Boston Jane Series: Wilderness Days [Library Binding]

Jennifer L. Holm (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Boston Jane

"Remember -- you make your own luck."

Abandoned in Washington Territory by her faithless fiancé, Jane Peck prepares to return home to Philadelphia -- only to learn that the life she once knew is no more. Lost and alone, Jane must make a new home for herself as the only pioneer woman in the primitive settlement of Shoalwater Bay. Armed with little more than her finishing-school education, Jane is left to survive everything from the disagreeable habits of her unkempt landlord to the infuriating flawlessness of Shoalwater's latest arrival, Mrs. Frink. All this, as well as a blossoming romance and a perilous manhunt, awaits Jane as she matches wits with the wilderness.

The second book of the Boston Jane trilogy, this remarkable, suspense-filled adventure pits Jane Peck against some of her deepest fears in the wild, uncharted frontiers of friendship, love, and the Pacific Northwest.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The heroine of Boston Jane, whom PW called an "outspoken, self-reliant young woman readers will long remember," returns for Boston Jane: Wilderness Days by Jennifer L. Holm. As the novel opens, Jane receives news that her father has passed away in Boston. Her ex-fiance describes his plans to move all of the Washington Territory's Shoalwater Bay Indians to a reservation. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10-Boston Jane is as feisty as ever, but with a distinctively sharper edge. And with good reason. She has endured several months with smelly, uncouth old men, in less-than-pristine living conditions, in the wilderness of Washington Territory. Now, to increase her emotional burdens, the "proper" young woman from Philadelphia receives word that her father has died. The challenges of the wilderness begin to bring out the worst in her; she is prickly and feels unappreciated by those around her. Trusting a "gentleman" stranger, she inadvertently puts a friend's life in danger and she and two companions, one of whom is a love interest, trek through the wilds to reach the Stevens Negotiations between the Indians and the territorial government representatives, including Jane's pompous former fiance. She comes to recognize her true friends as she braves adverse conditions and returns to Shoalwater Bay with her emotional wounds less raw, and her retorts less sharp. Readers unfamiliar with Boston Jane: An Adventure (HarperCollins, 2001) are quickly brought up to speed on the previous events and memorable characters. Details are interestingly revealed and are, for the most part, historically accurate. The Stevens Negotiations actually took place, although the timing has been changed. (Holm acknowledges this in an author's note.) The depiction of life in the wilderness reflects experiences found in first-person accounts of pioneer women in the 1850s. Holm once again delivers an action-packed story with a strong female protagonist.-Carolyn Janssen, Children's Learning Center of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Library Binding: 256 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (September 17, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060290447
• ISBN-13: 978-0060290443
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,573,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Turtle in Paradise started with a story my mom liked to tell about her childhood. During the summers, her grandmother would take her to Key West to visit her relatives. Her mother made her promise to "shake her shoes out." My mom didn't know why her mother wanted her to do this, but she did it anyway. And then one hot day, she shook her shoes and out popped . . . a scorpion!

Writing Turtle in Paradise was a wonderful way to re-connect with my Key West heritage. My great-grandmother, Jennie Lewin Peck, emigrated from the Bahamas to Key West at the turn of the century. She considered herself a "Conch," what the local Key West folks called themselves, after the native mollusk that so many fished for in the Bahamas. Nana was always talking about how she missed sugar apple ice cream and Spanish limes. When my editor, Shana Corey, started asking me about Nana and my Key West family, I just knew that there was a story somewhere in there.

Researching this book was also an interesting way to experience a different side of living through the Great Depression. While Key West suffered significant economic hardship (the town went bankrupt and the majority of the citizens were on economic relief), it didn't have the same sort of feel as most of the depression stories I was used to hearing--soup lines, tent cities, and the Dust Bowl. Key West was warm for one thing, and there was plenty of free food, courtesy of the sea. One man told me, he ate lobster during the Depression! Key West was a freewheeling town full of characters and bygone industries--sponge fishing, rumrunners, and, of course, pirates! It had all the ingredients for a fabulous setting.

I hope you enjoy reading Turtle in Paradise as much as I enjoyed writing it. And if you ever go to Key West, be sure to shake out your shoes!







Brother and sister team, Matthew Holm and Jennifer Holm, grew up playing with stuffed mice. Today Jennifer is the author of several highly acclaimed novels, including the Newbery Honour book, 'Our Only May Amelia'. Matthew is a graphic designer and freelance writer. Neither of them have mice, although Jenni does have a small son who likes cheese a lot and Matt has a weasel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Proper Young Lady finds her feet at last!, October 19, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Boston Jane Series: Wilderness Days (Hardcover)

If you haven't read Holm's first book in this series, "Boston Jane: An Adventure" and her Newbery honor winner, "Our Only May Amelia," pick them up now! Then dig into "Wilderness Days." Holm continues her fascination with the America's Paciific Northwest with the story of Jane Peck, a young girl from Philadelphia (in the 1850s) who follows a foolish young man to the Washington frontier. But whereas, in Book 1, proper and upright Miss Peck was newly come to the frontier, with its grubby men and lack of manners, in "Wilderness Days" she has to confront not only her decision to stay on the frontier, but also her basic notions of home, family, and friends. She also gets a rude awakening when a REAL "proper young lady" joins her frontier community. All of this drama takes place against a rich historical backdrop, including the climactic real-life rendezvous between Washington state's first governor, Isaac Stevens, and the native tribes of the Pacific Northwest (the members of whom are friends of young Miss Peck) that would decide the fate of the Indians, settlers, and future generations of Americans. Not a book any schoolkid should miss!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice easy read, December 2, 2002

By 

"lilydafidol2" (Salem, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boston Jane Series: Wilderness Days (Hardcover)

I found this story of "Boston" Jane a fast paced easy and interesting read. This was the first Jane story that I have read, but I found it understandable despite the fact that it was not the first book in the series. The character Jane describes in first person her experiences in the NorthWest pre-major migration. She seemed realistic and strong. I was sick of reading about girls my age who found love and just kissed the guy and that was it. In this story, Jane is unsure of her love for a certain sailor (who the reader knows to be the perfect match throughout the novel) but in the end gets together with him. Janes strong will probably was not historically accurate, but it made for a great read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Greatest Books of all Time, August 14, 2004

By 

Bookworm - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boston Jane Series: Wilderness Days (Hardcover)

This book is one of the greatest books of all time! It includes all of the elements I love in books- romance, adventure, and a happy ending. The world has never seen anything as wonderful as Boston Jane: Wilderness Days. It is my favorite book in the series! Jennifer L. Holm is a genius!