I don’t know why it took me so long to read this book. It was so good! Once I finally started, I could not put it down. A modern-day Treasure Island, with three children and a dog adventuring on skateboards in Manhattan. They are looking for the treasure of a pirate who died in Zane’s boarding house. Each clue from the treasure map takes them through the buried and unsung history of Black people in Manhattan. They children, and I, learned so much! The characters are relatable and well-rounded with difficult relationships that are explored, too.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for this DRC.
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Jewel Parker Rhodes gives an genuine urban twist to this classic tale. Young readers and skateboarders who like an edgy, action tale will appreciate Treasure Island: Runaway Gold.

You can't really go wrong when you pick up a Jewell Parker Rhodes book. Treasure Island: Runaway Gold was a wonderful, fast-paced adventure. It kept me enthralled through the last page and wanting more. I love books that sweep you away to new lands and this book was a wonderful trip.

After months of starting and restarting this book, we finally finished it! My girls and I read it together every night before bed for about a month, taking a chapter or two at a time, digesting parts of the plot and letting the overall themes and lessons sink in. I feel quite accomplished for having finally finished something that we started months ago, and sticking with it even though it took some time for us to get into it.

Overall the story was enjoyable and the plot was original. The characters were quite memorable too, including some side characters that could've been written off but got a little more developed as the story progressed. However, we all felt that it was a bit confusing. I also wasn't a fan of the writing style, which I think was done purposely to mirror pirate speak, and was heavily influenced by the original Treasure Island.

Still, it was a fresh take on a classic, and I really enjoyed the concept of modern day pirates being skateboarders rolling through the streets of New York, and the in depth look at the history of slavery in New York and the terrible things that happened but are often ignored in history books. An exciting adventure with a quest for a treasure, with interwoven themes of racism and justice, make this a book I'm glad I read out loud to my kids. Recommended for ages 9+.

A refresher on the original text would have helped significantly, especially since I do not know if I have ever read the original. I really enjoy Rhodes' writing and this book definitely demonstrated her skill. However, certain things kept me from full suspension of disbelief. This book has near fantastical elements but also incredible realism of hard-hitting contemporary issues. The constant struggle to make these pieces fit together kept me from becoming immersed and ultimately left me dissatisfied.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I loved this modern take of Treasure Island! Instead of pirates on the sea, Jewell Parker Rhodes transforms the story to modern day Manhattan where the pirates are a gang of skateboarders. After Zane’s dad died, his mom had to take on boarders to make ends meet. One of the boarders, Captain Maddie, dies suddenly and Zane is thrown into a crazy race to find a treasure she left behind. The treasure could help save Zane’s house and let his mom not have to struggle anymore. The chase leads Zane and his friends on a crazy adventure where they don’t know who to trust. This was a great story with lots of twists & turns.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a case where I liked the concept better than the reality. The idea of street thugs as pirates and finding treasure in New York are cool and worth exploring, especially as Rhodes began to unspool the history of slavery in the city. As much space as that idea got in the book, I was constantly yearning for more. I wanted it to have a larger role in the conclusions that the characters drew in the end. Those characters are, unfortunately, a bit flat. They aren't complex enough to really make this plot shine.

When classical literature gets a modern remix, you know I will read it. I'm so glad I read this one because its a wonderful story that remains true to the original tale, but adds a fun modern twist to it.

In New York City, Zane, his friends, and his dog uncover the city's hidden history while looking for treasure in this Treasure Island retelling.

So... this book wasn't for me. But I do think it is definitely for other people.

First of all, I wonder if I would have liked this book better in an audiobook than I did reading it. The sentences tend to be very short and abrupt. I never could get comfortable reading because it felt like I was in the front passenger seat of a teen driver spending more time hitting the brakes than pushing on the gas. It felt jerky and kept shaking me out of reading.

Here's a small excerpt of what I mean about the writing style:
Hands on his hips, he bellows, “You’ve had a hard welcome to the city. Not as hard as slaves, mind you.” He chuckles low. “Let me be a friend. Help you.” He thrusts out his hand. I almost shake it. His ring of silver twisting snakes stops me. (I’m confused.)
His expression is kind, sympathetic. Curious. (But Hip-Hop doesn’t like him.)
“I’ve got to meet my friends at Trinity Church.”
“Ah, that, too, was built by slaves.” “Really?” “Yes, too bad, isn’t it? A great treasure built by Black people, mind you. Look around now . . . everybody here mainly white, all wealthy."
"Mind you, back in time, on Stone Street’s cobblestones the whip lashed Black skin. Blood running red, being treated like gold.” Click-click: puzzle pieces fit inside my head. The clue: Gold is black; black is gold. Red is always red. Port City landing. A wooden wall becomes a market. (I’ve got to tell Jack and Kiko.)
“Got to go.”
“No, not yet,” John exclaims, blocking my way. I swerve around him.
“Come on, Hip-Hop.”
“I could teach you. History, Zane. I could teach you.”

I suspect that listening to it would make it feel more like hip hop and would be interesting to listen to, making the writing style an asset instead of a distraction I couldn't ever overcome when reading the text. The dialogue also annoyed me because I've never talked to anyone who talks like this.

The other big thing that made this book not for me is that Treasure Island is one of my favorite books. I read it when I was about 7 and slept with it under my pillow for several years as a teenager because I was always pulling it out to read pieces of it. I have a hard time with a lot of retelling, and this is another one that just didn't work for what I wanted. I need more pirates and less skateboarding in my Treasure Island stories, I guess. I thought some of the parallels were stretched a little too far or weren't clearly explained.

I also felt the book was somewhat repetitive and dull at parts.

There were things about this book I found interesting that make me think this book would be for other people. For one thing, the focus on New York City history with a particular look at the history of Black people is fascinating and much needed. The skateboard crews, although I wasn't at all interested in them, are an interesting take on transportation and rivalry in this kind of story.

