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Summary
Summary
In the summer of 1800, 13-year-old Pierre La Page never thought he'd be leaving Montreal to paddle 2,400 miles. It was something older men, like his father, did. But when Pierre's father has an accident, Pierre quits school and enlists to become a voyageur for the Northwest Fur Company. Without his wages, how would his family survive the winter? As the youngest member of the brigade, it's not easy for Pierre. Treacherous waters, aching and bloodied hands, and the relentless teasing from the seasoned voyageurs make him miserable. But Pierre knows there's no turning back. He has no choice but to endure the trip to Grand Portage and back.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8Pierre, 13, is the son of a voyager, one of the French-Canadian canoemen who plied the fur trade in Canada during the last two centuries. When his father severely injures himself in a wood-chopping accident, Pierre signs on with his father's company in order to keep the family from poverty. The bulk of the novel is structured around the boy's first canoe trip to the wilderness outpost of Grand Portage. Along the way, he faces many challenges and has great adventures. He grows in physical strength and matures both mentally and spiritually. In short, he becomes a man. The combination of historical fiction set in 1800 with a coming-of-age tale works well here. Pierre's companions on his journey are a rowdy, disreputable lot, but they pull together when they must. There is the requisite bully whose respect Pierre must earn and a good-natured boss who has faith in him. The drowning of one of the boatmen sobers the crew and brings home to Pierre the very real dangers they face. The work is grueling and the food monotonous, but the men enjoy a rough camaraderie and savor the natural beauty that surrounds them. Middle school students will be attracted to this enjoyable, fast-moving story.Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In 1800, a 13-year-old boy takes his father's place on an arduous canoe trip across Lake Superior. "This adventure tale will give rise to daydreams of a more rugged time," said PW. Ages 10-up. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
When his father is injured and cannot serve as a canoeman for a fur trading company, thirteen-year-old Pierre signs on for the arduous two-thousand-mile journey from Montreal to Grand Portage. Set in 1800, the story focuses on the first part of the voyage and the salty comrades Pierre comes to know. Despite some compelling scenes, stock characterizations and occasional slow pacing make the journey drag. From HORN BOOK 1997, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Durbin's first novel is an impressive coming-of-age tale set in Montreal at the dawn of the 19th century. When Pierre's father severely cuts himself while doing one of the boy's chores, the guilt-ridden 13-year-old leaves school and enlists as a voyageur for the North West Company. Voyageurs freighted goods thousands of miles, from Montreal to Grand Portage. As one of the rowers in one of the convoy's canoes, Pierre, who knows his family will not last the winter without his wages, paddles 1618 hours a day, with few breaks. Soon, bloodied, blistering hands, aching muscles, and taunts from the older, more seasoned voyageurs fill his days. While the physical demands threaten to crush his spirit, Pierre nevertheless remains open- minded, and soon kinder men like La Londe and Charbonneau offer friendly advice and keep an eye out for the hardworking young man. Durbin brings in a wealth of facts about the canoes, the countryside, and tools the voyageurs used, all adding realism to the tale. The sudden drowning of La Londe sends the boy into a confrontation with grief that leaves him with a clear-eyed view of mortality. The teasing and name-calling of the crustier voyageurs is unrelenting, but appropriate for this salty, rough, and feisty bunch. Readers will embrace this unusual journey and its path to true bravery, strength of character, and self-reliance. (map, not seen) (Fiction. 10+)
Booklist Review
Gr. 5^-8. After Pierre's father injures his thumb chopping wood that Pierre should have chopped, the 13-year-old takes over one of his father's jobs: he signs on as a voyageur, a member of a crew transporting furs north from Montreal by canoe. His fellow voyageurs are a brawling, macho lot, and the work of getting along with them and proving himself a man is as difficult as the agonizing paddling and the portaging of heavy loads. Durbin seamlessly incorporates thorough historical research into the story, which is set in 1800, never bowing to modern-day notions of political correctness in his depiction of the characters' attitudes toward Indians. The lively writing, vivid characters, and page-turning adventure make this a great choice for Gary Paulsen fans. --Susan Dove Lempke