Tucket's Gold

The Tucket Adventures #4

by Gary Paulsen

Gary Paulsen's popular Western saga continues in the fourth novel about Francis Tucket.

Things look grim for Francis and his adopted family, Lottie and Billy. Without horses, water, or food, they're alone in a prairie wasteland, with the dreaded Comanchero outlaws in pursuit. Death can strike at any moment -- but so can good fortune. When they stumble upon an ancient treasure, it takes teamwork, courage, and wit to hold on to it. By sticking together, Francis and his family wind up rich beyond their wildest dreams, and ready to head west to find Francis's parents on the Oregon Trail.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adventure, Westerns, Young Adult, Childrens, Historical

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Gary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Episode four of the Tucket Adventures series commences with Francis Tucket (age fifteen) and the two kids he's taking care of (ten-year-old Lottie and seven-year-old Billy) in a heap of trouble on the Western frontier. Their escape from the cruel Comancheros at the end of Tucket's Ride could not have happened without one-armed mountain man Jason Grimes, who led the villains in another direction as Francis and the children ran the other way on foot. Francis had been a stranger to Lottie and Billy when he first found them, all alone after their father's death from cholera, but in the months since then they've grown into a family, just as close as the family Francis became separated from on the Oregon Trail when Pawnee Indians abducted him. Francis, Lottie, and Billy have eluded the Comancheros for now, but they aren't in the clear. The bad guys could stop chasing Grimes and pick up Francis's trail at any moment, and surviving the desert is hard enough without stone-cold killers after you. In the far distance Francis sees thick dust in the air, as though kicked up by horses headed their way, but he has to concentrate on finding fresh water and meat for Lottie and Billy. Maybe the dust isn't the sure sign it seems to be that the Comancheros are coming.

There's no shelter from the rainstorm when it hits, but Francis couldn't be happier. The torrent washes out their tracks so the Comancheros don't have a path to follow. Lightning may even have levied its own attack against the marauders. When Francis and the two kids bed down for the night by a river, the last thing they expect is to discover a human skeleton under a shallow overhang. Francis can only speculate how the man died, but what he uncovers behind him is astonishing: a bag of silver and gold bars worth a king's fortune. Surviving to benefit from the treasure is an iffy proposition, but Francis takes a couple of the bars and buries the rest to dig up later. They're too heavy to carry all at once, but if he can buy a horse to help bear the load, money will never again be an issue.

Luck is a whimsical lady who has often toyed with Francis, but she smiles on him as he, Lottie, and Billy come across a herd of six horses abandoned on the frontier. Francis and the kids ride back, claim the gold, then resume their northwestern trek in hopes of reuniting with Francis's parents on the Oregon Trail. Francis hardly believes his eyes when a castle-like structure appears on the horizon. He's wary what the inhabitants might be like—are they white or Indian, hostile or peaceful?—and as he ventures ahead to scout the place, calamity strikes. The Wild West is full of dangers that could kill a man in minutes, and Francis has fallen prey to one of them. He's much more resourceful than when the Pawnees first kidnapped him, but can he win this breakneck race with death? The castle is the only place to go if he's to have a prayer of surviving, but what awaits him there? Francis needs another smile from Lady Luck, and even then an old adversary may return and derail his journey home. The great West is strewn with lethal traps to fall into, but Francis has every motivation to overcome them, and one more book to do so. Does he have it in him to endure a final round of adventures?

Tucket's Gold isn't as good as Mr. Tucket, Call Me Francis Tucket, or Tucket's Ride, but it's not far off the pace. I love Gary Paulsen's instinct to show rather than tell, which makes the scenes feel more immediate. Francis's fear when the Comancheros are close to catching them, or the desperation of wandering in the desert without water or food, pull us into the story. After a year on the frontier, Francis understands what it takes to survive. "(H)e had learned the primary rule about danger. It would come if it would come. You could try to be ready for it, you could plan on it, you could even expect it, but it would come when it wanted to come." No human can thwart all potential hazards, and the better part of wisdom is recognizing that. By expecting to be outwitted, you're prepared to improvise however necessary to live to see tomorrow. I enjoyed Tucket's Gold, and I'm already thinking about how Gary Paulsen might draw the series to a close in Tucket's Home. It's sure to be exciting.

