Posted by Chris Kelly, A Children's Book Review on 7th Apr 2015
"By the Great Horn Spoon", by Sid Fleischman, 1963
"By the Great Horn Spoon" is a fun, positive story about two characters heading for
the California Gold Fields in 1849. Jack, an orphan boy who lives with his Aunt in Boston, stows away on a
steamer for California with their butler, Praiseworthy. They run into any
number of adventures involving people of (mostly) good character, but with
humorously exaggerated personalities.
The book, in short chapters, is good for bedtime reading to children ages 4 and
up, or for a young reader age 10 and up. Adults will like this story, too, with
unpredictable outcomes and tongue-in-cheek narrative without being too silly. After
near disaster, the heroes have a heart-warming
outcome to their adventure, in which patience and honesty meet opportunity and
imagination. This book should be part of everyone's childhood, regardless of
age.
~A book review by Chris Kelly