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Emily #1
Emily's Fortune
From Newbery Award winner Phyllis Reynolds Naylor comes a witty tale of the Wild West filled with comical cliffhangers and featuring a cast of plucky orphans and dastardly villains.
Emily Wiggins is poor and timid, without a drop of self-confidence. When she is unexpectedly orphaned, she is left all alone except for her turtle, Rufus.
What in blinkin' bloomers should Emily do?
Emily's neighbors, Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire, have the Emily must travel by stagecoach to the home of her honorable aunt Hilda.
What a rootin' tootin' grand idea!
But Miss Catchum of the Catchum Child-Catching Services will get a big bonus for delivering Emily to her next of kin, the vicious Uncle Victor.
How the ding dong dickens will Emily escape Miss Catchum?
It will take all the gumption and cunning of fellow orphan and traveler Jackson to help Emily find her confidence, her conniving spirit, and the true reason Uncle Victor wants to claim her.
But how in flippin' flapjacks will Emily outsmart Uncle Victor?
Emily Wiggins is poor and timid, without a drop of self-confidence. When she is unexpectedly orphaned, she is left all alone except for her turtle, Rufus.
What in blinkin' bloomers should Emily do?
Emily's neighbors, Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire, have the Emily must travel by stagecoach to the home of her honorable aunt Hilda.
What a rootin' tootin' grand idea!
But Miss Catchum of the Catchum Child-Catching Services will get a big bonus for delivering Emily to her next of kin, the vicious Uncle Victor.
How the ding dong dickens will Emily escape Miss Catchum?
It will take all the gumption and cunning of fellow orphan and traveler Jackson to help Emily find her confidence, her conniving spirit, and the true reason Uncle Victor wants to claim her.
But how in flippin' flapjacks will Emily outsmart Uncle Victor?
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
7 people are currently reading
396 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
246 books1,037 followersPhyllis Reynolds Naylor was born in Anderson, Indiana, US on January 4, 1933.
Her family were strongly religious with conservative, midwestern values and most of her childhood was spent moving a lot due to her father's occupation as a salesman.
Though she grew up during the Depression and her family did not have a lot of money, Naylor stated that she never felt poor because her family owned good books. Her parents enjoyed reading stories to the children--her father would imitate the characters in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer--and her mother read to them every evening, "almost until we were old enough to go out on dates, though we never would have admitted this to anyone."
By the time Phyllis reached fifth grade, writing books was her favorite hobby and she would rush home from school each day to write down whatever plot had been forming in her head - at sixteen her first story was published in a local church magazine.
Phyllis has written over 80 books for children and young people. One of these books, "Shiloh," was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1992, was named a Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association and was also Young Adult Choice by the International Reading Association.
Naylor gets her ideas from things that happen to her or from things she has read. "Shiloh" was inspired by a little abused dog she and her husband found. The little dog haunted her so much that she had to write a story about him to get it out of her mind.
Her family were strongly religious with conservative, midwestern values and most of her childhood was spent moving a lot due to her father's occupation as a salesman.
Though she grew up during the Depression and her family did not have a lot of money, Naylor stated that she never felt poor because her family owned good books. Her parents enjoyed reading stories to the children--her father would imitate the characters in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer--and her mother read to them every evening, "almost until we were old enough to go out on dates, though we never would have admitted this to anyone."
By the time Phyllis reached fifth grade, writing books was her favorite hobby and she would rush home from school each day to write down whatever plot had been forming in her head - at sixteen her first story was published in a local church magazine.
Phyllis has written over 80 books for children and young people. One of these books, "Shiloh," was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1992, was named a Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association and was also Young Adult Choice by the International Reading Association.
Naylor gets her ideas from things that happen to her or from things she has read. "Shiloh" was inspired by a little abused dog she and her husband found. The little dog haunted her so much that she had to write a story about him to get it out of her mind.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
February 28, 2021
1.5/5
This was not my favourite book by Phyllis Reynold Taylor (who was my favourite middle-grade author).
This was a story about, Emily, who was running away from her scary uncle who only wanted to adopt her for her inheritance. This was like an overly simplistic and predictable version of A Series of Unfortunate Events .
Also, the giant script with silly expressions at the end of each chapter was kind of weird:
*** #4 of my 2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign ***
This was not my favourite book by Phyllis Reynold Taylor (who was my favourite middle-grade author).
This was a story about, Emily, who was running away from her scary uncle who only wanted to adopt her for her inheritance. This was like an overly simplistic and predictable version of A Series of Unfortunate Events .
Also, the giant script with silly expressions at the end of each chapter was kind of weird:
*** #4 of my 2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign ***
January 19, 2015
I got hooked into this story like a fish to a bait. Luella, the wealthy owner that Emily's mom works for loves order and quiet, except when she picks up the carriage reigns. Then she's "Looney Luella" that drives like Mario Andretti. My father is like that wanting things done in a particular way and when he gets behind the wheel of a car he's yapping about engine sizes and flinging the car around asphalt at high speeds. I'd purposefully not wear a seat belt on the leather surface in the back seat because I thought it so much fun playing pinball with the side doors. Dad never killed anyone, but Looney Luella did. She killed herself and Emily's mom in a carriage accident. Shucks, this should be tragic, except when Emily sees Mrs Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire, you know things are going to get silly and they do when the threesome can't understand a word Emily says when she explains she has an "Aunt Hilda in Redbud" to which they respond, "What?" You have an "anthill in bedbug?" Add to that the large billboard type western letters in large font at the end of the chapters with cliffhangers where Emily is "flippin' flapjacks" or "tumblin' tarnation," or "blinkin' bloomers" surprised by what she sees and you know you have a rippin' adventure that will make you laugh.
The social services show up to take Emily to the orphanage just as Mrs Ready, Aim, and Fire decide Emily should take the train and stagecoach to Redbud. Emily's explains that she doesn't want to live with her uncle that doesn't like children and has only taken money from her mother. The social services woman who drives around in a carriage with the name, "Child Catching Services," on the side wants to send Emily to her uncle because it is the only way she can get a bonus. With the help of the three straight shooters, Emily sneaks off and catches the train.
When Emily boards the stagecoach she is befriended by another orphan, Jackson, who helps her with the newness of everything and teaches her to climb trees. He spots a flyer saying Emily has inherited (Looney) Luella's 10 million dollar estate. Soon people both good and bad are looking for Emily and she disguises herself as a boy trying to get to Redbud. When her Uncle Victor shows up on the stagecoach, she overhears him telling someone else that he has come into money and she knows for sure that all he wants is her money. While in disguise it becomes apparent that the villainous Uncle Victor thinks only of himself and is afraid of woman. He tries to hide from the two women in the stagecoach that find him attractive making for some humorous scenes. This balances his nasty side and shows he's human not pure evil. An exciting climax will have you yelling "hokie smokies" instead of "holy smokes."
Emily's character arc shows how she gains confidence through her adventures and has grown enough to stand up to her frightening Uncle Victor. When Emily is first at Luella's she is forced to be quiet and is not allowed to go to school or play outside. Luella wants Emily to be a mouse, "seen-and-not-heard" and she complies. While Luella means well she overprotects Emily and doesn't expose her to the world. Emily is so shy that when Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire ask her questions they misunderstand her whispering responses.
The balance between danger and humor makes this good for grades 2-5. It's a quick read at 150 pages. If you want to introduce the Wild West and the uncomfortableness of riding in a stagecoach then this would be a good read aloud. I particularly like the humor in this story. I do like a good laugh. It lightens my day and helps me not take myself to seriously. I know my students love it too. Don't miss this "super-duper-dinger-zinger" of a tale. And don't drive your carriages too fast.
