Winter Camp
Grade 4-6-Following the deaths of their parents, Toughboy and Sister are tended to by an old woman in their Alaskan village. Although gruff and short on praise and affection, Natasha is wise in the "old ways" of the Athabascan Indians, and instructs the children through stories about bygone days and by taking them to a winter trapping camp. As in the earlier Toughboy and Sister (McElderry, 1990), the children mature, yet show instances of behavior and thought that reveal the impulsiveness of their youth (ages seven and nine). Hill's description of life and work at the camp is straightforward and unsentimental, a blend of beauty and blunt reality that is reflected in Sister's mixed feelings about trapping. Again, the children must learn to survive under trying circumstances, this time when Natasha leaves them to seek help for a wounded trapper in the midst of harsh winter weather. Familiarity with the first book is not required. A spare but compelling story of survival and the growth of two very resilient but sensitive children.Susan Knorr, Milwaukee Public Library,Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.