let me tell you... The narrator, Lee Adams, is a gem. This is a highly entertaining Western story told fr the POV of an 11-year-old. I do like that despite the very Western rootin tootin vibe with guns and horses and bank robberies, the main characters essentially want to be good and don't want the big notorious reputation.

It was touch and go with the story at first, but I've grown to really enjoy it and look forward to the second book. Also, it may be weird cuz of the ages but it's a western so that's normal, but I ship Marion (Joe Harding) and Maude. The end.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the back of the book, and I created a first impression. I had thought of what the book would be about and how the story would go. However, not only did the storyline not follow what I had first thought, it turned out better than the plot I outlined in my head.

I could see myself as Sallie and at times, as Maude. Two amazing characters, each having a weak moment but having the other make up for the other's weakness. It is a great story about two sisters and their adventure that seems like it will never let up. Definitely a book worth reading if you are into adventure.

Sex: no
Violence: yeah, gun fight
Alcohol/Drugs: no
Swearing: minor cursing, I think

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up in the National Frontier Trails Museum in Independence, Missouri, read the back cover, and had to have it. Sure, it's a kids' book, but I got a kick out of it, and want to read the sequel. Narrated by Maude's younger sister, the book is a wonderfully affectionate send-up of the "dimer" western stories the narrator loves to read.

[Angie Fehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sallie March, our narrator, is an 11 year old tomboy living in what we know think of as "the Old West days". Her parents are both dead, victims of yellow fever, so she and her teen sister, Maude, have since been living with their matronly aunt, Ruthie. While running errands with Ruthie one day, the girls become innocent, victimized bystanders in a shootout. Aunt Ruthie is killed instantly by a stray bullet. {I loved that on that fateful day, Aunt Ruthie, having quite the day already, speaks the unfortunate line: "Some days it isn't even a good idea to get out of bed."}

Now really orphaned, the girls spend some time living under the roof of Reverend Peasley and his wife. Stifled by too many rules and Mrs. Peasley's tendency to overwork Maude and her sister for selfish gain, Maude reaches the end of her rope. The last straw is when Mrs. Peasley tries to push Maude into a marriage with a much older man.

The March girls decide to make a break for it. Their journey requires them to pose as boys as to not arouse suspicion (you know, two young ladies traveling alone, can't be up to any good...) but hope their travels will soon take them to a new town where they can start over. It's no easy road though. Because Maude sorta borrows a couple of the Peasley's horses to aid her getaway, she gets labeled a wanted horse thief. Through a few other misunderstandings, she also wracks up the charges of bank robber and murderer and boom! -- the March girls are suddenly starring in one of Sallie's beloved dime novels! Every time they get their hands on a newspaper, Maude's legend seems to grow! But it's not just the stains on their reputations they're fighting. Additionally, these sisters face up against blizzards, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, food shortages, finding themselves having to evade police, even being taken hostage by REAL criminals!

What starts as a sort of comedy of errors grows into a heartwarming story of sisterhood and taking care of family, no matter what. This story is full of honest chuckles, especially from the wit of young Sallie March, who has sass for days! For readers who are fans of novels which include maps, this book features a pretty adorable one! Definitely recommend this fast, fun adventure for any and all lovers of Western comedy!

If you end up enjoying this book as much as I did, the adventures continue in Maude March On The Run!

Note To Parents: Though this novel is geared toward middle-grade readers, there is some mild violence to be aware of: some scenes mention a toe being shot off and one character being stabbed through the hand. The criminals in this book are of a bumbling, comical sort though, so even the more violent scenes are lightened with humor. Still, heads up on that in case you want to monitor what your child is reading and prefer to do a pre-read yourself.

[Christina Getrost · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read this book for years, ever since it was recommended to me by a friend. Finally got around to it. Nice middle grade historical, with some humor (but not nearly as funny as I somehow remembered her saying it was; I think I wanted it to be a girl-centric version of By the Great Horn Spoon! which I adored when I was younger and thought was utterly hilarious). After the sudden death of their aunt and only nearby relative, Maude and her younger sister Sallie, disguised as boys, of course, run away from their foster situation so that Maude isn't forced to marry a man old enough to be her grandfather. They hope to find their only other relative, their uncle, who went West to Independence Missouri. Circumstances around their departure and subsequent run-ins with the law result in Maude getting written up in various newspapers all along the Oregon Trail as "Mad Maude," with a reputation as a horse thief and a murderer! The humor comes from the exaggerated stories of her derring-do, and the resentment Maude feels about the way she's been turned into this bigger-than-life criminal. Sal narrates the story and has a fun spunky personality; she prefers the freedom of getting to act like a boy, and is insulted when the women they encounter always manage to figure out right away that they're just girls in boys' clothing. Nice historical details about frontier life and the Wild West, and a cool young man character named Marion who I'll bet was named that as an injoke reference to John Wayne.

