Rescue in Poverty Gulch — Nancy Oswald

Rescue in Poverty Gulch transports the reader to 1896 Cripple Creek, Colorado, where gold was in the hills and the town was booming. Ruby May Oliver and her donkey, Maude, are happy with things just the way they are, traveling with Pa to mining camps to sell candlesticks to miners. However, life changes drastically when Ruby and her Pa are stranded in Cripple Creek. Spending days in a schoolhouse when she already knows her numbers and how to read, doesn't strike Ruby as the best use of her time. To make things worse, Pa decides Ruby needs a ‘proper upbringing'. The hilarious antics of Maude, a menacing figure set on kidnapping Maude, and the historic backdrop of the destructive Cripple Creek fires of 1896 make for an exciting page-turning read.

Nancy Oswald is author of two other Ruby and Maude Adventures -- Trouble on the Tracks and Trouble Returns -- as well as the historical novels Nothing Here But Stones and Hard Face Moon.

Rescue in Poverty Gulch is filled with delights. With eloquent charm, Nancy Oswald recreates life in the rough-and-tumble gold mining town of Cripple Creek.
Margaret Coel, author of Chief Left Hand and the Wind River novels

Readers are sure to adore best friends Ruby and Maude. Her donkey, Maude, is the best friend a tomboy like Ruby can have! This is a page-turning adventure laced with twists, turns, humor, and a cast of memorable characters. We can only hope that Ruby and Maude team up for more fast and fun adventures.
-- Randall Platt, Award-winning author of Hellie Jondoe

Nancy Oswald has the magical ability to let her young readers see life as it was a century ago. Ruby s story gives the reader a great sense of 1896 Cripple Creek. This is a great read for kids!
-- Jan Collins, Director, Cripple Creek District Museum, Cripple Creek, Colorado