Timber!: A Northwoods Story of Lumberjacks, Logging, and the Land

by Susan Apps-Bodilly, Jerry Apps

A heavily illustrated children’s history of the logging boom in the 19th century and the conservation efforts that followed.



How did the logging boom begin? What was it like to work in the woods? What happened to the land after the trees were cut down? The latest book for young readers from father-daughter duo Jerry Apps and Susan Apps-Bodilly explores the origin story of Wisconsin’s logging boom, the devastation it caused to the land, and the extraordinary efforts to restore the cutover land and log sustainably. 



Timber! helps young readers examine a complex and pivotal chapter in our state and nation’s history, covering a wide range of topics,  



• how Native people used, shared, and relied on natural resources for thousands of years 



• the forced removal of Native people from forested lands 



• how the lumber industry made possible the westward expansion of the United States 



• what it was like to work in a logging camp, on a log drive, and inside a sawmill 



• the roles on a logging team, from sawyer to cook 



• the destructive legacy of early logging practices and early efforts to restore the land 



• the emergence of sustainable forestry practices 



This comprehensive yet easy-to-read history includes letters, postcards, and other primary sources paired with discussion questions designed to engage young readers’ creativity and critical-thinking skills. Timber! also features more than 100 images, a glossary, suggested activities, and an extensive list of related resources, including books, websites, teaching materials, museums, and outdoor places to visit. Timber! will inspire readers of all ages to explore, protect, and learn about trees and forests in their own communities.  

Genres: Middle Grade, Nature, Historical

192 pages, Paperback

Published November 19, 2024

About the author

Susan Apps-Bodilly is a writer and a retired educator. She taught elementary and middle school. When she is not reading or writing, you might find Susan trying a new recipe or in her kayak. Susan is available for book talks about her books:
One Room Schools, Stories from the Days of 1 Room, 1 Teacher, 8 Grades
Old Farm Country Cookbook, Recipes, Menus, and Memories
Seeds in Soil, Planting a Garden, and Finding Your Roots
Timber! A Northwoods Story of Lumberjacks, Logging, and the Land

Reviews

[Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great overview of the history logging in Wisconsin during the 19th and early 20th century. It includes many photographs from various logging camps and it describes the various tools lumberjacks used and their various jobs. Used first primary sources like letters lumberjacks wrote. Concluding chapters looked at the environmental impact logging had on Wisconsin and the corrective measures that help re-establish the forests in northern and central Wisconsin. This would an excellent source for middle grade teachers who teach Wisconsin history as its layout looks like an elementary school textbook, but library readers might find it fascinating as well.

[Joyce Uglow · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the dedication page. "To the next generation of young people responsible for caring for our forests" TIMBER! A Northwoods Story of Lumberjacks, Logging, and the Land is a book my late dad was waiting to read. He would have loved, read, and reread Susan Apps-Bodilly's pages published by Wisconsin Historical Society Press.

I preordered TIMBER and now have it in my home library. This book is a must for classrooms, school and public libraries, and nature-lovers' homes. Readers will takeaway the importance of caring for our land and resources from the letters from lumberjacks, articles, stories, and historical photos. Most of all, readers will take in what happened to the white pine forests in Wisconsin AND what we can do to be a steward for the trees.

Highly recommended

[Milton Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learn all about the lumberjacks and logging in Wisconsin's past with this wonderful book! As an adult, I learned a bunch about the history of our beautiful state and found the pictures incredibly compelling in telling the story. It was especially fun to hear stories from the places in which I grew up. Not only are the pictures great, but Susan uses actual letters from loggers to demonstrate what life was like. This book would be great as a textbook in schools and is full of information on the logging history in Wisconsin.

Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!

Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL

[Erin Krase-Minchk · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this book, a few of my students wanted to read it, too! We all agreed the pictures brought the story and history to life. We were surprised by the young children in the pictures with the lumberjacks. My students shared they liked the structure of this book including: the pronunciation of key words, the section headings, and the book was organized in a way that was easy to follow. This is a great snapshot of life in the Wisconsin Northwoods, and how the lumber industry has evolved.