Lumber Camp Library [Paperback]

Natalie Kinsey-Warnock (Author), James Bernardin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

To Ruby, her log-riding lumberjack pa is the most wonderful person in the world. There's nothing she'd rather do than follow in his footprints, but a lumber camp is no place for an eight-year-old girl.

So Ruby goes to school. There she discovers another passion -- the world that opens up to her in books.

When circumstances suddenly change, Ruby fears she has lost the two things she loves most. But through her struggle, she discovers in herself the courage, kindness, and talent that she always admired in her father.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-This spare and moving chapter book will hook readers from the first page. Ruby Sawyer, born in 1912, has lived her whole life in a Vermont lumber camp, where she idolizes her Pa, a logger. Then he is killed in an accident, and Ruby, her Ma, and her 10 siblings must move to a small house near town. In the midst of her loneliness and sorrow, the 10-year-old meets Mrs. Graham, a kindly blind woman who lets Ruby read her books. When the child begins teaching some of the loggers to read, she is on the path to discovering her life's work. While the "lumber camp library" of the book's title is not established until nearly the last page, the narrative builds effectively to that point. This story is gentle enough for beginning readers without glossing over the more difficult details of Ruby's life. The novel is long enough to get readers involved, but moves along quickly enough to hold their interest, and they will be transfixed by the strong and spirited Ruby.
Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OH
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-6. Young Ruby Sawyer is the apple of her lumberjack father's eye. He encourages her to learn to read and write so that some day she can become a teacher. His death in a logging accident makes life much more difficult--until the Sawyers meet Aurora Graham, a blind woman with a house full of books and an appreciation for learning. Mrs. Graham gladly shares her books and her large house, and in exchange Ruby and her family assist her with her household chores. Kinsey-Warnock's likable characters work hard to overcome the obstacles life has dealt them. The simple, direct language and short, accessible chapters will appeal to beginning chapter-book readers, although the story's themes are more appropriate to upper-elementary and middle-school audiences. This will be popular with children who like historical fiction; it's similar in tone to Patricia MacLachlan's Sarah Plain and Tall (1985). Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (November 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064442926
• ISBN-13: 978-0064442923
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #421,804 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Where We Live > Country Life

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the love of reading, January 1, 2004

By 

Sandy (Selma,, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lumber Camp Library (Hardcover)

This is an old fashioned story with all the elements of a good read. The Pa in the story dies, leaving behind a wife and 11 children. Ruby, the oldest, has been going to school just long enough to learn how to read and write. With Pa gone, she must quit school to care for the younger children while her Ma becomes the cook for the local lumber camp. Ruby loves books and wants to become a teacher some day. How will this happen now?
This story shows how a simple kindness to a stranger can be a life-changing event. I don't want to give away the ending - let's just say that if you love to read and share that joy with others - you'll find this book to be a welcome addition to any home or school library.
I can't wait to bring it to my elementary classroom and share it with my students!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome!!!!, June 21, 2009

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Lumber Camp Library (Paperback)

Hi! I am 8 years old. I was the first to read this book in my family. When I finished it, I told my mom, "You have to read it!" It is very good. I think it deserves 5 stars. If I ever have kids, I will read it to them!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Caution!, November 5, 2010

By 

Marck Lopez - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lumber Camp Library (Paperback)

I was quite disappointed by this book, full with bad examples, the girl steals, lies several times, is cruel with her mother and mistreats her brothers with no consequences to all this behavior. Then you have the birds that in the book are told to be the souls from deaths, are we talking about reincarnation? or they are simply demons? for sure there is nothing Christian about this. And is also quite sad, so this book needs a lot of guidance from parents.