The Tent (Laurel-Leaf Books) [Mass Market Paperback]

Gary Paulsen (Author)

Book Description

Series: Laurel-Leaf Books | Publication Date: October 1, 1996

They steal a Bible from a cheap motel, find an old army tent, and start raking in the money hand over fist. Steven's father is tired of being poor, so he decides to be a preacher. At first Steven is embarrassed by the way his father lies so easily about God. But he learns to love the buckets of money and learns to play his part in the hustle. They set up shop on the outskirts of dusty Texas towns and start to work their way through the South, saving souls. Along the way, they find out whether they can save their own.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

PW praised the pacing and settings of this tale of father and son scammers posing as preachers, but found that "the symbolism and message are trumpeted too loudly, drowning out attempts to create lifelike complexity in either the characters or their situation." Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10?"Thirty-four years old and we don't have a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of to call our own," is how 14-year-old Steven's dad Corey describes their existence. The boy's mother has taken off, and he and his father live in an old rented trailer and drive a broken-down truck. All of this changes in a hurry when Corey commandeers a tent, steals a Gideon Bible from a hotel room, and hits the back roads of Texas in his new occupation as a preacher. Learning the tricks of the trade as they go, Steven and Corey are soon joined by two drifters whose act of being miraculously healed by Corey helps to draw larger crowds and bigger offerings. Soon their new enterprise is earning hundreds of dollars a night and both father and son have all the riches they could ever imagine. At the height of their success, both Corey, who actually has begun to read the Bible for the first time, and Steven are consumed by guilt and they set off in an effort to right their wrongdoings. While the setting and subject matter are atypical of Paulsen, the author's unique ability to pen a story is again demonstrated. While the decision to abandon the lucrative endeavor may seem somewhat abrupt, readers will feel the main characters' dilemma in having to choose between material wealth and doing the right thing. The Tent may surprise Paulsen's many fans, but it will not disappoint them.?Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf; Mass Market Paperback edition (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440219191
• ISBN-13: 978-0440219194
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,888,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gary Paulsen is one of the most honored writers of contemporary literature for young readers. He has written more than one hundred book for adults and young readers, and is the author of three Newberry Honor titles: Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room. He divides his time among Alaska, New Mexico, Minnesota, and the Pacific.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful parable, November 14, 2006

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tent (Paperback)

Steven is skeptical when his father decides that preaching the Word of the Lord is their way out of poverty into fame and fortune. He doesn't really think that his dad will follow through. Then his dad purchases an old tent and they set out for Castle, Texas to hold their first meeting. It is then that Steven's skepticism turns to concern. Neither he nor his dad knows anything about the Bible or religion. His dad says it's OK to make money from preaching, because isn't what they are doing helping people? But to Steven, it feels more like lying and stealing...at least at first.

The Tent is a powerful, short parable about the power of God's Word to transform. It reminds me of the movie Leap of Faith starring Steve Martin as a traveling preacher who "faked" his miracles until he was changed by the power of a true miracle.

Both book and movie give reason to pause and reflect on the fact that, as Jesus often upset the Pharisees by demonstrating his power in ways they didn't consider "proper" or "orthodox," He continues to work in unexpected and surprising ways today.

Armchair Interviews says: A highly enjoyable and thought-provoking read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Tent, February 22, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Tent (Laurel-Leaf Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

In this book, a father is looking for a better life for his son, Steven. Cory, the father, is making minuim wage and cannot keep a job for extended periods of time. One day, Cory decides he if tired of living this way and begins to think of ways to make money. Finally, he remembers a friend he once had. Many years ago Corey's friend began teaching the gospel. However, he did it only for the money collected in the offering. Corey decides this is the way to become rich, so Corey buys a tent and sets off with Steven to preach the Lord's word. They go to many cities throughout Texas preaching and even at times faking miracles, until Corey one night when Corey decides to finally read the bible. He picks it up and begins to read, and to Steven's surprise by the next day he is a true believer. He admits his sins to his next congregation and decides to travel preaching the word for no money at all. This is a compelling story about a lost soul that found the Lord just in time. The stories only set back is the fact that it is short and by the time you get intrested it is almost over. Thats why I gave it four stars instead of five.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ecellent Story, December 17, 1999

By 

William Becker (Wisconsin,USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tent (Laurel-Leaf Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

The tent is a great book. It is about a father (Corey) and a kid named (Steven) who are poor and can't afford anything. This is a great book by the way Gary Paulson creates the plot. The father and son need some money badly. Corey's friend was also poor until he became a priest and also became very rich too. Their friend owed them a favor, so they used and got an old army tent. They went to a hotel and stole the bible a very tricky and clever way. They started in little towns and started getting money to pay needs. They are also doing this illegaly. This book is very interesting and once you get past the beginning it is very hard to put down. It is vey exciting through the beginning and the end, read it and you will find out how good it really is.