Murphy, Gold Rush Dog

by Alison Hart, Michael G. Montgomery (Illustrator)

Overview

Murphy escapes a grueling life as part of a dogsled team, mercilessly driven by a cruel owner. When word spreads that gold has been discovered in Nome, Murphy is taken in by two recent arrivals: Sally and her mother, who hope to provide secretarial labor so that they can buy their own stake. They live in a canvas tent on the beach with thousands of other fortune-seekers. Murphy wants to help Sally and Mama build a new life, but life in the mining town is not easy. Can the three of them find a home—and maybe a fortune?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781561457694
Publisher:	Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
Publication date:	10/01/2014
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	680L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Alison Hart is the author of more than sixty books for young readers. Hart was a teacher at Blue Ridge Community College and lives in Virginia.

Michael G. Montgomery has illustrated numerous children’s books. He attended Georgia Southern University and the University of Georgia. He lives in Georgia.

Editorial Reviews

Sally and her mother have landed in Nome, Alaska, to build a life by typing letters for gold rush prospectors and shop-owners. Murphy is a sled dog fleeing a cruel master, Carlick. Their paths cross, and Murphy appoints himself as Sally’s protector. Together, they learn how to use a gold pan, meet Eskimos and are charged by a moose. When Sally’s mother insists on going home to San Francisco, Sally and Murphy decide they must set out on their own to find enough gold to stay in Nome. On their way a storm hits, they encounter a grizzly bear and get caught in an avalanche. When Sally, who has found a large gold nugget, becomes injured and can’t go any further, Murphy finds miners to rescue her. Carlick appears and tries to both take Murphy back and steal Sally’s gold, but they are saved by Sally’s grandfather, a judge who has come to investigate claims of Carlick’s abuse. While students will learn aspects of the fascinating history of the gold rush and life in Nome, the writing and tone are not as strong as the fictional books about historical dogs by Kirby Larson. Much of the dialogue is stilted, and while readers will love Murphy, they will likely find Sally annoying and judge her for making a series of bad decisions. For teachers or librarians trying to find a way to get middle grade students interested in early 20th century Alaska, this title may not be a bad place to start. Additionally, the price point is reasonable for a library to add it to the collection. Part of the “Dog Chronicles” series. Reviewer: Elizabeth Leis-Newman; Ages 8 to 10.

Children's Literature - Elizabeth Leis-Newman

10/01/2014
Gr 3–6—Murphy, a sled dog, narrates this light adventure story. As the book opens, he's being run ragged at the hands of his cruel master. Stumbling into their new camp in the gold-rush town of Nome, Alaska, Murphy decides that he can't abide Carlick's brutality for one more day. He escapes, but life as a stray isn't much better—until he meets Sally. She and her mother are also new in town, and girl and dog forge an immediate bond. The scrappy duo meet with all kind of adventures, from a close call with a pack of wolves to getting up close and personal with corrupt Carlick. Will their bond and their wits be enough to sustain them in this rough-and-tumble town? Hart once again blends first-person canine narrative with period details and events. Though turn-of-the-century gold mining could be a cutthroat enterprise, the tension and violence are never ratcheted up too high. Montgomery's smudgy pencil drawings have a soft look, reinforcing the feeling that the story will reach a peaceful conclusion. Back matter gives further information and resources for learning more about the Alaskan gold rush. Give this one to sensitive readers who love dog stories but aren't ready for the heartache of books like Fred Gibson's Old Yeller (HaraperCollins, 1995) and Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows (Yearling, 1996).—Amy Holland, Irondequoit Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

2014-08-20
Historical fiction for dog lovers. Nome, Alaska, 1900, is a hotbed of lawless gold-rush fever and no place for an unaccompanied woman and her 11-year-old daughter, but that is exactly where Sally and her mother find themselves. The story is told from the point of view of Murphy, an abused sled dog who runs away from his owner in Nome and wanders homeless and hungry until Sally, newly arrived from Seattle, encounters him and convinces Mama that Murphy would be good protection for them. Murphy happily settles into his new life as a loved member of the family, and he does his best to protect them, but he is plagued by thoughts of cowardice brought on by his previous owner's mistreatment. As summer ends, Mama makes plans to leave, finding life in Nome too difficult. But Sally has plans of her own. Taking Murphy, she runs away to find gold, thinking to ease the working grind of her Mama's life. Readers will feel the thrill of survival on the tundra as Murphy saves Sally from a grizzly, an avalanche and unscrupulous men. Equal parts heart-wrenching and -warming, the story never slides into cloying sentimentality, and its message of the value of love over greed is as subtle as it is powerful. An adventure-filled tale set within a fascinating period of history. (historical note, bibliography, further reading) (Historical fiction. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews

Give this one to sensitive readers who love dog stories but aren’t ready for the heartache of books like Fred Gibson’s Old Yeller (HarperCollins, 1995) and Wilson Rawls’s Where the Red Fern Grows (Yearling, 1996).

From the Publisher