The Bells on Finland Street

by Lyn Cook

This book was originally published in 1950 and was Lyn Cook's first book. The story takes place in Northern Ontario during the early years of nickle mining and the large migration of Europeans looking for jobs in the mines.

Elin has a dream - she wants to be the most wonderful figure skater in the world. Her family is unable to afford skates or lessons and Elin must find a way to earn the money she needs. But when something terrible happens, Elin sacrifices her savings. Will she ever achieve her dream?

Genres: Canada

183 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

Evelyn Margaret (Lyn) Cook (8 May 1918 – 14 July 2018) was a Canadian children's book writer.

She worked at the Wychwood Park branch of the Toronto Public Library before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division in 1942. During her service in World War II, she worked as a meteorological observer at RCAF Station Centralia and RCAF Station Trenton.

In 1946, Cook became the first children's librarian in Sudbury, a mining town in northern Ontario.
Cook published twenty-three books for children of all ages and received the 1978 Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, awarded annually to a Canadian "author of an exceptional body of work in children's literature"

Reviews

[Janssen]

This was fine but not one I need to revisit (and I won't be adding it to my list of Christmas read-alouds here https://everyday-reading.com/christma...)

[Erin Sarantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fond childhood memories :)

[Duckpondwithoutducks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet little story. I think it resonates with me especially because, like the young girl in the story, my mother is Finnish and grew up in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.

[Kaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this when I was a kid. It's a sweet book about a girl who works hard to reach her dream, but also wants to help others. I liked the story very much, and it was also interesting from a cultural/historical perspective, showing what life was like in a mining town in Canada during the early years of nickle mining, as well as the cultural differences between first and second generation immigrants, with the story centering on a child of two cultures figuring out her own identity.