Emily's Fortune

by
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

illustrated by

Ross Collins

Delacorte Press, June 2010, 148 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-385-73616-9

Genre: Early Chapter
Subgenres: Realistic Fiction / Old West
Reviewed: 4/19/2010

Reviewed by: Conan Tigard

Book Cover

Fort Jawbone

It was early morning when they reached Fort Jawbone, and all the passengers went inside. Emily was wide awake now. She nervously waited for Uncle Victor to find out that Emily Wiggins was not there. Then, perhaps, he would give up the chase and go home, wherever that was.

As they ate a cold meal that was provided for them, Angus said, "Better eat hearty, mates. Last good meal we'll have for a long while, you can bet."

"It'll be beans and bacon from here to California," added Oscar.

"And maybe some wormy bread," put in Jock, wiggling his fingers. Emily was glad she wasn't going all the way to California.

But Uncle Victor wasn't interested in eating. Emily watched him go from one person to the next at Fort Jawbone, asking if anyone there remembered an eight-year-old passenger by the name of Emily Wiggins who had come through on a stagecoach two days before.

"Can't say that I do," one of the workers told him. "We get a few orphans now and then on their way out west, but I don't remember that there was a young one on the last coach."

"Well," growled Uncle Victor. "Maybe she didn't come through, then, or maybe she's given me the slip. I'll have to go on to Redbud and see if I can find her there."

Emily's breath seemed caught in her throat, and she almost choked on a biscuit.

No! No! She could not stand it! Riding with Uncle Victor three more days and three more nights, pretending to be a boy? How would she go that long without speaking? Would she even have a voice once she got to Aunt Hilda's? But again it was time to board.

"Eli!" Jackson called. "Come on!"

A new driver leaped up to the driver's seat and the whip cracked. Sitting in the back again, Emily fed Rufus a fly Jackson had caught, and looked into his tiny face.

"Dear little friend," she whispered. "Only a few more days and I'll never put you in a box again. We'll be at Aunt Hilda's and you'll have all the grass you want. I'll make you your own little pool, and the sun will shine on you every day."

Rufus looked up at her and blinked his eyes. He crawled over to the old man's leg, and Mortimer Muffit didn't even notice.

"We're off!" Jack chortled as the carriage rattled across the ground.

"No turnin' back now!" said Angus.

"We're headed for Deadman's Gulch, and the best part of the trip's behind us," said Oscar.

Synopsis

Emily Wiggins is eight years old and lives with her mother, Constance, on Miss Luella Nash's estate. Miss Luella Nash loved to drive the carriage into town, always pushing the horses to their fastest speed. One day, on the way back from town, the carriage tips over killing both Miss Luella Nash and Constance leaving Emily an orphan.

Emily's only remaining family is her greedy nncle Victor, who she never liked, and her Aunt Hilda, her father's sister-in-law. After writing to Aunt Hilda, she receives a letter back stating that her aunt looks forward to having her live with her in Redbud. Emily would have to take a train and then a carriage all the way to Redbud by herself, which is something pretty hard for an eight year old girl to do. She figures that this would be better than living with her mean ol' Uncle Victor.

Emily is hustled off to the train station by three nice older ladies, Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire because Miss Catchum, from Catchum Child-Catching Services, has decided that Emily should go and live with Uncle Victor. Emily hops on the train and is able to avoid being caught by Miss Catchum.

When the train finally arrives in Trumpet Junction, Emily hops off the train and it ready to get on the carriage that will take her to Redbud. She meets a boy who is a few years older than her by the name of Jackson. The two kids are forced to wait for the next carriage because the first one becomes too full. Over the next two days while they wait for the next carriage, they become good friends.

Jackson finds a newspaper that has a story in it about Emily. Lawyers are looking for her because all of Miss Luella Nash's fortune was left to Constance. And since Constance died with Miss Luella Nash, Emily has just inherited ten million dollars.  Realizing that they should probably disguise Emily until she reaches her Aunt Hilda, Jackson cuts off her hair, gives her some of his clothes, and dresses Emily as a boy who will now be known as Eli.

Boy, oh boy, it is a good thing Emily doesn't look anything like she used to because Uncle Victor, having heard about the money Emily is to inherit, shows up in Trumpet Junction. He is looking for Emily with the intent of using her to obtain all of the inheritance and then to get rid of her. After Emily and Jackson jump onto the next carriage to Redbud, Uncle Victor climbs on board and is determined to find his young niece no matter the cost.

Emily's Fortune is a realistic fiction book that takes place in the Old West and was written by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and illustrated by Ross Collins. This book is intended for early chapter readers ages 7 and up.

Review

Children today are so pampered. Parents watch over their kids like a hawk making sure they are safe and that they have everything they want. If little Johnny needs a video game system, he gets one. If little Susie needs a cell phone so she can text her friends, she gets one. Parents live in contestant fear that something will happen to their child they barely let their kid out of their site anymore.

Imagine an eight year old girl, already having lost her father, losing her mother too. Now, she is forced to take a train and then a carriage over hundreds of miles to a place she has never been before. And she is forced to do this all by herself! This would never happen today. A kid just couldn't do it. Kids back them were tougher and more self-sufficient. They had to be.

I really liked Emily and her little turtle, Rufus. I felt bad for her when her mother died, and fear for her when her greedy uncle Victor showed up. It was nice that she ran across Jackson, another orphan heading out west to a new family. She soon realizes that she can trust him, but it takes a little time for her to build up that trust.

Will Victor ever figure out that Emily is disguised as a boy and is riding on the same carriage as he is? What will he do if he finds out? What will Emily do? What will Jackson do? What will everyone else that is riding on the carriage do? Sure, I could tell you the answer to these questions, but what fun would that be. You are going to have to read this book for yourself to find out the answers to these questions.

I really enjoyed the story that Phyllis Reynolds Naylor created. At first, the author would write out some of the sounds effects, which I found to be a little annoying, but that stopped after a while. The pace of the book is good and the story is very interesting. Early chapter readers will love this book. The artwork by Ross Collins is wonderful, but I just wish the cover art was done by him too.

Overall, Emily's Fortune is a great story that I highly enjoyed. I love a worthy western tale of good versus evil, and this one delivers. What in tarnation are you doing there sitting in front of your computer still reading this review for? Go pick up a copy of this book for your early chapter reader 'cause they are going have a darned tootin' good time readin' it. Yeehaw!

I rated this book an 8½ out of 10.