I think some readers will really enjoy this. I wish I had been one of them.

Zane gets possession of a treasure map from an old "pirate" and recruits his BFFs Kiko and Jack to go on an adventure with him. He needs the money to help his mom, but the quest becomes about more than just the treasure. As they travel through the underground "seas" (aka tunnels, skate parks, etc) of Manhattan, their friendship is tested and they have to answer big questions like: Who do you trust? How important is loyalty and honesty? And, will you risk your life - or your dog's life - for money? I haven't read Treasure Island in a long time so I'm sure there were more Easter Eggs and references to the original than I fully understood. But, what was astonishing to me was the history of slavery and the mistreatment of African Americans in New York for decades. In particular, learning that Wall Street was built by slaves and served as a place to buy and sell slaves was horrifying. The plot was fast-paced but seemed a bit repetitive and drawn out. I really liked each of the main characters and noted the parallel between the reasons the neighborhood kids become part of the pirate crew and the factors that lead many kids and teens to join gangs or participate in illegal activities.

I've been wanting to run a class with classic novels and retellings, and since I love teaching Treasure Island, I'm going to do it this coming fall using this title. Bonus points for skateboarding inclusion!

The historical connections in this adaptation of Treasure Island make the story well worth reading. This version feels a bit forced in terms of connections to the original work, but middle grade students wouldn’t recognize that. It feels almost like a graphic novel in prose. The action will keep readers engaged and the adventure makes it a page-turner. The resolution is satisfying,

Wonderful book of adventure that breathes new life into an old familiar tale. Happy to see a contemporary update on this for fans of the contemporary fiction genre.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Treasure Island: Runaway Gold is a clever, imaginative retelling of Treasure Island. I loved the idea of skateboards being a modern stand-in for ships, with the story following a treasure hunt in New York City. And while it’s set in the modern day, I love how much history is embedded in the narrative, particularly relating to Black American history, from the slave trade to the Underground Railroad to Wall Street, unveiling some figures lost to history, and looking at the contradictory history of abolition and slavery in New York’s history. The extent to which all these elements feel believable when blended together is somewhat subjective, but I was willing to go with the flow and just enjoy this as a fun adventure.
Zane is an engaging protagonist to follow. I particularly liked how his friendships and the other bonds in his community really helped to define him as he and his crew went on adventures. There’s not a lot to say about him in his own right, but I don’t think it takes away from the story too much.
The story is fast-paced and engaging, without a dull moment. There’s some great plot twists, and while I personally haven’t read the original, according to the author’s note, there’s some nods to it that will make the reading experience much richer.
This book is a lot of fun, but with a lot of depth that makes it educational, regardless of how old you are. If you’re looking for a unique take on a classic, swashbuckling adventure story, I’d recommend checking this out.

With pirates, treasure, and skateboards: Treasure Island: Runaway Gold is a precious story. Taking place in Manhattan, the story follows Zane as he searches for New York's hidden treasures with his friends, Kiko and Jack, and his dog Hip-Hop. While the story was a fun take on the original classic, I found it very confusing at times to follow along and couldn't embrace the fantastical elements as much as I wished to. It all felt too unrealistic and the writing was a bit choppy for me to follow along. That being said, I could see this story being interesting to kids wanting to read a modern take on a classic pirate tale.

I really enjoyed the latest book by Jewell Parker Rhodes! Such an adventure of pirates and a treasure that is being sought after in New York City!

A great read-aloud for middle school and upper elementary social studies classes. A historical fiction story with very interesting historical facts that most people probably (unfortunately) don't know.

A must-have for all libraries!!

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Jewel Parker Rhodes (Ghost Boys, Black Brother Black Brother, Towers Falling) places her Treasure Island story in the heart of New York City in the “right now” time. Her story has pirates both modern and from the past, treasure, two-faced characters that you are never quite sure of until the end, and sailing vessels with sails as well as wheels. Woven into a tale of treasure hunting and discovering who you and your friends are deep down inside is history of slave trade and abolitionists that most people aren’t aware is a big part of NYC’s rise to fame. A beloved tenant in Zane’s home dies and the stories of her pirating days become very real for him when he discovers an old treasure map. Zane and his best friends Kiko and Jack take off on their skateboards to follow the clues with a gang of street kids on boards hot on their heels. A older seafaring man befriends the trio and helps them decipher clues that are all a part of the story of Blacks who were traded as well as saved on the Wall Street of the past. Readers will thrill to the chase filled with plenty of skating tricks, secret passageways and lots of buried bones. Back matter includes illustrations and descriptions of a dozen skateboard tricks. The author’s note helps readers see the connection to Robert L. Stevenson’s Treasure Island and restates the truth of the enslaved Blacks who built much of the early city and the dark meaning behind the “wall” of the original Wall Street. Outstanding book for adventuring loving middle grade readers, especially those with a taste for skateboarding and/or historical fiction. While the book does have 336 pages, the fast-moving, exciting plot will make those pages fly by.

Part treasure hunt adventure, part journey into forgotten history, all non-stop action. With steady, staccato beat narration, Jewel Parker Rhodes pulls her readers in and doesn’t let go. Strong addition to any middle grade library.

This book covers a chapter of New York City history that will be valuable to young readers, but the pacing is quite slow. While the story also touches upon the complicated motives behind some adults' behavior, the adult in question gave me MPV (Major Pedo Vibes). Additionally, the story addresses difficult themes like grief and domestic violence, the latter of which is handled well until the end, at which point it feels unresolved. For the able handling of historical racism, I would recommend this book to my library's middle-grade patrons. It will spark discussion and get both kids and adults thinking about the past and how it affects the present.