The Misadventures of Maude March

Bibliographic information: 

Couloumbis, Audrey.  The Misadventures of Maude March.  New York: Random House, 2005. 

Brief plot description:

At the beginning of the story the reader finds out that the Sallie and Maude March live with their Aunt Ruthie, who has been raising them since their parents died, in Cedar Rapids.  Aunt Ruthie is caught in a gun fight and dies.  This leaves the girls orphaned for the second time in their lives.  They are sent to live with two different people but decide to leave the town after being at the second house.  They go back into their house that has been foreclosed and take what they want to keep.  Some of the things that the girls take are: food, clothes, dime novels, a Bible, a patch of a quilt, rifle, compass, and cooking supplies.  Where will they go now?  What adventures will they have? 

Brief review:

I think tweens in fifth through eighth would be interested in reading this book.  I feel that this book would appeal to a wide range of readers.  I do feel that it would appeal more towards girls since the main characters are girls.  It has many adventures in it and deals with the west.  I think that it would be great for those students that are having a hard time finding their way in life.  I would use this as an independent read.  I do not think that this would be a good book for a guided reading group or a class discussion.   

Genre label:

Adventure

Reading level/interest level:

5^th- 8^th grade

Similar materials in style content, theme or characters:

Maude March on the Run!: Or Trouble is Her Middle Name by Audrey Couloumbis

Scrib by David Ives

River Thunder by Will Hobbs