Blackwater Ben

by William Durbin

While working with Pa as his assistant in the kitchen at Blackwater Logging Camp, thirteen-year-old Ben becomes bored with his day-to-day routine and wishes he could be out in the forest with the loggers, yet when an orphan, Nevers, arrives and gets a job working in the kitchen, Ben's feelings of friendship soon get mixed with feelings of jealousy.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, School, Childrens

208 pages, Library Binding

First published November 11, 2003

Reviews

[Gavin Matko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book.
Me like.❤‍🔥

[Savannah Nunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book!

[Alexis T · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was alright, I didnt really find it interesting though. :(

[Leora Stangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. There were a lot of funny parts and some parts that I even laughed at. Some things were kind of sad though too. I mean, the fact that Ben really din't know much about his mom was kind of sad. It just makes me all the more grateful that I have both of my parents. I also really liked hearing about the logging camp in general. Some of the nicknames that the men had were kind of cool, like Slim and Windy. I would definitely reccomend this book to anyone who likes to read about things that are funny, serious and also real.

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really like this book. It is pretty boring and uneventful in my opinion. It is about a boy who works as a cook at a lumber camp. The only part that was kinda good was when Ben learned about his mom. Some people probably think that this is a funny book, but I don't. It just seems like it's trying too hard to be funny. I just wish it was more interesting. The author should have added something more. Personally, I think that a book should have more exciting things in it. There should have been some plot twist that had nothing to do with Ben's mom. I think the book would be a lot more interesting if a lumberjack was smoking and accidentally started a fire in the lumber camp, or something like that. I understand that it's trying to be realistic, I just think it could be a lot better.

I don't recommend this book.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blackwater Ben by William Durbin is about a logging camp in the 1800's. One of the best parts is when Ben finds out who his Mom was. When the book began His Mom died. His Mom was a teacher and his dad woundn't tell him about his Mom but his older friend told Him about His Mom.
His Dad didn't want to have to think about his Mom so he didn't talk about it. I enjoyed the. The book was exiting it was really good because every thing that I like was in this book

[Aaron Lattu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blackwater Ben
William Durbin
Historical Fiction
Reading Level: 5.1

13 year old Ben word is finally ready to get to work. His father has allowed him to drop out of school for the winter and accompany him to the northern Minnesota logging camp by Grand Rapids where he will service as his fathers “cookie” assistant and feed the men logging the white pines up in northern Minnesota. The story takes place around the turn of the 20th century and gives good historical insight and to what it was like to work at a logging camp in northern Minnesota. we'll get to learn all about the types of men who worked at these camps, their habits and the adventures of Ben and his friend. This would be a great book for 6th grade students who are learning about Minnesota History which includes a rich history in the logging industry. William Durbin continues to deliver with his historical fiction novels that captivate young readers and teach them about history.

The writing trait displayed most predominantly in Blackwater Ben is the presentation. Readers are able to imagine exactly what Ben is up to and what the men in the northern Minnesota logging camp are like. When reading the book you feel like you are experiencing some of the same things Ben is and imagining what it might be like to work at a logging camp in northern Minnesota around the turn of the 20th century.

[Davin L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben is a boy that struggles with school, so his father brings him along to his logging camp during the winter instead of going too school. Ben learns many thing there about his father and mother who had died when he was young. He is the assistant chief called a cookie. My favorite part of the story is when he pulls a prank on the lumberjacks by putting medicine in their food that makes them go to the bathroom. He also boards up the doors to the outhouse so they can't use it.

[Kristi · Rating 2 out of 5]

My boys were mixed on this one. Some being really bored with it and some interested. I personally thought it was a bit drawn out and pointless. Blackwater Ben makes a lot of food, is tired, struggles with his relationship with his father and learns alot of details about a logging camp. There is ALOT of lumberjack slang used in this book so it can be difficult for younger readers to follow.

[Bliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT book for younger readers, probably around the tween area. Easy enough to digest, while keeping up some charming old language. It's set at a logging camp in the 1800s, thru the perspective of a young cook hired on to help feed the lumberjacks. It's humorous, yet informative. I will put it aside for my son to read sometime, and consider purchasing others from the same author.