The social services show up to take Emily to the orphanage just as Mrs Ready, Aim, and Fire decide Emily should take the train and stagecoach to Redbud. Emily's explains that she doesn't want to live with her uncle that doesn't like children and has only taken money from her mother. The social services woman who drives around in a carriage with the name, "Child Catching Services," on the side wants to send Emily to her uncle because it is the only way she can get a bonus. With the help of the three straight shooters, Emily sneaks off and catches the train.
When Emily boards the stagecoach she is befriended by another orphan, Jackson, who helps her with the newness of everything and teaches her to climb trees. He spots a flyer saying Emily has inherited (Looney) Luella's 10 million dollar estate. Soon people both good and bad are looking for Emily and she disguises herself as a boy trying to get to Redbud. When her Uncle Victor shows up on the stagecoach, she overhears him telling someone else that he has come into money and she knows for sure that all he wants is her money. While in disguise it becomes apparent that the villainous Uncle Victor thinks only of himself and is afraid of woman. He tries to hide from the two women in the stagecoach that find him attractive making for some humorous scenes. This balances his nasty side and shows he's human not pure evil. An exciting climax will have you yelling "hokie smokies" instead of "holy smokes."
Emily's character arc shows how she gains confidence through her adventures and has grown enough to stand up to her frightening Uncle Victor. When Emily is first at Luella's she is forced to be quiet and is not allowed to go to school or play outside. Luella wants Emily to be a mouse, "seen-and-not-heard" and she complies. While Luella means well she overprotects Emily and doesn't expose her to the world. Emily is so shy that when Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire ask her questions they misunderstand her whispering responses.
The balance between danger and humor makes this good for grades 2-5. It's a quick read at 150 pages. If you want to introduce the Wild West and the uncomfortableness of riding in a stagecoach then this would be a good read aloud. I particularly like the humor in this story. I do like a good laugh. It lightens my day and helps me not take myself to seriously. I know my students love it too. Don't miss this "super-duper-dinger-zinger" of a tale. And don't drive your carriages too fast.
January 28, 2019
When Emily's mother dies, Emily plans to travel West to live with her aunt, but the state orphanage has other plans, and Emily is forced to run away from the Orphanage Child Catchers. With the help of another orphan boy and her trusty turtle, Rufus, Emily will travel by train and stagecoach through the Wild West to reach the safety of her aunts home.
This is a funny and cute little story with plenty of adventure and hilarity! It would be a wonderful book to read aloud to children, because there are so many opportunities for funny voices and dramatic voices.
I enjoyed the story, but it's not particularly amazing or special. The plot is simple, the characters are static, but it's the writing style that really keeps the reader interested. The writing is witty, the dialogue is snappy, and the scenes flow smoothly into a cohesive story. And young readers aren't looking for complex plots or deep characters, so it's a perfect book for children!
This is a funny and cute little story with plenty of adventure and hilarity! It would be a wonderful book to read aloud to children, because there are so many opportunities for funny voices and dramatic voices.
I enjoyed the story, but it's not particularly amazing or special. The plot is simple, the characters are static, but it's the writing style that really keeps the reader interested. The writing is witty, the dialogue is snappy, and the scenes flow smoothly into a cohesive story. And young readers aren't looking for complex plots or deep characters, so it's a perfect book for children!
March 26, 2020
Cute little romp through the wild west!
May 23, 2023
I like to read books before I put them on my shelves for students to read. This one was on the library free shelf and I loved the book Shiloh by this author so I picked this book up! Very cute and simple story about a girl who is orphaned and she wants to go live with an aunt but an evil uncle wants her to live with him to get her fortune. She sets off on a wild adventure by stage coach to get to her aunt without being noticed by the uncle or the Catchum Child Catching Services. I love how every chapter ended as a cliff-hanger with super big words in a silly phrase. Cute and fun book.
April 16, 2023
We read a chapter a day in school and we always got excited to read the next. It was one of the best books I’ve ever read!
