Gold Rush Girl by Avi Lots of historical detail about San Francisco in 1849 dot this girl adventure. Fourteen-year old Tory and her brother Jacob are left by their alone in a tent home while he goes and joins the gold miners. Tory tries to keep them safe and fed by dressing as a boy and working several jobs. She makes friends with two boys who help her when Jacob disappears and they fear he's been crimped. The only distraction on this couldn't put down novel were the many words in italics at the beginning. I hope this becomes a series.