Book Review: Kitty Hawk And The Curse Of The Yukon Gold by Iain Reading

Kitty Hawk And The Curse Of The Yukon Gold is the first book in a young adult series by Iain Reading. This adventure mystery story is part travel guide, part history lesson, and plenty of action and adventure. Kitty Hawk is an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a love of nature. After leaving the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Wonderful bits of history about the Klondike Gold Rush as well as reference to literary greats from the area leave readers with a feeling like they have learned a great deal while enjoying Kitty's perilous adventure.

Kitty Hawk And The Curse Of The Yukon Gold is a young adult novel that is dense in information, but is too full of wonder to make the reader feel bogged down. I feel like I finished the book with a better appreciation for the wilds of Alaska and the history of the area. The author beautifully describes the whales and geological points of interest of the region, as well as the literary and historical importance of some of those landmarks. I found myself intrigued and eager to research certain things more as soon as I was able to put the book down.

Kitty is an independent girl, but one that has earned the trust of her family rather than having that trust feel artificial or because of neglect. I did occasionally find myself distracted by Kitty's conversations with herself- but I should not have been bothered by it because it is a habit I share with her. Again, her connection with the 'kidnappers' bothered me a little at first, like in many novels characters seem to trust and converse a little too easily,. but I think it all resolved nicely within a few pages and I felt better about it very quickly. I think Kitty will be a great role model for many readers- not because of the adventures and risks that she takes, but because of her trust in her abilities and awareness of the important thinks around her.

I would highly recommend Kitty Hawk And The Curse Of The Yukon Gold to young adult, and advanced middle grade, readers as well as adults that enjoy a read that is full of adventure but is also a very intelligent read. I love learning something while I embark on grand adventures with the characters, and I find myself looking forward to reading about Kitty's next adventures in  Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost and then, Kitty Hawk and the Icelandic Intrigue.