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Bains Family #1
Shantymen of Cache Lake
John and Meg work a winter in a logging camp to support their family after the death of their father.
- GenresCanada
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
2 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Bill Freeman
21 books5 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Born in London, Ontario of a school teacher's family, Bill now lives on Toronto Island where he writes books, plays, travel features, videos, and film scripts. He is best known for the "Bains Series" of novels for children set in Canada in the 1870s. There are now seven books in the series. He plans to write twelve altogether with settings in every part of the country. A film series by CBC and BBC is in the planning stages.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Born in London, Ontario of a school teacher's family, Bill now lives on Toronto Island where he writes books, plays, travel features, videos, and film scripts. He is best known for the "Bains Series" of novels for children set in Canada in the 1870s. There are now seven books in the series. He plans to write twelve altogether with settings in every part of the country. A film series by CBC and BBC is in the planning stages.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 26, 2024
I read this in grade 5 and I wanted to see if I hated it then just because it was dry. I guess this was the only novel to cover this kind of source material they could give to kids? Goes to show that just because you teach doesn't mean you can write.
Premise should have worked in the hands of a more skilled writer. 2 kids forced to work in a lumber camp in 1800s Ottawa valley. Detail the harsh realities of the time. Lots of conflict vs nature alone that should have made this compelling reading.
Book couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Some of the time it was a meandering story that read like a 4th grade book report where the author would repeat the same points over and over again in the same chapter to try and pad out word count. You don't have to tell the reader 5-7 times that the boy went into the bush and chopped down another branch and dragged it back to site.
Other times the narrative was hijacked by the author wanting to tell the reader "interesting" tidbits they knew about life in the shanty. Like how to start a fire in detail...
Or worst of all, the "story" would devolve into the subplot of the workers wanting to form a union with inconsistent motivations by all involved. Sometimes the foreman was so physically intimidating he could start a fight and nearly kill a man and all the other labourers would stand back in terror and not help. Other times the labourers would be so threatening when they put down their tools that the foreman would stammer and storm off in "rage". Sometimes all the shantymen would work extra hard regardless of the foreman because if the company went bankrupt they'd not get paid. The next moment they'd be willing to make the company go bankrupt and risk not being paid so that only two demands would be met... their union be recognized and the foreman fired?!
Hilariously book ends with a union being formed after a kid commits murder during an illegal strike and everything ends fine and happy even though the epilogue points out the company goes bankrupt the following year and no successful union is formed for another 30 years by which point the trade is done in the Ottawa valley. The most successful novel to show how destructive a union can be? I don't think that was intended.
This is a flaming heap of trash written by someone who wanted to help educate in a more friendly manner than lecture in a university but instead wrote this mess for grade 4-5 students. Kids would be better off with a wiki file.
Premise should have worked in the hands of a more skilled writer. 2 kids forced to work in a lumber camp in 1800s Ottawa valley. Detail the harsh realities of the time. Lots of conflict vs nature alone that should have made this compelling reading.
Book couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Some of the time it was a meandering story that read like a 4th grade book report where the author would repeat the same points over and over again in the same chapter to try and pad out word count. You don't have to tell the reader 5-7 times that the boy went into the bush and chopped down another branch and dragged it back to site.
Other times the narrative was hijacked by the author wanting to tell the reader "interesting" tidbits they knew about life in the shanty. Like how to start a fire in detail...
Or worst of all, the "story" would devolve into the subplot of the workers wanting to form a union with inconsistent motivations by all involved. Sometimes the foreman was so physically intimidating he could start a fight and nearly kill a man and all the other labourers would stand back in terror and not help. Other times the labourers would be so threatening when they put down their tools that the foreman would stammer and storm off in "rage". Sometimes all the shantymen would work extra hard regardless of the foreman because if the company went bankrupt they'd not get paid. The next moment they'd be willing to make the company go bankrupt and risk not being paid so that only two demands would be met... their union be recognized and the foreman fired?!
Hilariously book ends with a union being formed after a kid commits murder during an illegal strike and everything ends fine and happy even though the epilogue points out the company goes bankrupt the following year and no successful union is formed for another 30 years by which point the trade is done in the Ottawa valley. The most successful novel to show how destructive a union can be? I don't think that was intended.
This is a flaming heap of trash written by someone who wanted to help educate in a more friendly manner than lecture in a university but instead wrote this mess for grade 4-5 students. Kids would be better off with a wiki file.
November 30, 2019
I came across an old 'book report' from school (and without re-reading that report, here are my memories... 🤦♂️) :
I remember how it felt like these kids were really worked hard and under a lot of fear on what would happen next (because I think their parents died/they were under supervision of an ... uncle?). As well as their experience of the hardships of backcountry logging but also the exhilaration of learning a skill under pressure and the beauty of the woods.
I'd be interested how this book would read now. I'd recommend for adolescents. 😄
I remember how it felt like these kids were really worked hard and under a lot of fear on what would happen next (because I think their parents died/they were under supervision of an ... uncle?). As well as their experience of the hardships of backcountry logging but also the exhilaration of learning a skill under pressure and the beauty of the woods.
I'd be interested how this book would read now. I'd recommend for adolescents. 😄
May 19, 2021
one of my fav books that i love to reread, my grandpa published this book and i have spent a lot of time on cache lake and it is very interesting to read about how it used to be.
November 19, 2009
A great historical fiction novel sent in northern ontario. Pictures of the time were included in the book. I learned a lot about logging and about the union fight in Ontario. It is also available in french. Great for gr.6+; i used it with my son when i was homeschooling him.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews