Francis Tucket continues to flee pursuing outlaws, unaware of the dangers and discoveries ahead, including meeting up with some compassionate folks, and some other unpleasant fellow wanderers. ( )

(*don't read this if you haven't read the previous books... SPOILER ALERT*)

Book #4, Tucket's Gold, starts with Francis, Lottie and Billie in the desert plains, on foot and without food and water. They are moving as fast as they can, hoping to evade the Comancheros who still hope to sell them to the Comanches.

This book, for a change, is a little slower paced than it's siblings. Not that there isn't excitement, but it's time for Lottie and Billie to 'come into their own', and for the reader to learn a little more about the Pueblo Indians.

For myself, I really enjoyed this book, and thought the ending was fantastic.

It's a good series for younger readers. As I've noted before, the 4th graders at my childrens' school all read the series. And I've noted that many reviews are by middle-school teachers who have selected the books for their history and literature classes.

a Pam T mini-review
(booksforkids-reviews.com) ( )

Book Four of the Tucket Adventures, Tucket’s Gold continues the journey of Francis as he strives to find his family from which he was stolen while they were traveling on the Oregon Trail in 1848. Francis encounters two young children, Lottie and Billy who have been abandoned when their father died of cholera. Together, they struggle to survive in the old West as they forage for food and water, face bandits who want to steal the children for slavery, and outrun the Comancheros. After a much needed rain, they seek shelter in an abandoned cave and uncover hidden gold. Their good fortune takes a turn however, when Francis is bitten by a venomous snake. He awakens to find he has been rescued by a nurturing Indian Tribe. As much as they come to find comfort in this village, they must move on. The themes of childhood slavery and scavenging for survival are anxieties that most children today don’t endure, but they will enjoy the trio’s adventures and resonate with the need to connect with family. The dynamic setting, plot and characters capture the historical essence of the old West. Recommended for upper elementary and middle school readers ( )