October 29, 2010
I'll admit it- I flip through the children's books at my part-time job at the bookstore. There's just something incredibly fun in most children's books that seems to stretch across the age boundaries, if that book is well written. Since this book has been written by the author of Shiloh, you can expect it to be an entertaining read.
Emily's mother is a housekeeper for the insanely wealthy Mrs. Nash (emphasis on the insane). When an overturned buggy turns her into an orphan, Emily knows that the only place left for her is with her Aunt Hilda in Redbud. The only other known relative is the dastardly Uncle Victor, an awful man who has never treated Emily or her mother well. With child catchers & an evil uncle to avoid & an unexpected inheritance to claim, Emily is finding that the road to her new home is more difficult to travel than she'd expected, even if she does have her new friend Jackson & her pet turtle Rufus to help her along the way.
Parents, rest assured that this book is appropriate for your children. While there are two deaths at the beginning of the book, there isn't anything objectionable in this book. There's a nice adventure here, but no real threats. You won't have to worry about nightmares or overly gory scenes in this book.
Now for my opinions on the book. Even though I loved the descriptions of Emily's original life, I felt like the book was a little slow to start out. It really isn't until Victor makes his first appearance in the book that I felt that the story really came to life. The characters in this book are really cute & I liked Emily & Jackson's interactions. I also thought that the illustrations were incredibly charming & easily my favorite part of the book. I also enjoyed the cute endings to each chapter, which made the book feel as if it was a tale being read by firelight to a group of children for fun. Basically put, this book just made me smile at how cute it was.
I know that if I'd read this book when I was about 8, I'd have adored it & I'm pretty sure that the average young reader will as well. As it is, I'm certain that my niece will love the plucky Emily & my nephew will like reading about stagecoaches & devious uncles.
Emily's mother is a housekeeper for the insanely wealthy Mrs. Nash (emphasis on the insane). When an overturned buggy turns her into an orphan, Emily knows that the only place left for her is with her Aunt Hilda in Redbud. The only other known relative is the dastardly Uncle Victor, an awful man who has never treated Emily or her mother well. With child catchers & an evil uncle to avoid & an unexpected inheritance to claim, Emily is finding that the road to her new home is more difficult to travel than she'd expected, even if she does have her new friend Jackson & her pet turtle Rufus to help her along the way.
Parents, rest assured that this book is appropriate for your children. While there are two deaths at the beginning of the book, there isn't anything objectionable in this book. There's a nice adventure here, but no real threats. You won't have to worry about nightmares or overly gory scenes in this book.
Now for my opinions on the book. Even though I loved the descriptions of Emily's original life, I felt like the book was a little slow to start out. It really isn't until Victor makes his first appearance in the book that I felt that the story really came to life. The characters in this book are really cute & I liked Emily & Jackson's interactions. I also thought that the illustrations were incredibly charming & easily my favorite part of the book. I also enjoyed the cute endings to each chapter, which made the book feel as if it was a tale being read by firelight to a group of children for fun. Basically put, this book just made me smile at how cute it was.
I know that if I'd read this book when I was about 8, I'd have adored it & I'm pretty sure that the average young reader will as well. As it is, I'm certain that my niece will love the plucky Emily & my nephew will like reading about stagecoaches & devious uncles.
August 12, 2010
A good light read with plenty of adventure and some humor thrown in as well. Emily finds herself to be an orphan. So her three neighbors, Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire and trying to help figure out where Emily is to go. Emily wants to go live with her Aunt Hilda, but when the children catchers show up they have other plans and want to send her to live with her mean Uncle Victor (since they will get more money placing her with a blood relative). What follows next is a great adventure that Emily and her new found friend Jackson take to try and make it to Aunt Hilda's before Uncle Victor or the child catchers find her. Perfect for younger middle grade readers (3rd to 4th) since this is a nice short book with plenty of adventure to keep the story moving along.
