Silver Rush

TFK Kid Reporter Hanming Wang read The Road from Nowhere and interviewed its author, Avi. Read Hanming’s thoughts below.

In his newest book, award-winning author Avi transports readers to a tiny silver-mining town in 1893. The Road from Nowhere takes place in Gatchett’s Gulch, which feels like nowhere to Ollie, the book’s 13-year-old protagonist.

Ollie dreams of finding silver to give his family a better future. But Gatchett’s Gulch is run by Elijah Gatchett, who has all the power and claims all the silver for himself. Standing up to him can be dangerous.

Ollie, his brother, Gus, and their friend Alys are hunting for silver. At first, they have no luck. Then they meet Mr. Blake, a newcomer who knows how to “read rocks.” That means he has a knack for finding silver. The kids begin to feel hopeful—but hope comes with risks.

The tension builds, as Ollie is faced with difficult choices about courage, honesty, and responsibility. The book doesn’t give easy answers. And it has a surprise ending, which made me think about what I would do in Ollie’s place.

Avi, who’s written more than 80 books for young readers, told TIME for Kids he doesn’t plan every detail ahead of time. “I invent as I go along,” he said, explaining that he rewrites his stories many times to make them feel real and exciting.

I really enjoyed The Road from Nowhere. It kept me turning the pages, especially the suspenseful parts inside the dark silver-mining cave. I would recommend this book to readers who like historical fiction, adventure, or stories about kids facing big challenges.