[CHRIS YOUNG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Response: I read the book Tuckets Gold by Gary Paulson. I valued this book because it and many adrenaline rushing events. I liked that all the characters grew to become whole different people by the end of the book. I also liked that miracles happened to help difficult situations. Reading the book Tuckets Gold made me appreciate what I have in my life because I have way more than the two kids in this book. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

Plot: Francis had adopted two kids and had taken care of them throughout the book. The kids and Francis himself were running from a group of Indians who wanted to sell the kids and kill Francis. The Indian tribe that was after them was the Camancheros. The two kids were not related. One was a boy and one was a girl. The boy’s name was Billy and the girl's name was Lottie. Francis and the kids were on the run. Their only defense was an old gun that Francis’s grandfather gave to him before he was abducted by the Camancheros. Most of the hike away from the Indians was hot and sandy. The three runaways were without water and food and in need of a prayer. Their tracks were left behind because of the sand and the Indians were following every step they took. Eventually the come upon a hill and see a blurry black spot off in the distance. They hike towards and as they do that they see that the sky is turning darker and darker. It was midafternoon so it couldn't be the sun going down. It was a storm their prayer had come true. The storm would wipe all the footprints away and if they got to the trees in time they would have shelter. The Indians were taken out by the storm. In the woods they could hunt and hunting means food. It started to pore and hail. Rain means water. They load up on food and water after the storm passes. They build a fire and rest for the night. In their journey throughout the woods they come upon a hole with a skull in it and beside that was three blocks of silver and three blocks of gold. They chose to take one each because they are heavy. They then travel on and come upon six horses tied together that must have gotten loose in the storm. They are very tame. Francis walks close and grabs the rope. The horses bond with him very quickly. Billy then asks to go back for the rest of the treasures, so they do. They keep traveling and come upon a village. Francis gets bit by a snake and needs help so they enter the village to get the help they need. It takes two weeks to help Francis fully recover. In that period Billy learns the way of the Indians.

Characteristics: Francis is a middle aged guy that took two kids under his wing so they can live a better life. He knows many survival skills which help throughout their journey to get away from the Camancheros. Francis was abducted when he was 10 by the Camancheros. Lottie is a 14 year old girl who was abducted as well. She has learned many survival skills from Francis. She is a very good cook and good at making moccasins. Billy is 10 and was just abducted. He is very tired and out of energy all of the time. He is very good at helping Francis after he learns all the things from the friendly Indians. Billy grows stronger as the book goes on because he experiences a lot.

Impacts of Setting: Tuckets Gold takes place in 1847-1849 back when they still traveled on horses. The three runaways travel across the United States. To be more specific, around the Oregon Trail. In the beginning they are in the desert. Towards the end it takes place in a wooded wetland near a village of friendly Indians. The wooded wetland was very hilly and full of resources. For two weeks they are in the village of the friendly Indians. The Village was very big with a lot of people.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to both boys and girls between the ages of 14-18 that like old fashion action. I liked this book a lot. If I had time I would read it again. I would not recommend this book to anyone under the age of twelve because it may be a little hard to read.

[Javier G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Response
The Tucket series is one of my favorite book series out there. Gary Paulsen always makes me feel like I am in the story. I can feel all of the action in his stories. I always feel like his books will never disappoint me, because he writes on subjects that I enjoy.

