"The Gold Rush Kid" is the nail-biting adventure of a 12-year-old boy and his older sister who set out to find their father in 1897 Alaska after their mother dies. The children face a grueling trek north to the Klondike during the gold rush, where their father went hoping to strike it rich. Along the way, they discover what it means to be afraid and still find the courage to go on.

Everyone is afraid of something. It could be fear of rejection — from strangers, friends, family. Perhaps fear of the unknown — strangers, new experiences, challenges we feel unequipped to deal with. Maybe it's the fear of failure. The list goes on and on.

One of our greatest fears in being human is the fear of being alone. When you think about that, it encompasses many of the traits one can see in the above-mentioned fears. We feel alone when we are afraid of the unknown. Fearing rejection means we fear being alone. Fear of failure means we fear the supposed subsequent alienation and will therefore be alone.

Whether children are wholly aware of the intricate tangling of our primal fears does not mean they are immune to the deep-seated emotional turmoil fear can present.

Today's reviewed books address being afraid. Like most excellent children's books, there is a message for the child and for the adult in each of them. What's important is that each book, in its own way, makes it clear that it's OK, it's normal, to be afraid. It's how we work through our fears that will make the difference.

The following book is available at many public libraries.<B>"You've Got Dragons"</B> by Kathryn Cave; illustrated by Nick Maland; Peachtree; 32 pages; read aloud: age 5 and older; read yourself: age 7 to 8 and older.You know you've got dragons when "your heart thuds and your knees wobble¿and your head whirls¿and your tummy hurts and you can't believe it's really happening to you." But you know it is, because no matter what you do, the dragons are still there.You try to pretend they are not there, or run away and hide, or try not to think about the dragons, even shout at them, but they won't go away. Or will they?Full of acknowledgment, simple and effective advice, and peppered with humor, this outstanding book addresses how our fears and worries can sometimes overwhelm and consume us while providing assurance that someday those dragons WILL go away.

<B>Library:</B> Zelienople Public Library, 227 South High St., Zelienople<B>Library Director:</B> Jan Lawrence<B>Children's Librarian:</B> Kay Howard<B>Choices this week:</B> <B>"The Terrible Wave"</B> by Marden Dahlstedt; <B>"The Best School Year Ever"</B> by Barbara Robinson; <B>"Jeremy Kooloo"</B> by Tim Mahurin

The following books are available at favorite bookstores.<B>"Garmann's Summer"</B> written and illustrated by Stian Hole; Eerdmans, 2008; 42 pages; $17.50 hardcover; read aloud: age 5 and older; read yourself: age 7 to 8 and older.Six-year-old Garmann's summer is nearly over, and before it ends, his three old aunts have come to visit for a few days. Auntie Augusta asks Garmann how he feels about starting school. He tells her he is scared.Garmann wonders if everyone is scared of something, and so he asks his aunts, his mom, and his dad if they are scared of anything. It is interesting for Garmann to hear what they have to say. And although there is some comfort in knowing he isn't the only one who is afraid, with only thirteen hours to go until school begins, Garmann is still scared.At once tender, introspective, and peppered with humor, this extraordinarily innovative, brilliant story, with its highly imaginative illustrations, won the prestigious international award for excellence in children's publishing ¿ the 2007 Bologna Ragazzi Award.<B>"The Gold Rush Kid"</B> by Mary Waldorf; Clarion Books, 2008; 232 pages; $16 hardcover; read aloud: age 8 to 9 and older; read yourself: age 9 to 10 and older.In 1897, 12-year-old Billy McGee and his older sister, Edna, left Skagway, Alaska, trekking north to the Klondike. The siblings are without an adult on this grueling, treacherous mountain trail, but they have no choice. Their mother died unexpectedly, and they are following their father who had set off to prospect for gold.Edna feels certain that if they work hard enough, they'll find their father and together strike it rich. But Billy isn't so sure. He's heard of plenty of grownups who had all the right equipment and supplies that never even made it to the gold fields. Will they be able to make it all the way to Dawson City? Will they be able to find their father?Brimming with nail-biting adventure, the essence of family, what is means to be afraid and finding the courage to move on, this historical fiction novel is first-rate.Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached via e-mail: kendal@sunlink.net.