August 2, 2012
This silly story is a historical fiction William Allen White nominee that I didn't enjoy much. Emily becomes an orphan and as she's on her way to go stay with a nice relative, she finds out she inherited a fortune and has to run away from a mean uncle who wants her fortune. Naylor's large print hick comments at the end of each chapter are what's silly and the book would have been MUCH better without them.
August 3, 2012
The humor was a bit over the top and silly. I especially did not like the exaggerated expressions that Emily kept using. "What in the flim flam Dickens am I going to do?" This might appeal to second or third graders but doubt that older kids will relate.n
February 17, 2011
What in the Blazin' Bloomers was Naylor thinking with all of those Freaking Fry-Daddy questions?? Frankly it ruined the whole book for me.
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March 18, 2012Emily is a young 8 year old protagonist... Odd book, part Snicket, part wild west... Younger audience might like as a read aloud?
May 25, 2013
I did not like the hokey chapter endings...if they didn't exist I think I would have given the book three stars.
February 2, 2019
Cute story, but I almost rated it a star lower because of all the fling-flangin' cutsie phrases, thrown in randomly. It was funny the first time or two, but then it got irritating. Especially since one of the words chosen was 'frickin'. Slightly inappropriate for a kids book... But, since it was intended for audiences much younger than me, I decided to rate it a solid 3 stars, since kids probably find that funny and not annoying.
October 11, 2024
We listened to this one as a family. Kids thought it was pretty funny and clever. Character names and traits were hilarious at times. Story is set during Stagecoach travel time, so it was fun for the kids to imagine what life would have been like back then.
January 4, 2025
Fun adventure story of orphaned Emily who is setting off to go live with her aunt by marriage. Her wicked uncle is looking for her, since she has inherited a fortune. With the help of another orphan she manages to evade him. Set in the 1800's West.
September 7, 2018
Read outloud in school-
August 28, 2020
Cute story of a journey west.
November 17, 2020
Rip-roarin' wild west type story with humor and a plot I'd not expected from this author. Funny and fun to read.
March 23, 2021
Our family enjoyed the story; an easy read aloud for a road trip.
May 22, 2022
A fun tale that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The audiobook narrator did a good job bringing the story to life.
August 27, 2022
A cute, exciting adventure story for older kids
February 7, 2025
What in the honky monkey! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📖 This book was absolutely ADORABLE—a short, sweet, and action-packed adventure that’ll have you flipping pages faster than a stagecoach on the run! 🏇💨
👧 Meet Emily—a kind-hearted girl who suddenly finds herself on the run after losing her mama. Her only chance at safety? Reaching Aunt Hilda before the notorious Catch’em (yes, that’s his real name! 😱) and her greedy, no-good uncle get to her first!
🛤️ Emily’s journey isn’t an easy one—there are stagecoach rides, disguises, and plenty of close calls—but along the way, she meets Jackson, another orphan with a heart of gold. 💛 Their friendship is the best part of the story—full of quick-witted banter, loyalty, and just the right touch of sass.
🤠 This book has:
Fast-paced adventure 🎢
A Wild West feel 🏜️
A villain you’ll love to hate 😤
A heartwarming friendship 💙
It’s the perfect filler read—quick, fun, and guaranteed to make you smile. 😄 If you love lighthearted, action-packed middle-grade stories, Emily’s Fortune is a must-read!
📖 This book was absolutely ADORABLE—a short, sweet, and action-packed adventure that’ll have you flipping pages faster than a stagecoach on the run! 🏇💨
👧 Meet Emily—a kind-hearted girl who suddenly finds herself on the run after losing her mama. Her only chance at safety? Reaching Aunt Hilda before the notorious Catch’em (yes, that’s his real name! 😱) and her greedy, no-good uncle get to her first!
🛤️ Emily’s journey isn’t an easy one—there are stagecoach rides, disguises, and plenty of close calls—but along the way, she meets Jackson, another orphan with a heart of gold. 💛 Their friendship is the best part of the story—full of quick-witted banter, loyalty, and just the right touch of sass.
