Reviews: (by author)

Cosson, M.J. Search for Gold Mountain: Coming to America from China-1850. Iowa: Perfection Learning Corporation, 2001. (no listed price)

In Search for Gold Mountain, Cosson tells the story of Ming, a Chinese boy who loses his mother and sister in war-torn China. He travels with his father to Gold Mountain where the "very dirt is gold" and the "streets are paved with gold bricks (p. 15)." Ming and his father face hardships both traveling to America and upon arriving in America. They search for work and learn new skills and customs. My favorite scene is when Ming has to learn how to cook Western food, the potato. After the gold has been mined, Ming's father purchases the cabin from the white claim jumpers. They revel in their discovery of gold dust on the floor wood panels.

Cosson's account provides a glimpse of life for a Chinese-American boy during this period of history. The story is laid out nicely into short chapters and interjected with authentic illustrations. The vocabulary is properly scaffolded and a glossary is provided at the end of the book. This book segues nicely into further discussions and explorations about the Chinese-American experience.

Recommended by Virginia Loh.

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