38.
Author(s): Audrey Couloumbis
Title: The Misadventures of Maude March
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 290
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Acquisition: Work Text - Yang Academy, 5th-grade
Date Completed: April 22, 2011
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

After the death of their parents, young sisters Sallie and Maude March are raised by their no-nonsense, tough-as-nails Aunt Ruthie, from whom they learn hard work and important life skills, like how to shoot a gun. However, when Sallie is 11 and Maude is 15 Aunt Ruthie is killed by a wild bullet walking away from the general store, and the girls are left alone in the world. Though they are determined to make the best of things, the March sisters soon find themselves in a disagreeable situation, as their temporary guardians attempt to force Maude to marry a much older man. Seeing no other solution, the girls set out in the middle of the night to find their one living relative - their mysterious Uncle Arlen.

A serious of mishaps and mistakes lead to a newspaper trail following the girls, naming Maude a horse thief, bank robber, and murderer, all before they reach their final destination.

Despite the bloodshed, The Misadventures of Maude March is a delightful and up-beat Western novel for young readers. Couloumbis has created two likable and realistic characters that will be easy for readers to relate to, and they provide wonderful examples of determination and strength of character as they work through a series of hardships. Sallie's narrative voice is consistent with her age and situation, without talking down to the intended readership. The Misadventures of Maude March is proving to be a fun way to introduce different genres to my fifth-grade student, and I would certainly recommend it to others.