Plot
Francis Alphonse Tucket is a boy who is running away from the Commancheros. He is running with two kids, Lottie and Billy, whose parents have died. Francis is left walking on foot. If he were on a horse, the Comancheros will find them. Francis and the kids are walking in the desert with no food, water, or shoes. They see a tree line and they know where there are trees there is water. They find water while digging, and a huge storm comes in fast destroying the children's tracks. They set off again in search for food this time. Francis stumbles upon deer tracks and follows them. He sees the deer and takes the shot. The children build a fire and start cooking the meat. They eat half of the deer and save the rest for the walk. Francis sees horse tracks and starts to follow them. They find seven ponies tied up all together. Francis takes some of the ponies so the children can ride. Billy sees a village on a butte. Francis tells the children to make a cold camp. Francis walks toward the village at night to get a closer look. As he is walking, Francis is not paying attention to where he steps. A rattlesnake bites him in the leg. He travels to the village asking for help. Francis then wakes up in a bed not knowing where he is. Lottie sees Francis wake up and starts to tell Francis what happened. Francis and the kids are heading out of the village on their way to Oregon.

Characterization
Francis and Lottie are major characters in the book. Francis is the main character in the story. In the beginning of this book, Francis and the kids are walking far away from the Comancheros. While the kids are walking, Francis walks behind them covering their tracks, so they are not followed by the Comancheros. Francis always shows leadership throughout the story. He leads the kids, tells them to set up camp while he hunts for food, and Francis always puts the children first.

Lottie is another example of a leader. She sets Francis’s mind set right whenever Francis gets too heated over something. She is in charge of setting up camp when it comes to it. She loves to talk and never leaves out a detail when she talks. Lottie is in charge of her little brother also. She tells him what to do and what not to do. Lottie and Francis are really good characters who develop throughout the whole Mr. Tucket series

Impact of setting
The setting takes place in the western part of the United States during the year 1849. The setting the children are in now is hot, dry, and there are no animals to hunt. A lot of the struggles the children go through are because of the setting. They are tired because of how hot it is. They have no energy because they have no food or water.

Theme
A good theme to take in this book is man vs nature. The children are living off of the land in order to survive. They hunt for food and search for water. They sleep outside and are always watching out for one another. Some of the struggles are not being able to find food or water. They face predators like mountain lions, wolves, and coyotes. Man vs nature is a really good theme that shows throughout the whole story.

Recommendation
I recommend this book to students in middle school and up. I recommend this book to them, because it is a nice story for young adults. This book is for students who like adventure, and ask what happens next. Both boys and girls can read this book, because the two main characters are a boy and a girl.

[Ismail Laraki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friday, December 5, 2014

The setting of this book is located in a dangerous and remote prairie in the south of the U.S.A as the main characters, Francis, Lottie, and Billy struggle to find recourses and escape the Comancheros Native Americans. Indeed, the west lands of U.S.A was a dangerous and remote area that did not provide food for the three main characters, which pushed them to live in extreme danger. "Francis, Lottie, and Billy had no food or water or any immediate hope of getting any" (Paulsen 6), since they lived in the dangerous west lands plains with no resources or hopes of escaping the area. Another reason that make their environment dangerous would be that they are under constant threat of outlaw tribes looking for wealth. The Comancheros were a Native American tribe looking for wealth and resources that were going to capture the three main characters several times in adventure, which put Francis, Lottie, and Billy, in another difficult situation, despite the other problems they encountered so far. To conclude, the west land prairies are a very dangerous and remote areas for our three main characters.

Francis Tucket is indeed a very independent character for numerous, but two primary reasons. Francis has shown that he was capable of being a leader throughout the adventure so far and that he could make important decisions no matter which situations he found himself in throughout the book. Francis indeed could lead his two older teammates, Lottie and Billy throughout the quest and took very risky and sacrificed food to save his life and the other around him making himself not the primary worry as he saves Lottie and billy numerous times from attacks of the Comancheros. Another important point is the fact that Francis has to matured very quickly for someone his age and learned to take decisions without his parents and act as a parent. "Francis handed Lottie his rifle and, pushing her in front of him , he picked Billy up and crried him piggyback, mile after mile, yard after yard, and step after step" (Paulsen 9). Francis showed devotion and leadership to keep his teammates or "siblings" safe as he went through the hardest labor to ensure security for Billy and Lottie, which shows his maturity for someone his age.

