By the Great Horn Spoon! by Sid Fleischman, reviewed by Chris Kelly

"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