Up the Creek

About this book

After a lifetime of bad luck, Chris Dearing is sure his family fortunes have finally turned around. With the help of some friends, he’s reclaimed his granddad’s old land in Dawson City, Yukon, and is adjusting to life with his new foster parents. While he waits for his dad to get out of jail — and get sober — Chris turns his attention to his next challenge: finding the gold that he knows is somewhere on his family’s claim.

What’s standing in his way? A few things: a) he doesn’t know a thing about gold mining, and it turns out there’s a lot more to it than a pan in a creek; b) Lucy, the attack goose guarding the local junkyard; c) the fact that Family Services keeps getting in the way; d) two Filthy Rats trying to swindle Chris’s dad out of the gold; oh, and last but not least, e) the rumours that Chris’s grandfather didn’t actually find his gold — he stole it.

The stakes are high and the hijinks even higher in this touching, witty companion to Mine!

Reviews

Praise for Mine!:

Shortlisted, OLA Silver Birch Award, Fiction, 2019

Shortlisted, Red Cedar Award (BC Young Readers’ Choice), 2018

Commended, Best Books for Kids & Teens, Canadian Children’s Book Centre, 2018

“Mine! has a quick-paced plot, with enough twists and turns to keep readers turning pages, and it will appeal to strong readers of all genders in its target age bracket.”— CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“With twists and turns, literally and figuratively, and hopes dashed, raised and dashed again, author Natalie Hyde brings her customary light touch to this adventure.” — Canadian Children’s Book News