The plot of this book evolves rapidly and so far the author provides the reader with a lot of background information and many important events that make the book very interesting. Indeed, Francis, Lottie, and Billy have gone already through serious and dangerous events. "Francis was near dead with exhaustion. He had hardly slept for two nights before and had been used roughly by the Comancheros in the bargain" (Paulsen 21). This event involving Francis made the "family" fall apart and changed the adventure, which made the novel already interesting. Another important fact would be that book already provides the reader with background knowledge giving already a great deal of information regarding each character. "Their had died of cholerla and their wagon train had abandoned the family afraid of disease" (Paulsen 4). The situation expressed by the quote shows the situation of Billy and Lottie, which helps the reader understand their situation even more. To sum it up, the plot so far has been very interesting making the novel already resourceful and full of information.

The theme learned from this book so far would be that teamwork makes a whole community more productive. The teamwork exposed between Lottie, Billy, and, Francis showed how powerful teamwork is and how many achievements they have done to survive. Since "they stuck together unlike Francis and Jason Grimes, the one armed mountain man" (Paulsen 3) they could overcome the harsh environment unlike Jason Grimes who lost one arm and was solitary. Another important aspect would be that the teammates have built love to each other and became closer. Indeed, Francis has stated treating Lottie and Billy like his family and siblings so that is why he has done so many sacrifices for them and team worked forged their relations. To conclude, the theme so far has been the importance of teamwork as it played a major part among every character.

Friday, December 12, 2014

To start off, Lottie has proved to be a very smart and creative character throughout the story. Indeed, Lottie has helped Francis through many situations and was of a great help for him throughout the adventure saving him from a lot of trouble with several characters such as Billy. Lottie advised Billy to “Drink water and fill your belly and leave him alone,” (Paulsen 49) which helped out Francis as he was able to save a lot of time working on the tools that have been founded instead of being bothered by Billy. Another important aspect would be that Lottie found a lot of intelligent solutions to solve the problems encountered to survive. Lottie indeed found a way to fix Francis’ rifle just by using twigs to fix the trigger, which helped him a lot as it shows Lottie’s creativity and intelligence coming to survival. To conclude, Lottie has proved to be a very helpful character to Francis as she showed to be smart and creative.

The setting of the book has started to be more shown and described as the characters of the book are using it at their advantage making their survival easier. The Westland prairies have started to become less remote and provided with more resources as Billy, Lottie, and Francis have changed area, which made the environment more livable providing them with more food and water. The meat, which were the buffalos came “to the streambed to drink,” (Paulsen 54) which means that the environment surrounding Francis and his “family” has started to become easier to live in. Another important fact would be that since the characters moved from place they are in less risks of danger than before. Indeed, the Chomancheros were left in the far West of the prairie making the survival less dangerous since no humans are in risk of capturing Francis, Lottie, and Billy. To summarize, the setting, the Prairie Westland, became less dangerous as water was found and no apparent danger was found in the new area.

The plot of the book started evolving slowly and does not include a lot of actions and suspense, but the development of the characters as a team. Francis, Billy, and Lottie have started to know each other even better and their teamwork has improved majorly resulting in the survival becoming much easier as they have achieved many new things. As Billy is too young to perform any activities, Lottie and Billy have shared the job of caring for him and most importantly have started working as a team finding very valuable objects such as a rifle for hunting. Indeed, Francis and Lottie have found “a beautiful little Lancaster,” which they could use for hunting making their survival less difficult as hunting became less of a problem. The fact that Billy, Francis, and Lottie have changed environment made the setting compromise less action, as danger was not near. The Chomancheros and Cowboys stopped being seen, which made less action in the plot, as no danger was apparent for the characters. To sum it up, the plot stopped focusing on action, but the evolution of characters as a team.