[Hickory Dock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book in elementary, and it still holds as a fun western starring two sisters. It's a children's book, good for very casual reading, appeals to tomboys. Two sisters, recently orphaned, run away from a prospect marriage in favor of freedom. They cut their hair and everything, one of the sisters shoots the head off a rattlesnake, etc. There's like 3-4 throwaway lines about "Indians" from the characters in the entire book, the worst one is in the beginning and the rest is all uphill and plateau.

[Makenna Teague]

The Misadventures of Maude March is a Wild West story about two orphan girls who become outlaws. Set within the historical context of prairie life, 11-year-old tomboy Sallie March

[LobsterQuadrille · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I didn't end up enjoying this historical fiction story as much as I'd thought I would. The story started out quite well, being quickly-paced and pretty engaging. But somewhere along the line, as the two sisters traveled on and on, it all began to feel flat and dull. I had trouble visualizing the landscape as they traveled, mainly because I'm not sure what the wilderness of Missouri actually looks like. The characters were okay, but not really memorable for me. The writing style didn't do much for me somehow, and tended to drag a little and be inconsistent in presenting details right when they were needed. For example, in the part where the girls hear a cougar close by, and the mule bolts, I thought the mule was just scared of the noise. But then I found out that the cougar had attacked the mule, which was something I think should have been mentioned right away. It's a minor complaint, but still one that confused and bothered me. Sometimes the dialogue seemed clunky to me as well, with various statements being rephrased and repeated more than necessary.

Unfortunately, The Misadventures of Maude March was a disappointing read for me. But I do at least have to give it some credit for the strong beginning.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up, I really enjoyed the works of the Fleischmans, particularly By the Great Horn Spoon! and Humbug Mountain. Couloumbis has tapped into that same slightly goofy Wild West setting in Maude March. Sisters Maude and Sallie watched their Aunt Ruthie get shot right before their eyes in front of the Cedar Rapids Mercantile, and now find themselves to be orphans. They have an uncle in Independence, but that’s a long way away. And now a bunch of men in the town want to marry Maude. How can they keep control of their lives? By taking a page from one of Sallie’s beloved dime novels and stealing a few horses to get them to Independence. It could be a serious book, and at times it is, but mostly it’s a fun adventure, and Sallie makes a very good narrator. I wish more of the story had taken place in Independence, since I’ve been there, but that’s a small quibble with an otherwise fun book. I especially enjoyed how this one took my mind off of my cold.

[Conan Tigard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book wasn't what I expected. I looked at the cover and read the inside cover and expected "Mad" Maude to be one rip-snorting wild woman. She wasn't. But just because the book wasn't what I expected doesn't mean that is wasn't good. Just the contrary, actually. Sallie is the wild sister while Maude is actually the meek sister.

I highly enjoyed the story of the struggles these girls had trying to recapture the life they once had. Audrey Couloumbis has created a wonderful tale of two girls fighting their way through wild America and all the trouble that comes from being mistaken for something you aren't. I really enjoyed the characters Sallie and Joe. Sallie is the type of girl who believes in heroes and Joe is trying hard not to be a hero, even though he is portrayed as such in the books about him.

Overall, The Misadventures of Maude March is a fun read for all, but especially if you love stories of the old west. Ride 'em Cowgirl!

I rated this book an 8 out of 10.

[Lisa the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun historical fiction. Told from eleven year old Sallie's perspective the voice in this book captures the innocence a child mixed with the adventure and colloquialism of the "dimer" novels Sallie is so fond of.

It also has a bit of a "tall tale" feel to it. Fortunately the manner in which Sallie tells her story it comes across as honest and plausible even though nobody would likely have as many outrageous misadventures as the March sisters.

Sallie and her sister Maude are both very likable characters and they meet an interesting assortment of other characters, some much nicer than others.

While not a "morality tale" per say it could be a springboard for discussion about making quick judgements of people without getting all of the facts first.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sallie and Maude were both memorable characters with depth. Usually, books that include a lot of wandering around in the snow get a little boring for me, but this one kept my attention.

I did wonder if Marion was really a good guy or not (he did rob a bank, after all), and if he and Maude would marry. Guess I'll have to wait for the sequel to find out, hmm?