🤠 This book has:
Fast-paced adventure 🎢
A Wild West feel 🏜️
A villain you’ll love to hate 😤
A heartwarming friendship 💙
It’s the perfect filler read—quick, fun, and guaranteed to make you smile. 😄 If you love lighthearted, action-packed middle-grade stories, Emily’s Fortune is a must-read!
November 17, 2015
Children today are so pampered. Parents watch over their kids like a hawk making sure they are safe and that they have everything they want. If little Johnny needs a video game system, he gets one. If little Susie needs a cell phone so she can text her friends, she gets one. Parents live in contestant fear that something will happen to their child they barely let their kid out of their site anymore.
Imagine an eight year old girl, already having lost her father, losing her mother too. Now, she is forced to take a train and then a carriage over hundreds of miles to a place she has never been before. And she is forced to do this all by herself! This would never happen today. A kid just couldn't do it. Kids back them were tougher and more self-sufficient. They had to be.
I really liked Emily and her little turtle, Rufus. I felt bad for her when her mother died, and fear for her when her greedy uncle Victor showed up. It was nice that she ran across Jackson, another orphan heading out west to a new family. She soon realizes that she can trust him, but it takes a little time for her to build up that trust.
Will Victor ever figure out that Emily is disguised as a boy and is riding on the same carriage as he is? What will he do if he finds out? What will Emily do? What will Jackson do? What will everyone else that is riding on the carriage do? Sure, I could tell you the answer to these questions, but what fun would that be. You are going to have to read this book for yourself to find out the answers to these questions.
I really enjoyed the story that Phyllis Reynolds Naylor created. At first, the author would write out some of the sounds effects, which I found to be a little annoying, but that stopped after a while. The pace of the book is good and the story is very interesting. Early chapter readers will love this book. The artwork by Ross Collins is wonderful, but I just wish the cover art was done by him too.
Overall, Emily's Fortune is a great story that I highly enjoyed. I love a worthy western tale of good versus evil, and this one delivers. What in tarnation are you doing there sitting in front of your computer still reading this review for? Go pick up a copy of this book for your early chapter reader 'cause they are going have a darned tootin' good time readin' it. Yeehaw!
I rated this book an 8½ out of 10.
Imagine an eight year old girl, already having lost her father, losing her mother too. Now, she is forced to take a train and then a carriage over hundreds of miles to a place she has never been before. And she is forced to do this all by herself! This would never happen today. A kid just couldn't do it. Kids back them were tougher and more self-sufficient. They had to be.
I really liked Emily and her little turtle, Rufus. I felt bad for her when her mother died, and fear for her when her greedy uncle Victor showed up. It was nice that she ran across Jackson, another orphan heading out west to a new family. She soon realizes that she can trust him, but it takes a little time for her to build up that trust.
Will Victor ever figure out that Emily is disguised as a boy and is riding on the same carriage as he is? What will he do if he finds out? What will Emily do? What will Jackson do? What will everyone else that is riding on the carriage do? Sure, I could tell you the answer to these questions, but what fun would that be. You are going to have to read this book for yourself to find out the answers to these questions.
I really enjoyed the story that Phyllis Reynolds Naylor created. At first, the author would write out some of the sounds effects, which I found to be a little annoying, but that stopped after a while. The pace of the book is good and the story is very interesting. Early chapter readers will love this book. The artwork by Ross Collins is wonderful, but I just wish the cover art was done by him too.
Overall, Emily's Fortune is a great story that I highly enjoyed. I love a worthy western tale of good versus evil, and this one delivers. What in tarnation are you doing there sitting in front of your computer still reading this review for? Go pick up a copy of this book for your early chapter reader 'cause they are going have a darned tootin' good time readin' it. Yeehaw!
I rated this book an 8½ out of 10.
