Lumber Camp Library

by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, James Bernardin (Illustrator)

A charming chapter book set in the early 1900s in rural Vermont, by the award-winning author of The Canada Geese Quilt .  This is a great choice for emerging readers who are ready for chapter books . 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.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Chapter Books, Historical, Juvenile, Books About Books

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

My sister, three brothers, and I grew up on a Vermont dairy farm in a region known as the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, USA, where my Scottish ancestors settled almost two hundred years ago.

Our lives revolved around our church, our community, and the hard work of farming. Along with milking and feeding the animals each morning and evening, there was the work of each season: maple sugaring, plowing, picking stone, planting, haying, corn-cutting, harvest, cutting wood.

While my parents lives were consumed by farming and providing for their children, they managed to pass on much more to us. My mother, a teacher, instilled in us a love of books and reading, and a curiosity about everything, while my father, besides being an excellent athlete, has also encouraged our interest in the natural world, whether it was identifying birds, trees and wildflowers, or pointing out constellations on a starry night.

My book As Long As There Are Mountains is based on my childhood and my love of the farm, the land, and the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

Reviews

[Cindy aka "The Book Fairy" · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful story! her books are based upon true events of her life or her families...Short but sweet :)

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a charming little story, with a sort of Little House feel to it :) It's set in 1922 which I found surprising because it definitely feels like it's the same era as the Little House stories, but then I don't know much about America over the years! I've read a lot of post-WWI stories set in Europe and the time felt nothing like those years. It's all still very quaint and quiet and old-fashioned and pioneer-ish. And thus really fun and interesting, and lovely to picture :)

I'd love to read more about the same family if there are more stories! It's very short and sweet but doesn't read too young or too shallow. Makes for a nice twenty minute quickie before lunch.

I adored old Mrs. Graham and how the whole family moved in with her. And Jim was just sweet so I am glad Ruby didn't keep him apart from her Ma for too long!

[CLM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruby Sawyer adores her lumberjack father but when he dies, she is forced to leave the school she enjoys to help care for her ten siblings. Her mother takes a job cooking for the lumber camp. However, when Ruby befriends an elderly woman who is affluent but blind, she is rewarded by receiving some children's books that transport her to another world. Eventually, the kindly Mrs. Graham invites the Sawyer family to share her large home. Mrs. Sawyer remarries one of her husband's cohorts, and Ruby vows to become a teacher and to open a library so no one else has to hunger for books as she had.

[Karyn Tripp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my kids in one day. Three of us were in tears through parts of the story. It is a sweet historical fiction. Great for young kids to read on their own (early chapter book) or to read to them.

[Dakota Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know so much feeling could be packed into such a short book! And to find out it was based on the author’s true family history was icing on the cake. I would recommend this book to anyone, of any age, but especially to girls from age 7 to 12. It’s one I’ll cherish and keep to share if I have a daughter someday.

[Haley Kilgour · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the title is quite misleading the story is very cute and wholesome. It depicts an interesting side of American life and the hardships that could come with life and large families.

[Caren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby was given her name by her father, who calls her "my little jewel". She, in turn, adores her father and hopes to become a lumberjack, just like him. Born in 1912, Ruby is now ten years old, living with her parents and ten siblings in a Vermont lumber camp. When her parents suggest she begin attending the school in town, she balks. After all, she only wants to be a lumberjack! But her father, who cannot read, tenderly tells her "...I want my children to be smarter than I am." Ruby finds she loves school and, above all, she loves books. Unhappy times come, however, when her father dies in a tragic lumber accident and Ruby must quit school to help her mother with the younger children. They all move to a tiny house in town and her mother begins taking in laundry to make a living. Later Ruby's mother gets a new job as lumber camp cook and Ruby becomes a teacher to the men of the camp. Through Ruby, the family is befriended by a blind woman in town. How Ruby deals with the family's changed circumstances and accepts her father's death make for a moving story.
The author, who lives in Vermont, says her stories come from her own family history. Her website has some lovely pictures and interesting information about her: http://www.kinsey-warnock.com/

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a reader for my 4th grader boy with our homeschool curriculum. His first reaction: “another story about a library?” After telling him to not judge it by the name or cover he jumped in. It has short chapters and was easy to get through in a week for him. He kept commenting on parts of story that amazed him and ended with telling me “wow! That last section. So much happened! You should read it mom.” So I did! I can see why it kept his attention as there were quite a bit of twists and turns. My only reason for 4 stars and not 5 is the story could have been developed a little more and needed a bit more dialogue. But it’s a good, quick read for kids who need encouragement to finish books!

[Rain Misoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute little book! It's short, a bit sad, but sweet. Loved how it encouraged people to read! I liked this book a lot.

To read my full review, click here.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, short story of a girl who loves books, learning, and her lumberjack Pa. When he dies in a logging accident, she must stay home from school to help with younger siblings while Ma works. Great book to compare and contrast with Prairie School by Avi.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is great! Short and easy to read

[Kaili · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was a child and spent about a year trying to figure out what it was. Finally, I got a tip from the local librarian that she thought this might be it. Bought it on Amazon and it was it! It was different from what I remember but is filled with good lessons for young kids and I'm very glad I have it now!

[Stacy Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a surprisingly stunning little book! I read it with my 8 year old and it's so short that I didn't expect much out of it but it packed a huge punch of heart and lovely life lessons. It has "Little House on the Prairie" vibes to it. It also turned out to be a true story which made it all the better! Highly recommend this for anyone, really.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most charming read-aloud books I’ve ever done for my kids! Everyone loved it. It was so sweet—-I did have to stop reading a few times and show some YouTube videos on logging/lumberjacks during the 1900s so the kids would better understand what was going on, but I felt like that added a nice little history lesson for all of us too. The listeners were age 6-10.

[Macy Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kid, and it was fun to revisit. There were some details I remembered perfectly and others that felt fresh and new. The pacing feels a little off at times and it's really unclear how much time passes but really it is such a fun story.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick teensy little read but sweet and touching.

[Jersc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful little book with great messages about family, work, and learning. Great first chapter book for young readers. I even cried.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet book...I love their adventures and their love of learning!! Such a touching book that brought tears to my eyes!

[Erin Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story.

[Cami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my 8-year-old. She read most of it to me. It's a nice little story with good morals and a sweet ending. We may or may not have cried when Pa died and again at the end.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter and I enjoyed this book. Just FYI, the main character's father dies in a lumber accident. This was pretty traumatic for my 8 year old.

[Sarah Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very charming short chapter book for early elementary school children. I read it with my second grader and we both enjoyed the peek into the past.

[Tara Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute children’s chapter book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a GREAT story that I read to my class every year when we begin our unit on logging.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book when I was in the 6th grade.
Loved it.
I remember staying up until 2-3 am to finish it.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars because I loved it so and because parts of it felt so real to my own experiences, and some so very different.

[Brittany Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish books grew on bushes ruby said ❤️📖

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

My neighbor recently lent this to me and I love it.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this aloud for school. Emmy loved this book, but she told me to only put 4 stars because the dad dies and the mom gets pneumonia and that made her sad.

[Jamie Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for my son's 3rd-grade homeschool curriculum.