Marven of the Great North Woods

If it was you, could you have done it? Could you have endured being sent away from home at the ripe age of 10 to a logging camp in snow covered Minnesota? Marven did. He wasn't sent away because he had done anything wrong. It was because his family loved him. The logging camp in the great north woods would form a barrier of protection against the influenza outbreak of 1918.

The author, Kathryn Lasky, writes about an amazing time in the life of her father.

Could it possibly be true?

Yes! This story is absolutely true. It is a retelling of the story of Kathryn Lasky's father, Marven Lasky, and his stay at a logging camp in 1918. The inside flap reads:"Marven of the Great North Woods is a true story about a small Jewish boy and a bearish French Canadian lumberjack-and how they became friends under the most unusual circumstances."

The photo to the right is a picture of Marven at age 10.

The story begins with Marven sitting in the shadows of the stairs listening to a nighttime conversation between his parents and Uncle Moishe and Aunt Ghisa. The adults are discussing the urgency of keeping Marven safe from the flu epidemic. It is decided that he will go and keep the books at the logging camp - an accountant of sorts.

Two days later tearful goodbyes are felt as Marven boards the train headed for the logging camp. When he disembarks onto a remote depot platform in Behijim, Minnesota all that can be seen in front of him is a snow covered road. Some five miles straight ahead, a kind hearted man waits for him at the edge of the forest. So begins a 4 month stay in the great north woods.

Illustrations by Kevin Hawkes

Used with permission from Harcourt Trade Publishers

Marven befriends Jean Louis, a giant burly French Canadian lumberjack with "long, shaggy hair" and shoulders like "granite boulders". They eat meals together (Jean Louis finishing anything left on Marven's plate), and when the loggers gather together at night Marven dances on the shoulders of Jean Louis as folk music is played.

There are many other wonderful parts of this book I will not tell you about. I encourage you to read and enjoy this book on your own and keep it for all time.

What if your job at 10 years old was waking this sleeping giant of a lumberjack?

What if the only French words you knew were "bonjour" and "derrriere" translated in English as "Hello, bottom" or "Hello, rear end"?

Would you say it? That's all Marven knew to do. How do you think Jean Louis reacted?

My note to Kathryn Lasky:

August 8, 2006

Kathryn,

My daughter and I read "Marven of the Great North Woods" a couple of years ago and it has remained one of our favorite books. We just read it yet again and I thought I would try to write to you.

This book is extraordinary. I am so thankful that I stumbled across it. Your book has the humor, historical facts, and illustrations I look for. When we finish reading a children's book, we should have learned something new, laughed a little and learned at least a couple of new vocabulary words. It should also be memorable. Your book has it ALL. I give it an A+. There are only a very few books I would say are even in the same league as this one.

I remember shortly after reading it my grandfather asked in conversation, "Did you know there was a great flu epidemic around 1920?" Yes, I did know about it because of your book!

Thanks again,

Paige

Her reply:

August 21, 2006

Dear Paige,

I was so happy to receive your e-mail about Marven of the Great North Woods. It's a story that's close to my heart, and I enjoyed writing it. Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you, but I've been very busy, and have hardly had time to answer my e-mail.

Thanks so much for writing. It means a lot to an author to hear from readers like you.

Cheers,

Kathryn Lasky

http://www.kathrynlasky.com

There's a ton to be learned

as you're reading this book.

Unit Study from Homeschool Share

When I saw the cover on this children's book, I knew it would be a book with a great story. I might get some flack from this, but I stand by my opinion that you CAN judge a children's book by its cover. My statement applies only to children's books, not books for adults. Honestly, I've read hundreds and I dare say thousands of children's books over the last 10 years with my child and my shameless opinion on book covers has helped me sort through many miles of shelved books. What's your opinion?