Children Of The Rush (#1)

Description

It's 1861, and gold fever is sweeping the world. Otherwise sensible adults have gone mad and will do anything to get their hands on the precious metal. But two children have been caught up in the rush. Michael and Atarangi couldn't be more different, but they share one thing: each has a remarkable and magical talent. Circumstances conspire to bring the children together in the remote and inhospitable goldfields, and they're thrust into a world where lawlessness, greed, and cruelty reign. When the children find out that a cut-throat gang stalks the goldfields, preying upon the innocent, they have a choice to make: turn a blind eye, or fight back?

Awards

​​Shortlisted for the 2023 NZ Book Awards for Children & Young Adults - Junior Fiction, Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award category

Reviews

"Gritty, thrilling and yet beautiful. I loved this, and you will too." Weng Wai Chan, winner of the New Zealand junior fiction award; "Rich characters and nail-biting action, with a sprinkling of fantasy. There's gold in this here book!" Tom E. Moffatt, award winning author

Author description

James Russell is the best-selling author of The Dragon Brothers Trilogy of picture books (The Dragon Hunters, The Dragon Tamers and The Dragon Riders), and the five middle-grade Dragon Defenders novels. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Find out more at www.dragonbrothersbooks.com