Leaving Eldorado

New Mexico, 1896: Maude's father wants to pursue his golden dream in the Yukon, but the 14-year-old won't leave with him. In letters to her dead mother, Maude pours out her struggles not only to survive but to follow her dream of becoming an artist. Despite the fact that the letters sometimes disclose information that the girl's parent would have known, they effectively reveal Maude's feelings as she lands a job in a boarding house, befriends a young Indian woman who works there as a virtual slave, and fends off both the attractive and the repulsive local men. Eventually Maude and her friend, self-proclaimed sisters, leave triumphantly for Santa Fe, having somewhat implausibly struck it rich. This romantic feminist fantasy by the author of The One Who Came Back will keep readers turning the pages for the next melodramatic twist. At the same time they will learn much about social conditions in Gold Rush towns, especially as they affected young women. Mazzio's detailed portrayal of her protagonist provides most of this incidental information, though occasional sociological comments emerge improbably from characters' mouths. This minor flaw, however, does not detract from the overall success of Mazzio's nugget-laden historical yarn. Ages 10-14. (Mar.)