Last Gold Diggers, The
Grandfather is off to Australia, on an expedition to find long-lost Uncle Vincent, who ran away to seek his fortune years ago. Accompanying him is Roo, a remarkable little dog with strong views and a short attention span, and a golf cart full of equipment.
Roo is worried about being upside down, but that turns out to be the least of their problems. After a tricky flight on Quality Airlines (featuring the only steam-powered plane in the world), our intrepid explorers land in Sidney, Australia—not Sydney, as it turns out—and must advance up the Snakey River to Gold Town.
Grandfather and Roo endure blistering heat, a rebellious camel, and disreputable kangaroos, as they head off on foot to find the Gold Field, last known home of Uncle Vincent.
Author-illustrator Harry Horse tells this hilarious, original story through Grandfather’s journal and his affectionate letters written to his grandchild back home. Horse’s winsome pen-and-ink illustrations capture the charmingly eccentric personalities of Grandfather and his delightful canine companion and the amusing calamities that befall them. The result is a fanciful tale that will delight young and old alike.
Author & Illustrator
Harry Horse wrote and illustrated many books for children, including the popular Little Rabbit picture books and the novels The Last Polar Bears, The Last Castaways, The Last Cowboys, and The Last Gold Diggers. He was also a political cartoonist for several national newspapers in the United Kingdom. He died in 2007.
You can visit Harry Horse’s website here.
Reviews
“...many will enjoy reading between the lines and feeling smarter than the narrator.” ―Booklist
“...this text is accessible for all early chapter-book readers, especially as simple black-and-white illustrations on nearly every page break up blocks of text. Silly fun.” ―Kirkus
Awards
Best Children's Books of the Year ―Bank Street College of Education 2009