September 23, 2010
Fans of comic Wild West adventures like Betsy Byars' Golly Sisters books should eat up this rip-roaring tale from Newbery winning author Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, who has written over 135 diverse books for young readers. Our heroine, Emily, is a very meek eight-year old who is tragically orphaned when her mother and her very wealthy employer are killed in a carriage accident. Her only friend is a small turtle, Rufus, who lives in a box.
With her only living relative the evil Uncle Victor, Emily is sent off to live with her aunt Hilda in the far-away West. Barely escaping from the "Catchum Child-Catching Services: Orphans, Strays, and Roustabouts Rounded up Quickly," Emily gets on the train where she meets Jackson, a good-for-nothing trouble-making orphan who's also headed out West. But soon there's TROUBLE! It turns out that Emily is an heiress--$10 million worth, and the evil Uncle Victor is hot on their trail...to get his hands on her money! Can Jackson and Emily catch the stagecoach, survive armed robbery, evade Uncle Victor and get to Aunt Hilda in Redbud before it's too late?
The charming black and white illustrations, large type, and relatively simple vocabulary, make this very friendly to readers who are stepping up from series like Magic Treehouse. Each chapter ends with a cliff-hanger in giant old-West style fonts; examples include "and who in creepin' creation do you suppose was in it?" or "And what in blinkin' bloomers do you think she saw?"
Naylor demonstrates a great sense of humor and adventure in this new book, which would be a very fun read-aloud either for classroom or at home, with strong appeal to both girls and boys. It would also be a good book to recommend both to reluctant readers, who will be encouraged to read forward by the cliff-hangers at the end of each chapters and the action-driven plot, as well as avid readers.
With her only living relative the evil Uncle Victor, Emily is sent off to live with her aunt Hilda in the far-away West. Barely escaping from the "Catchum Child-Catching Services: Orphans, Strays, and Roustabouts Rounded up Quickly," Emily gets on the train where she meets Jackson, a good-for-nothing trouble-making orphan who's also headed out West. But soon there's TROUBLE! It turns out that Emily is an heiress--$10 million worth, and the evil Uncle Victor is hot on their trail...to get his hands on her money! Can Jackson and Emily catch the stagecoach, survive armed robbery, evade Uncle Victor and get to Aunt Hilda in Redbud before it's too late?
The charming black and white illustrations, large type, and relatively simple vocabulary, make this very friendly to readers who are stepping up from series like Magic Treehouse. Each chapter ends with a cliff-hanger in giant old-West style fonts; examples include "and who in creepin' creation do you suppose was in it?" or "And what in blinkin' bloomers do you think she saw?"
Naylor demonstrates a great sense of humor and adventure in this new book, which would be a very fun read-aloud either for classroom or at home, with strong appeal to both girls and boys. It would also be a good book to recommend both to reluctant readers, who will be encouraged to read forward by the cliff-hangers at the end of each chapters and the action-driven plot, as well as avid readers.
September 15, 2013
Emily Wiggins, age 8, lost her father to a steamboat accident many years ago. She'd been living with her mother and her mother's employer, wealthy Mrs. Luella Nash until a carriage accident claimed her mother's and Mrs. Nash's life. She was alone... an orphan. Luckily, Emily has kind-hearted Aunt Hilda to take her in. But, when mean, evil Uncle Victor finds out that Emily has inherited Mrs. Nash's 10 million dollars, he will stop at almost nothing to take the girl in and steal the money for himself.
This sets off a race-to-the-finish stagecoach ride across the states to the Redbud to find Aunt Hilda...Emily has to stay one step ahead of Uncle Victor. But, when he shows up on the same stagecoach, Emily is quaking with fear. Good thing she made a friend of fellow orphan, Jackson, who is quick-witted, savvy, and streetwise. Together, they hatch a plan to get to Aunt Hilda without tipping off Uncle Victor to their true identities. Emily's Fortune is a nail-biting, action-packed adventure, full of humor AND danger!
