Thursday, February 04, 2010

Book Review: Cabin on Trouble Creek by Jean Van Leeuwen

This book made the rounds in my family. I picked it up, but Anthony and Davan each read it before I got around to it. It was popular with us all.

Cabin on Trouble Creek is, at first, reminiscent of the Little House books, with the story being about settlers in Ohio around 1803. Like the Little House books, Cabin on Trouble Creek is based on real life. There is a good deal of making things work with what is available and self reliance.

This is a unique and very worthy book, though. We follow Daniel, 11, and his brother Will, 9, as they arrive at their family's newly chosen plot of land with their Pa. Ma is back at home with the three younger children. They quickly clear land for a cabin and give it a rough build. Then Pa says goodbye to the boys and goes back to Pennsylvania to fetch their Ma and the other children. Daniel and Will are left alone to finish up the cabin.

The trip is supposed to take 5-7 weeks, but as more and more time goes by without the family arriving and with winter coming, the boys must become self reliant to make it through.

I really enjoyed reading about these realistic boys who face challenge after challenge the best they are able. It's a great book for learning about the historical period or for those interested in self reliance, in the spirit of My Side of the Mountain.

I give Cabin on Trouble Creek a 9.

No comments:

Post a Comment