Wintering

Pierre La Page #2

by William Durbin

Pierre, the 14-year-old hero of The Broken Blade , spends a winter with the North West Company in the wilderness of French Canada. The canoe-men build a camp beside an Ojibwa village, and Pierre learns the deep-winter survival skills and secrets of the fur traders and trappers. Surviving in close quarters with the repulsive bowman Beloit is a challenge, but friendship with an Ojibwa brave opens up a rich new world to Pierre.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Juvenile

195 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion it was a very good book. There were a lot of very exciting fast paced moments in the book but it also had slow more upsetting moments that just hit you by surprise. The main character Pierre is just a young boy who is following in his fathers footsteps by becoming a voyageur. Red Loon is an Indian boy who is around the same age as Pierre and while Pierre is up in the French Canadian wilderness they become close friends. Beloit the bow man of the crew is also the loud mouth that teases everyone, and McHenry the commander he is a very intelligent man but not to be underestimated.

This book takes place in the early 1800’s way up north in the French Canadian wilderness, so none of the technology is that great they still use canoes to travel up the river system to get to the trading post, they r still using muskets for hunting and their every day weapons. So the way they live their day to day life is way different to how we live our lives today.

I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of about 12 boy or girl. It has a lot of interesting fact that come along with reading this book, there are a lot of twists and turns in the book that will catch you off guard.

[The other John · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sequel to The Broken Blade is... well, a sequel. It pulls in many of the same characters from the original and attempts to catch that magic that made the original so good, but in the end it doesn't quite match up. Ah, well. It's not a bad story for all that. Wintering picks up the tale of Pierre La Page the summer after his coming of age journey described in The Broken Blade. Once again he has journeyed from Montreal, across Lake Superior to Grand Portage, where European goods are traded for American furs. This year, however, Pierre has chosen to join the hivernants, those traders who spend the winter out west gathering the furs to be traded at Grand Portage. He travels westward with his fellow voyageurs, along the rivers and lakes, to establish a new trading post. All in all, this story focuses more on Pierre's relationship with his comrades and less with his own maturing and growth. It makes for a less interesting tale, but it still offers an enjoyable bit of waiting room material.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

gr 5-9 191 pgs


1801 winter camp in Northern Canada. 14 year old Pierre becomes a hivernant, who works with the fur traders/trappers over the winter in the north. Pierre is disappointed to see that he will be spending a lot of time with Beloit, who is always teasing him, but meets a new friend Red Loon, the son of the chief of the Ojibwe tribe living nearby. Like his experiences as a voyageur, Pierre also finds life as a hivernant challenging, but rewarding.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoyed "Broken Blade" "Blackwater Ben" or any of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet books.

[Shella · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been several years since I read Broken a Blade. I liked it- but I really liked Wintering. We pick up over a year later and the protagonist is spending the winter near Lake Vermillion and near a group of Native Americans. Durbin lives in this area and his depictions of the environment paint a vivid setting for the reader. His impeccable research skills shine through. This book continues the cast of colorful characters and introduces some new ones. Students can help but get drawn into the story and learn fantastic historical facts about fur trading along the way. I really hope there will be a third book in the series. It ends in a way that could keep the series going. I'm excited to see the author at our school tomorrow. He is a wonderful presenter.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wintering is a continuation of the life and adventures of Pierre La Page, who in this book is a 14 year old who works as a voyageur in the harsh country of the Great Lakes back in 1801. Pierre has mastered the skills needed to paddle a canoe and portage goods across 2400 miles of water and land. In this book he decides to winter in a more northern area, helping to establish new trading areas. By doing so, he becomes closer to Native Americans of the area. He continues to learn and grow. This is not quite as excellent as The Broken Blade but still a worthy read.

[Sherri Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for kids to understand what it was like to winter in the north during the fur trade season. Very interesting, based on facts and fun to read.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

adventure story

[Madelyn]

Read book.

[Amber Tousignant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story so much. I never cry reading books. It doesn't matter how many times I've read this book, I always cry.

[Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wintering by William Durbin a outdoors book that caches you and leaves you hanging on and off and it is a really great book. There is never a dull moment with Pierre La Page. wintering is a second book of this collection of 2 books and i enjoyed both of them vary much.
Pierre is following in his fathers footsteps by being a voyager and I think his father is very proud of him.In this book Pierre is on his second trip of being a voyager. On this trip Pierre is wintering so that means staying all winter on a place he has never been. Pierre is helped by his new friend Red Loon. Pierre and Red Loon do a lot of things together and they become really great friends. During the winter the voyagers are running low on food. Pierre and Red Loon go hunting and they go out all day and fight the cold and end up killing a big moose. After they get back Pierre has frost bite in his big toe. What I really grabbed me and changed the book was when Beloit shot the side of his head.
I would recommend this book to any outdoors people, hunters, and fishers. This book is one to enjoy.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought for my oldest kids and read it myself. Was nicely surprised to find this was the sequel to Broken Blade, which my 9 year old is currently reading, and raving, about. The visual impact this book brings to the mind is stunning. The author does an incredible job of pulling you right into the time period and the setting. The colorful characters and warm friendship between Pierre and Red Loon are vivid as well. The ending makes me wonder if there will be a third book. If not, the ending seems a little abrupt and flat, but would be a good lead-in to another book. Young readers who like Gary Paulson would love this author as well, I bet. Also, if your kids are studying the voyageurs and fur trade, this series would be a great companion read.

[Seth Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book there is a crew of men that go on the lake to go find animals to kill and to bring back the fur and sell it for money one time when they are out they shoot a bear and but a rope on it and haul it back to shore then the bear starts to run and pulls the that is holding the rope and then the rope breaks.
one life lesson in this book is that you should treat otheres how you want to be treaded. and onthere on is that you should not be shelfish beacus some people need stuff to. another lesson is that you should not worry about stuff just let it happen.
i realy liked this book it was realy good.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adventure Canada - voyageurs

[Siina Morin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as memorable as Gary Paulson, but a great adventure for a children's book. Definitely would recommend.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A continuation of the first book, Broken Blade. The author, William Durbin, did a much better job with this one. I recommend this book for everyone ages 11+.

[Djja Jya]

ok

[Agnes]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14726228