This sets off a race-to-the-finish stagecoach ride across the states to the Redbud to find Aunt Hilda...Emily has to stay one step ahead of Uncle Victor. But, when he shows up on the same stagecoach, Emily is quaking with fear. Good thing she made a friend of fellow orphan, Jackson, who is quick-witted, savvy, and streetwise. Together, they hatch a plan to get to Aunt Hilda without tipping off Uncle Victor to their true identities. Emily's Fortune is a nail-biting, action-packed adventure, full of humor AND danger!
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July 23, 2013Emily has been sheltered all of her life living in big Ms. Luella’s house until her crazy driving kills her and her mom. Now all Emily has is little Rufus, her little pet turtle as she is trying to figure how to get to her Aunt Hilda’s house. Traveling by stagecoach is not fun especially when you have never done anything outdoors or been wild. Moreover, there are the Child Catchers and her evil Uncle Victor trying to get her after finding she has a large inheritance from Ms. Luella. During her travels, Emily meets Jackson, also an orphan who will try to teach her how to survive in the Wild West, but can she really trust him? Could he be working for Uncle Victor? This historical fiction is a great read for American Girl followers. I liked this book a lot more than I thought I was going to and found myself cheering Emily and little Rufus. The author does a fantastic job at creating remarkable characters. The book includes lovely sepia drawings and each chapter end with big bold cliffhangers.
June 7, 2011
I have to admit that my expectations were fairly low after I saw the cover of this book -- I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed Emily's Fortune. Emily Wiggins' mother works for the incredibly wealthy Luella Nash. When Emily tragically and suddenly becomes an orphan, she's forced to travel to Redbud to live with her aunt. Along the way, she meets Jackson, discovers that she will inherit 10 million dollars, is forced to disguise herself as a boy, and spends 5 days riding in a stagecoach. Will she make it to safety in Redbud or will she end up placed with the truly terrible Uncle Victor?
I liked the Western feel of the story. While it's not really historical fiction, it gives the book a fun flavor. Emily's helpful aunts are Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire. Each chapter ends with a question, printed in large wanted poster font, that uses slang from the Old West. A fun book, I recommend it for 3rd and 4th graders.
I liked the Western feel of the story. While it's not really historical fiction, it gives the book a fun flavor. Emily's helpful aunts are Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire. Each chapter ends with a question, printed in large wanted poster font, that uses slang from the Old West. A fun book, I recommend it for 3rd and 4th graders.
January 6, 2012
A quick-paced, short adventure where a kid lit orphan travels west in hopes of finding a home, getting into a bit of trouble, and avoiding her uncle with the tiger tattoo.
Two things would make this easier to recommend to students in 4-8: making Emily 10-12 instead of 8 and different illustrations. She just looks so young.
The book's fun in a western slang kind of way. How do you feel about phrases like rootin-tootin'? You need to like them for this one.
Someone below wrote that this would be a good classroom readaloud. There's something to that. The chapters are reasonable in length and the whole things lends itself to the kind of dramatic reading an adult could pull off. There's an almost mustache twirling villain, $$$, stagecoach and western adventures, disguises, orphan pals, tree climbing, and cliff hangers closing out each chapter. All sorts of good fun, if you're in the mood for it.
3.5 stars
Two things would make this easier to recommend to students in 4-8: making Emily 10-12 instead of 8 and different illustrations. She just looks so young.
The book's fun in a western slang kind of way. How do you feel about phrases like rootin-tootin'? You need to like them for this one.
Someone below wrote that this would be a good classroom readaloud. There's something to that. The chapters are reasonable in length and the whole things lends itself to the kind of dramatic reading an adult could pull off. There's an almost mustache twirling villain, $$$, stagecoach and western adventures, disguises, orphan pals, tree climbing, and cliff hangers closing out each chapter. All sorts of good fun, if you're in the mood for it.
3.5 stars
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