The major theme learned from this part of the novel would be the importance of family. Francis, Lottie, and Billy may not be a blood related family, however regarding their relationship they treat themselves as one. Throughout the novel, the “family” constantly stayed as one group going through the hardest adventures relying on each other for comfort avoiding solitude. As the rain was pouring heavily, “they huddled under the overhang just as he clouds cracked again’” comforting each other under a cave, which shows how much they love one another and how they rely on each other through the toughest moments. Another important factor would be that Billy used throughout the novel Lottie and Francis as role models and saw them as his parents. Indeed, Billy has tried to imitate Francis and Lottie several times, for example when they were arranging the powder for the rifle, he took his own ball and tried to dry it out like them, so Billy would be nothing without Francis and Lottie as they serve as guides in his life, which shows the importance of having a family. Overall, this novel explores the importance of being family through the survival of Francis, Lottie, and Billy and through Billy’s coming of age.

[KEVIN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tucket's Gold by Gary paulsen. The lexile level is 870. The setting of the book is in the desert and outdoors. The main characters are Francis Tucket and Lottie and billy. The main conflict of the story is that they need to get back to Francis's parents home but they need to be worried about other things. Like the native Americans and other predators. The resolution is that Francis is very smart about what he does like making fires in lower places and having smaller fires so no one could see the smoke. And traveling close to a creek so they can get water.
The main idea of the book is to show that things in the 1800s are different than things nowadays. Like they don't have any motored cars or anything like that. They have to walk all the way until they find horses. And in the desert there are no other people to help them for hundreds of miles.
I liked this book because it wasn't a confusing book. And it wasn't hard to read. The ending was good and a little predictable. My favorite part was when they found the gold and silver because of how excited they got when they found it. A connection I made with the book was when Billy was hunting and he liked doing it. I like going hunting and learning how to do things hunting related.

[Trystan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d give this book a 4 out of 5 for a few reasons. The reason I took 1 star off is because it's actually pretty short and I feel like the author tried to cram to much in such a small book. That was the only noticeable problem I saw in the book. One of the good things I noticed that are in all the Paulsen books is the detail he describes everything. You literally feel like you're with the people in the book. It had a lot of things going on in the book to keep the suspense so it really would never get boring to read. It's a book set in a time when the gold rush was happening on the Oregon trail. These 3 kids with one 16 year old named Tucket being the main character are traveling across the country to find safety. You were always wondering if the Apache Indians were going to catch up to Tucket because they were chasing them. There isn't a whole lot to say without spoiling it because it's so short, but it is definitely suitable for any age that can read. There is not much sex, gore, blood, or bad violence. It's not Gary Paulsen's number 1 but it's definitely a good read if you have the time to read a smaller book, it will probably take a week to read if you keep up with it.

[Steve Hanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the Tucket Adventure books so far. My almost 9 year old daughter and I go to bed early so we can read these together. These are great adventure books with some mature themes, at least by conventional standards. There’s nothing here though that a child of the 1840s American West would find particularly inappropriate. This book especially provides some opportunities for meaningful discussion about survival, honor, family, security, revenge, trust, compassion, fright, sorrow, hope, and much, much more. A lot is packed in to a small space. Looking forward to the last book of the series.

[Michael Philliber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paulsen is a good writer. This is the 4th work in a 5-part series about 15 year old Francis Tucket in the 1840s trying to find his family. He's been kidnapped, bushwacked, and kidnapped again. But he has also found help in surprising places, such as among Pueblo Indians and others. And into this mix has come two children whose father died of cholera, Lottie and Billy. And in this volume, they find a what no one expected in the desert. I've been reading (and recording) these chapters and you can find them on my YouTube channel. I happily recommend the book.

[Liam Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never read any of "The Tuckets Adventure" but now I might. This was not my favorite book but entertained me for quite a bit. It was an action,adventure,Travel book. It starting at a point were I didn't know the characters I feel like I still got to know them.