I listened to the audiobook, and although I wasn't fond of the narrator's style (her diction was too crisp and precise for my taste, especially in a "western"), the more I listened, the more I liked the book.

[Lukeb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of this book was surprisingly sad when two young girls witness her aunt Ruthie get shot down by a stray bullet and become orphans for the second time. To make it even worse they have to now live with the Peasleys and have to take care of all of their children with one on the way. Now that summer is coming to an end Sally is going back to school while Maud has to take care of all the children herself. can she manage it? or is she going on the lam?

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long but exciting novel abnout two sisters who travel out west to find their uncle. I was on the edge of my seat almost the whole time, and just when I thought it was going to be boring for a while, somthing crazy happened. I would reccomend this book to girls who like adventure, tragedy, and historical fiction books.
Ages 10-14

[Celeste · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute, just cute is all I can say about this one. For a better story along the same lines watch The Apple Dumpling Gang or Hot Lead, Cold Feet. Both are better.

[Ann Snider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would recomment this book for Middle school age youth! Newbury winner. I will retread this! Fun book!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much adventure in this book!! I loved reading it! Amazing detail. This book is oh-so very interesting from the minute you pick it up. You really feel as if you're in the story itself!

[Stacey R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious adventure! Listened to the audio book a few years ago and getting ready to listen again with my oldest daughter as she reads it for school.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well written romp through the old west with a well developed plot and two strong, if young, female leads. The twice orphaned sisters choose to leave their house of indentured servitude in order to escape the dismal marriage being arranged for Maude, the older sister. Sallie, the younger sister reliably narrates their misadventures as they strike out on stolen horses across the prairies of the plains states in an effort to find their last surviving relative in Independence, MO. I enjoyed Sallie's deadpan humor and how well she understood her sister. The relationship between the sisters was endearing and strong and their life on the run forced them to grow up quickly and taught them to better understand and appreciate their Aunt Ruthie. I also enjoyed the fact that Marion Hardly's character was so nebulous and unreliable. Couloumbis researched the old west well and her attention to detail enhanced the story immeasurably.

I am surprised that in all of the reviews of this book there wasn't more mention of the gun violence but I guess that is just how it was in the old west. I'm not sure, after Aunt Ruthie's "accidental" death in the first few pages that Couloumbis couldn't have gotten away with injuring instead of killing anyone else. Seems heavy for a J book - especially at the hands of an 11 year old. And I was also really disappointed in the end of the book. As I was getting closer to the end I wondered how the author was going to be able to wrap the story up so quickly but, indeed, she didn't. The end was entirely too flat and abrupt and screamed sequel which irritated me as I don't tend to read sequels or series. I don't see kids picking this book up and reading it, unfortunately, but I think it might be a good read aloud in a classroom setting. It was fun and I'm glad I read it. Couloumbis is a great writer and I'd like to read her Newbery Honor Book, Getting Near to Baby.

[Carolyn Fitzpatrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter (age 9) thoroughly enjoyed this book but was little annoyed about the bait and switch revealed at the beginning. This is not a book about an adventuresome girl riding through the Old West. Maude March is a demure and somewhat prissy 15 year old who knows next to nothing outside of her comfortable life in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and about the same time that Jesse James' gang is riding around. Circumstances (and her dime novel loving 12 year old sister) push Maude to make a midnight flight to Independence, Missouri. Sally March is the one with most of the ideas and an even temper. While Maude toughens up considerably by the second half of the book, she remains moody throughout in a stereotypical feminine way. The two of them end up on the wrong side of the law due to one accident after another, and newspaper reports (which don't mention Sally at all) horrify Maude by portraying her as a madwoman and criminal mastermind. The back of our book reprint one of these newspaper reports, and we took this to be actual events from the book.

When kept us interested was the descriptions of range riding. We heard about hunting and fishing and prepping food, taking care of horses, sewing up wounds, surviving blizzards, and protecting gear. Their trip from Cedar Rapids toward Independence is shown on a map at the beginning of the book, and they are on the road for months. Altogether it was a very good story, I just wish we hadn't started it with a misunderstanding of the main characters.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eleven-year-old Sallie March and her fifteen-year-old sister Maude have been living with their Aunt Ruthie since Sallie was only a baby after both of their parents died of illness. Ruthie is a stern caretaker but does the best she can in her tidy home in Cedar Rapids. One afternoon while exiting the general store Ruthie is shot by a random bullet fired from the gun of notorious Joe Harden. Sallie is an ardent reader of 'dimers' featuring the western hero Harden, and although the shooting was accidental, Harden is arrested and due to be hanged. The sisters are taken in by the town's preacher and the preacher's wife works the girls from sunup to sundown. They know they must leave and try to find their long-lost Uncle Arlen, hoping he can give them a home. Along the way Maude is accused of being a horse thief, a bank robber and a killer but the worst thing of all, or just maybe the best thing, is pairing up with the escaped Joe Harden.

