Grade 5-9 - A small gem from an award-winning author. Set in the Old West, the story follows Billy Foster and the otherwise-unnamed Possum, orphans at the Deacon Smith Home for Waifs. Billy is clever and someone for whom illicit behavior isn't a choice but a compulsion. Possum is the narrator and it is through his newly opened eyes that readers see the world. Following a dubious tip from the orphanage's cook, the boys manufacture a daring escape. Their goal: a lake of gold hidden high in the mountains. Along the way they hook up with the Professor, a traveling huckster whose situational ethics are an inspiration to Billy. Possum is less convinced, and, after a run-in with one of the Professor's victims, the two boys head out on their own. A meeting with the troubled but loving Singletary family opens Possum's eyes to the joys of plain living, but the lure of riches leads the duo on. Following a grueling hike through the mountains, the boys find the lake but have their dreams of gold dashed. Despite some slight stalls in the narrative, the book's momentum is sustained by the author's wonderful use of vernacular and the friendship/tension between the boys. In the final act, Possum discovers Pa Singletary's watch hidden in Billy's pocket, leading to a surprising fight and reconciliation that hints poignantly at both the strength of their friendship and their inevitable parting of ways. - Douglas P. Davey, Halton Hills Public Libraries, Ontario, Canada.