Click on book cover to learn where Will got his ideas for this story, and to see photos.

"Gold!" Jason shouted at the top of his lungs. "Read all about it! Gold discovered in the Yukon!" Within hours of hearing the thrilling news, 15-year-old Jason Hawthorn jumps a train for Seattle, stows away on a ship bound for the gold fields, and joins thousands of fellow prospectors attempting the difficult journey to the Klondike. The Dead Horse Trail and the infamous Chilkoot Pass stand between him and the perilous last leg of his journey. Can he make it 500 miles down the Yukon River before freeze-up? As Jason battles his way north, he meets a Canadian girl named Jamie and is befriended by a 21-year-old writer named Jack London, but his only constant companion is King, a husky he rescues from a madman. Together they'll face moose, bears, and the terrors of the subarctic winter.

CLICK HERE to see photos and to learn where Will got his IDEAS for this story, and for its sequel, DOWN THE YUKON.

Unabridged audiotape available from
Listening Library. (800-243-4504)

Awards and Honors for JASON'S GOLD
Best Books for Young Adults, American Library Association (ALA)
American Booksellers Association Pick of the Lists
Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, ALA
Junior Library Guild Selection
Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library
VOYA "Books in the Middle" Outstanding Titles of l999

Hardcover and paperback publisher: HarperCollins