The two girls are great characters and they certainly do face their share of troubles searching for Arlen. Harden is not exactly who he is renowned to be and he finds he feels quite protective of the two girls. I enjoyed it.

[Pyrate Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maude and her sister Sallie have been orphaned once again. A stray bullet kills their Aunt Ruthie suddenly as they are leaving the mercantile, leaving Maude and Sallie on their own. The preacher takes them in to start but then decides that Maude is old enough to marry off and begins to "shop" her around to the eligible men, while putting Sallie to task cleaning houses. The girls want none of this and decide that they are better off on their own. But where will they go?

While going through some of Aunt Ruthie's belongings, Maude and Sallie discover letters from their Uncle Arlen in Missouri and decide that is where they want to be, thus making their way towards Independence, MO. Along the way, they encounter numerous people that get them involved in situations which leave Maude's name slandered in headlines across newspapers around the area.

Compare to Pirates! by Celia Rees and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi for more daring adventurous stories of courageous young women

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun adventure story about two girls who are orphaned twice and decide to take matters into their own hands. Told in the first person by Sallie, a smart tomboy who loves to read adventure stories called "dimers," this story has action, suspense, scary moments, and a lot of humor.
Maude and Sallie find themselves living with the preacher and his family. They end up being little more than slaves. When the preacher starts looking for a husband for Maude, she decides it is time to run away. Sallie goes with her. In order to travel, they dress like boys, cut their hair, and "steal" the horses from the preacher. They pack what they will need and head out in search of their long lost uncle who was last known to be on the west coast. As they travel across the country, various people and events occur, testing both their morals and their skills. The newspapers, however, make their adventures seem much more exciting and criminal than they actually are. Once Sallie realizes that Maude is a "wanted" criminal, she know they can never go back.

[Sherrill Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

See Angie's review for plot. A good YA novel.

Maude and Sallie are orphaned in the Wild West (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and set out to find their Uncle Arden, who is in Independence, Missouri. They meet Marion Hardly who thinks they are boys at first (they cut their hair & look messy) and he knows quite a bit about living off the land, building a snow fort, hobbling horses, etc. He also resembled the hero in the dime-novels that Maude reads, Joe Harden. Through SO many misadventures I lost count, they arrive in Independence. Sallie becomes a real girl, and Maude, well, she is still Maude, of course. But the girls are much more experienced then when they left Cedar Rapids. But that remains to be seen in the books foliowing.










See Angie

[AnnaRichelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT! This book may have originally been for a younger audience but it suited me just fine. More than fine! Came across this by chance on a family bookshelf. After reading several subpar rom coms and other fiction lately, and already being a lover of wild west fiction, I knew I had next to nothing to lose. What a great story set in a time when hard work, grit and tenacity are necessities for survival. It is so refreshing to not have modern personas with whiney victim mindsets, virtue signaling, political agendas and social media as part of an author's inspirations for their novel. I loved this so much more than I expected, so much that I will certainly search out book two just for the galdang heck of it all!!

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who was your favorite character (and why)? Maude March is my favorite character because she is polite, smart, and speaks up when she has a point. What surprised you? I was surprised when they found Uncle Arlen in the Independence. Would you change the ending? Why/why not? No, I would not change the ending. It was a cliffhanger. I can't wait to find out what happens next Why was this book hard for you? This book was hard for me because of the words. Some of them didn't make sense at first, but when I reread some of the sentences, it did.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book called 'Maude March On The Run.'

[Phylisha Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eleven year old Sallie March and her older sister Maude lose their great Aunt and are orphaned for the second time. They end up becoming at the local preachers where they become (as unpaid help responsible for the household and childcare. Maude is also pursued by a really old man. The two girls decide to leave and go find their uncle in Independence Miissouri. Lots of mishaps, danger occur(both human and animal) along the way. An awesome book on the trials that women faced.

[Klare Flynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis is is another book that I read during my reading groups at school. This is about an adventure set in the Wild West. It follows Sallie and Maude, two sisters, as they run away from trouble and end up being mistaken for outlaws. I’d use this book to introduce bravery, independence, and family all wrapped into the same book. It’s also a great way to introduce students to historical fiction and spark interest in the American frontier.