[David Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

On par with the first book in the Tucket series: Mr. Tucket. Paulsen drives this narrative, not only by action -as in books 2 and 3, but by a thoughtful introduction to Pueblo culture. The book was contemplative and inspiring.

My son loved it!

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tucket books are all short, but action packed. My husband, grandson, and I all thoroughly enjoy listening to these books together. My grandson like them so much, he decided to red them in addition to listening.

[Emily Musgrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good listen! The story continues on, and I loved the way the Pueblo tribes were portrayed as they helped Frances recover from a snake bite. Fun parts when they found some gold and silver bars!

[Samira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the preceding 3 books. This book is still very violent but still well written.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

FUn and fast paced.

[Kyle L]

East to read and just wanted too keep on reading it.

[Apzmarshl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Francis Tucket continues to find trouble; drought, gold, snake bite, Pueblos, murderers, but not his family.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable saga...looking forward to the next episode!

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was about a boy that is 15. and he is on the going west to oregon,he got captured by indians a year ago.him and 2 children are going west.

[George Crowder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting episode in the Tucket chronicle.

[Landon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great 4th book

[Joyfully Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Very suspenseful!

[Sara Vandenbos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Tucker adventure was just as exciting as the first two. It had a good storyline and kept my children (and me) entertained.

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle-Grade
Historical Fiction

Francis Tucket and his young companions stumble upon a hoard of conquistador gold after a few bad turns.

The 4th book in the series.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fast read

[Emma Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate these higher if I was a middle schooler.

[Sadie Yeager · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Oswaldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very fascinating it was sad in a lot of way because billy the youngest sibling almost dies and they lose the mom and dad so they have to do this cool adventure and lots of action like when Francis running away from the Comancheros which is like a gang in the 1847’s luckly he got away with billy and Lottie and they made it to a house

[Lara Kasparian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect wild west adventure for elementary kids. This was fun to read again. I remember these books being a lot longer. 🤣

[Jorge · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I got to say about this book is that it was kinda slow on the main object. From the beginning it was just talking about how Francis found two other kids named Lottie and Billy by the west. Francis is trying to find his parents after they took them when they were in a trail. Now he has to find a way how to survive. He doesn’t want anyone to follow his tracks so he changes direction most often. The same day he was traveling it rained so it was perfect because it covered the tracks for any other people to make it harder to track them.

Later after traveling for so long they stopped to get something to eat because they were starving. Like they found a few weapons they had a gun and Francis like he was the oldest he got to hunt for food with the gun. They tried not making too much noise so they wouldn’t scare away the animals. After a while Francis sees a deer and shots it without any problems. They make a fire at a place that Lottie and Billy made while Francis was hunting for food. After they made the fire they started to eat the deer but slow because they needed to cook it right.

The next morning they woke up and a snake had bit Francis and this Indians found them by their fire place. They took Francis, Lottie and Billy to their village to help Francis. They were stuck there for two days the Indians wouldn't let them leave. So Francis, Billy and Lottie decided to sneak out and leave with four of their horses and leave two for the village. later on they found some gold under a big cave rock and they wanted to take it to their tribe. Then billy decided he wanted to stay so Francis and Lottie convinced him to leave after a long talk about Nilly wanting to stay there so he could be a men. After 30 miles they finally made it to their tribe and reunited with their families.

[Nile · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading science fiction for quite some time and decided to try to read something entirely different and found very high recommendation of this series in one of the facebook groups. Once I started I got hooked. Really wonderful story. At times little too much but hey it's for the teenagers and very well written. This book reminded me that western books are not only about gunfighters or cowboys or ranches. The story about a 14 years old boy who was kidnapped on his birthday by the Red Indians and tries to escape to his family. In the process he goes though a lot. The books portrays how dangerous but attractive the West was at that time. Also how determined the people and their sense of honor. At the same time there were people who did not follow any rule or would do anything for profit.
The story was told in a series of 5 books and I completed those in one go. So I did not write separate reviews. In fact it is a single story told in 5 books.