Synopsis
A close-knit pioneer family carves out a new home amidst the densely forested land of Ohio in the early nineteenth century
Reviews
Kindergarten-Grade 4-Set sometime after the War of 1812, this story tells of a family who leaves New York to establish a homestead in Ohio. When they arrive, the area is covered with massive trees, and it is up to Pa to clear the land. Told from the perspective of a young boy, this is a heartwarming account of the everyday lives of settlers. He describes the clearing of the trees, dinners, helping to build a log cabin, discovering and cutting down a "honey" tree, the surprise appearance of a bear, and the arrival of neighbors. Richly textured oil-and-acrylic paintings capture the mood of the seasons and the darkness of the dense forest. Each illustration is noteworthy for the quality of light that shines down through the trees to illuminate the characters and the action. The wonderful warmth of family love and unity is enhanced by golden earth tones. Changing seasons are dramatically noted by powerful color shifts. A satisfying glimpse into the past.
Ronald Jobe, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
As an author's note explains, in the first half of the 19th century, settlers began to move into the land beyond Pennsylvania, into Ohio, and found a place of enormous, ancient trees. The insouciant voice of a young boy tells how his father, armed only with an axe, carves out a place for them. The narrator and his brother (``me and Willy'') are old enough to help in some of the work; the boy - in the way of older brothers - sees ``the little ones,'' his sisters and the baby, almost as an undifferentiated group. The amount of labor it taked to fell enough trees for a cabin and to plant a field is astonishing, and even the smallest children work hard gathering nuts, moss, and clay, trying to keep forest visitors from eating crops, and locating a stash of honey. The illustrations amply portray the beauty of the land and the homespun environment: golden light breaking through the forest, gilding patched clothes and tea pots; glistening rivulets of honey on johnnycake. Thoughtful children will note that the native people have moved on, and that much of the huge old tree growth was simply burned. Engaging, entertaining, unsentimental. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Ages 4^-8. As she did in Fourth of July on the Plains (1997), Van Leeuwen gives a view of the pioneer family experience through the eyes of a young boy. This time the place is the great Ohio forest in the early nineteenth century, and Pa must clear the giant trees to build a cabin and plant a crop and make a home. Through the seasons, Pa uses his ax to fell the logs and gradually let the sunlight through. The boy and his brother help build a fence and hoe between the rows of corn; in the fall, they harvest pumpkins and potatoes, and Mom stores seeds for the next spring's planting. They find another family nearby, and then they have neighbors and friends. Boatwright's handsome oil-and-acrylic paintings show the close-knit family in a wilderness that is lonely, scary, and exciting. This is close to Laura Ingalls Wilder country. Hazel Rochman
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