[Shella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for teaching Minnesota history- great voice for the main character!

[Chesco the egg · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book!

[Estelle Vlieger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story with historical context.

[Kathryn Egly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with my son George for his Minnesota history class. It gave us a peek into the logging history of our state.

[Ela · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty good

[Jacob · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was a good book but we read it in english so its a 1.

[Lucas Radtke]

it's about a kid that's on a logging camp.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

LOGGING IN MINNESOTA. YA

[Karla Siegwart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read as part of my ultimate challenge, a book written for children/adolescents. Found it to be an interesting read.

[Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blackwater Ben
By William Durbin




William Durbin did a really good in this book about telling the history of lumberjacks but in a cook position. I think a lot of the time you hear just about the lumberjacks and the stress and all of their work, but I don’t know that there is as much credit given to all of the men that keep them fed. There are so many different parts that affect the readers, like when they talk about when Ben's mother dieing and when he learns more about her.

Blackwater Ben was the first novel I read by William Durbin and there are a lot of different key life points and life meaning in this book In this book. One thing that sticks with the reader is that Ben’s mom died when he was young, and Ben's dad really didn’t want to talk about her death. All Ben knew was that his mom got sick and died and that she was really pretty. Ben was really ancey in school and he kept getting in truble with and his dad took him to be a cook at a logging camp. At the camp one of his jobs is to bring food to the saw sharpener and they get to know each other and he finds out that he knew his mom and that followed through the whole book. That is one of the many things that Durbin does to keep the reader into the book and making them want more. Another big thing that grabs the attention of the reader is the fact that him and his dad are not very close and then, they start to bond over working together.

I have recommended Blackwater Ben to a lot of people. This book I think almost anyone can get into and enjoy. Blackwater Ben isn’t just for the more experienced readers it can be for intermediate readers too. This book isn’t really hard there are not a lot of hard words and it is easy to understand, and you it is hard to get lost in this book. In this book went into great detail over the logging long ago and shows a different story from other than just from the loggers, you get a cook's perspective. If you like outdoors books and father son relationships growing into a stronger closer relationship this is the book for you.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

gr 4-7 191 pgs


Blackwater Logging Camp, Minnesota, 1898. When 12 year old Ben is told that he must quit school to work at the logging camp with his father, he is thrilled even if it means working in the kitchen. Since his mother died, Ben's father has been even more distant and Ben hopes to get to know him better as they work together. The story provides a lot of information about daily life and the harsh living and working conditions of the camp.

I think this book would appeal to readers who enjoy Gary Paulsen's books.

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this back in middle school and now just read it aloud to my 5-6th graders since we're learning about the logging industry in MN. Also adding to the fun is the polar vortex we're experiencing as we read about the lumberjacks working in -50 weather. Now that's cold!

This book is definitely character-driven; it focuses on the daily life in a logging camp. I thought some big conflicts would come up, but really the whole book is pretty even keeled.

[Duane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Ben finds himself working in a logging camp in Minnesota with his cook father. The reader will enjoy reading about the harsh weather, harsh men, and intense daily work that makes a logging camp in the 1800's so interesting. Meant for preteen readers, the reader will enjoy learning the dialect of loggers and the trials and fun they endured in harsh conditions.

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this is YA literature, it really is a historical fiction that is great for any age. The story of a young boy who works with his father in 1897 in a logging camp in northern Minnesota one winter. It covers a lot of the day to day life of a cook and the adventures in the logging camp and how it all worked. A great read and Durbin writes this all so well in his great style!

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Durbin did such a fine job of creating a motley crew of characters in this fictional story about a logging camp in the 1800's. I read it and then shared it the boy's book club, and they loved it too. It is a fantastic book for boys to read, very funny, and full of adventure and history.

[Carol C · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The story of a young boy who helps his father, a cook in a logging camp kitchen. The cabin we visit yearly in Northern Minnesota is on the site of a former logging camp. So, I thought my kids might enjoy reading this book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for our lumberjack/Wisconsin units. I liked this story better than Journey to Lumberjack Camp.