While the name of Noah Brooks is rarely heard in today's literary discussions, a century ago he was firmly ensconced in the upper echelon of America's esteemed writers of historical fiction for young people. His boys' adventure stories, which appeared in serial (mostly in the pages of St. Nicholas magazine) and in book form throughout the last quarter of the nineteenth century, accorded him both the acclaim and popularity to rank him among America's best children's fiction writers. Whether relating the trials and tribulations of a band of boys emigrating to California in search of gold, or the childhood episodes from a boyhood on the Maine coast, Brooks imbues his characters and situations with a remarkably believable quality. Unlike so many of his peers, Brooks rarely uses his characters to preach for moral goodness. Basing most of his plots and players on actual friends and occurrences, he successfully...