Set in California in 1850, twelve-year-old Amelia discovers that the bustling city is more hospitable and financially rewarding to working boys, thus cutting off her hair and transforming herself, Amelia joins a gang of newsboys, gets to work, and joins in the fun alongside her rambunctious friends.
It's the spring of 1851 and twelve-year-old Amelia and her family have just arrived in bustling San Francisco. Set against the backdrop of a hectic gold rush town as it grows into a city, Amelia decides to help her family make ends meet by selling newspapers from the East Coast. But when the raucous gang of newsboys tells her "No girls allowed," she ditches her skirts and petticoats to dress like one of the boys. With a harrowing balloon ride, a near-kidnapping, and a raging fire that nearly burns San Francisco to the ground, this book has its fair share of page-turning adventure. But at its crux is a brave girl determined to be herself in the face of adversity.
"Ketchum nicely interweaves actual events into this engaging story. Amelia is a well-rounded character: imperfect, persistent, unsure of herself, and likeable . . . an entertaining read." - School Library Journal, starred review
