Riding the Flume (Aladdin Historical Fiction) [Paperback]

Patricia Curtis Pfitsch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2004 | Age Level: 10 and up | Series: Aladdin Historical Fiction

Don't tell anyone -- the only safety is in secrecy.

During the summer of 1894 the giant sequoia trees -- the oldest living things on earth -- are being felled for lumber in northern California. When fifteen-year-old Francie finds a note hidden in the stump of an old sequoia, she immediately recognizes her sister's handwriting. But Carrie died in an accident six years ago. Could Carrie's secret still be important?

Francie's search for the truth turns dangerous, and she needs to get to St. Joseph fast. She's faced with the choice of either giving up, or riding the flume, a rickety track that carries lumber from the mills in the mountains to the lumberyard in St. Joseph. Should Francie risk her life for the secret her sister fought to keep?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Between 1890 and 1903, whole forests of giant sequoia trees were felled for lumber in northern California. In this exciting adventure story, Francie, 15, begins to unravel a mystery when she finds a hidden note left by her sister, now deceased, in the hole of a tree and sets out to stop the logging of the biggest giant. Set in 1894, the novel is a fast read, ending with a daredevil ride on the loggers' flume. Francie is a brave, high-spirited teen who values commitment, history, the environment, and the legacy of her sister's memory. A subplot involves the family dealing with the loss of Carrie six years earlier. The uneasy decision between whether to save the tree in memory of Carrie or save the economy and the loggers' jobs is handled objectively. Pfitsch has researched her subject well and gives the California mountain landscape and its inhabitants a note of realism. However, the book is weakened by too simple a resolution, the downplaying of natural hazards in the wild, and many dangers either glossed over or omitted. The writing is sometimes repetitious, but it is easy, making the story an accessible and enjoyable read. Some moral-value issues, such as telling the truth and minding parents, are nicely handled. The attractive jacket depicting the dangerous ride on the flume should draw readers and help sell the book.
Susannah Price, Boise Public Library, ID
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. The year is 1894; the place is California. Naturalists and journalists are writing against the felling of giant sequoia trees. Francie agrees with their position, but times are hard, and her parents believe that the town will die if the lumber company fails. While Francie works to count tree rings as a favor for a newspaper editor, she finds a mysterious message from her sister, Carrie, who has been dead for six years. It seems to indicate danger, and Francie is determined to investigate. Her clandestine search unearths connections between a hermit who died in a mysterious fire, a nasty lumber company official, and her sister; but to find what she needs to resolve the puzzle, she must gather her courage and ride the dangerous log flume down the long, watery shoot to St. Joseph. Pfitsch brings together a brave heroine, authentic background, and an intriguing view of a little-known part of U.S. history to make this a winner, especially for girls who like historical fiction. A glossary and notes are provided. Jean Franklin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (March 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689866925
• ISBN-13: 978-0689866920
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #942,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Riding The Flume" makes a little known part of history exciting and intriguing, March 8, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Riding the Flume (Aladdin Historical Fiction) (Paperback)

History may not be one of the funnest subjects to learn about, but it is certainly one of the most interesting. I have found, though, that I mostly find myself excited about learning only about big and important historical events that had drastic effects on all of our lives and helped shape our country to become what it is today. That is why when I read the back of "Riding the Flume", a story that takes place in 1894 during a time when all the giant sequias were being cut down to provide lumber, I didn't know how interested the book would get me. I had heard nothing but good about it, though, so I decided to read it. "Riding the Flume" has now become one of my all time favorite books. The author took this little known yet extremely important part of history and created a breath taking story that will make you laugh, go red in the face with intense anger, warm your heart and make you cry. The author had a way of tying in human emotions and realistic events in such a beautiful way that one couldn't help but feel like they were there. I felt more like I was watching a film, what with all the detailed description. The story is absolutly moving. When Francie,the main character, looses her sister in a tragic accident, her family is changed forever. But when she and her cousin Charlie discover a tree that looks as though it has been growing since the beggining of time and find that hidden somewhere in the mountains is a will that says the tree belongs the Carrie, her sister, Francie will risk everything she once held dear to keep the loggers away from the tree and keep the spirit of her dead sister alive. I hardly even realized the learning going on in my mind as I read the book, because I was so engulfed in the story. "Riding the Flume" is gorgeous and unforgettable, and I would not hesitate to recomend it to anyone who is looking for a good read and an exilirating, life changing experiance.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hannah's review, December 5, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Riding the Flume (Aladdin Historical Fiction) (Paperback)

Riding the Flume is one of the best books I have ever read! It is about a 15-year-old girl named Francie whose sister died in a landslide six years ago. She lives in California in 1894 where the sequoia trees are being chopped down for lumber. Francie one day finds a note written by her sister in a sequoia stump. She tries to figure out what Carrie's secret is. When Francie finds Carrie's diary, she discovers that a man named Old Robert left the largest sequoia to Carrie in his will. When the huge tree is discovered, the loggers plan to cut it down. Francie has to somehow stop them, so that the last thing left of Carrie is not lost. She must get to St. Joseph so she can show Mr. Court the will to prove that the loggers have no right to cut it down. Francie has no way to get there, unless she rides the flume. Will she risk her life to save Carrie's tree? Will she be able to stop the loggers before the tree is gone? Read this book to find out!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brave and determined girl, August 21, 2009

By 

J. Grambo "Teacher" (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Riding the Flume (Aladdin Historical Fiction) (Paperback)

From 1890 to 1903, some of the largest and finest redwood trees in California were cut down, some leaving stumps as big as a 2-car garage, or bigger. Riding the Flume is an exciting fiction story about a logging town where everyone's livelihood depended upon the redwood lumber, and a 15-year-old girl who sets out to save one of the biggest.

The lumber company boss would not believe Francie when she claimed her family's ownership of the tract of land where the towering giant redwood stood, and they planned to start cutting it down in the morning. Her only hope was to get the deed from the land office in St. Joseph, 30 miles away down the mountain, and bring the sheriff to enforce the deed. But it would take a day to get down the mountain on horseback, and another day to get back up. How could she save her precious tree by tomorrow morning?

To get the logs from high in the mountains down to the lumber mills as much as 50 miles below, the logging companies build flumes -- wooden chutes with water flowing in them several feet deep. The flumes were mounted on a framework or scaffolding so that they could bridge out over ravines and have a fairly consistent downhill slope. Their appearance was somewhat like a rollercoaster that is all downhill, and the logs floated -- with occasional log jams -- all the way down.

I have seen these majestic redwood giants, and was horrified to read of the destruction of the 2000-year-old forests. The tree Francie protected still stands, though, and can be seen today.

The story of how Francie saved her tree will delight girls ages 10-15 (and older!)