The Boy Fortune Hunters in Alaska

Also published under the title ‘Sam Steele’s Adventures on Land and Sea’, ‘The Boy Fortune Hunters in Alaska’ is the first story in L. Frank Baum’s popular ‘Boy Fortune Hunter’ series. Sixteen-year-old Sam Steele finds himself orphaned following the reported shipwreck of his father’s ship. Cheated out of his inheritance, Sam sets sail with his uncle, the sea captain Naboth Perkins to provide provisions to miners in Alaska. When the pair are shipwrecked on a remote island in a storm they must contend with treasure, thieves, and the might of mother nature before they find their way home. A gripping adventure story from the popular ‘Oz’ author.

Lyman Frank Baum (1856 – 1919) was a prolific and well-known American writer. He is best known for his famous series of modern fairy tales set in the imaginary land of Oz. The first of the books, ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ is widely considered to be the first true American fairy tale and was the basis for the hugely popular 1939 classic musical ‘The Wizard of Oz’ starring Judy Garland. Born and raised in New York, Baum held a range of jobs including as a poultry farmer, clerk, and storekeeper before pursuing his talent for writing at the age of 41. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series, as well as over 40 other novels and over 80 short stories. He died in California in 1919.