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A Taste of Smoke
Anticipating a camping trip with her older sister in Minnesota, thirteen-year-old Caitlin is distraught when her sister's boyfriend shows up and further upset when she encounters the ghost of a boy who died in a forest fire. Reprint.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
About the author
Marion Dane Bauer
188 books188 followersMarion Dane Bauer is the author of more than one hundred books for young people, ranging from novelty and picture books through early readers, both fiction and nonfiction, books on writing, and middle-grade and young-adult novels. She has won numerous awards, including several Minnesota Book Awards, a Jane Addams Peace Association Award for RAIN OF FIRE, an American Library Association Newbery Honor Award for ON MY HONOR, a number of state children's choice awards and the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota for the body of her work.
She is also the editor of and a contributor to the ground-breaking collection of gay and lesbian short stories, Am I Blue? Coming Out from the Silence.
Marion was one of the founding faculty and the first Faculty Chair for the Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her writing guide, the American Library Association Notable WHAT'S YOUR STORY? A YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO WRITING FICTION, is used by writers of all ages. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen different languages.
She has six grandchildren and lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her partner and a cavalier King Charles spaniel, Dawn.
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INTERVIEW WITH MARION DANE BAUER
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Q. What brought you to a career as a writer?
A. I seem to have been born with my head full of stories. For almost as far back as I can remember, I used most of my unoccupied moments--even in school when I was supposed to be doing other "more important" things--to make up stories in my head. I sometimes got a notation on my report card that said, "Marion dreams." It was not a compliment. But while the stories I wove occupied my mind in a very satisfying way, they were so complex that I never thought of trying to write them down. I wouldn't have known where to begin. So though I did all kinds of writing through my teen and early adult years--letters, journals, essays, poetry--I didn't begin to gather the craft I needed to write stories until I was in my early thirties. That was also when my last excuse for not taking the time to sit down to do the writing I'd so long wanted to do started first grade.
Q. And why write for young people?
A. Because I get my creative energy in examining young lives, young issues. Most people, when they enter adulthood, leave childhood behind, by which I mean that they forget most of what they know about themselves as children. Of course, the ghosts of childhood still inhabit them, but they deal with them in other forms--problems with parental authority turn into problems with bosses, for instance--and don't keep reaching back to the original source to try to fix it, to make everything come out differently than it did the first time. Most children's writers, I suspect, are fixers. We return, again and again, usually under the cover of made-up characters, to work things through. I don't know that our childhoods are necessarily more painful than most. Every childhood has pain it, because life has pain in it at every stage. The difference is that we are compelled to keep returning to the source.
Q. You write for a wide range of ages. Do you write from a different place in writing for preschoolers than for young adolescents?
A. In a picture book or board book, I'm always writing from the womb of the family, a place that--while it might be intruded upon by fears, for instance--is still, ultimately, safe and nurturing. That's what my own early childhood was like, so it's easy for me to return to those feelings and to recreate them.
When I write for older readers, I'm writing from a very different experience. My early adolescence, especially, was a time of deep alienation, mostly from my peers but in some ways from my family as well. And so I write my older stories out of that pain, that longing for connection. A story has to have a problem at its core. No struggle
She is also the editor of and a contributor to the ground-breaking collection of gay and lesbian short stories, Am I Blue? Coming Out from the Silence.
Marion was one of the founding faculty and the first Faculty Chair for the Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her writing guide, the American Library Association Notable WHAT'S YOUR STORY? A YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO WRITING FICTION, is used by writers of all ages. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen different languages.
She has six grandchildren and lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her partner and a cavalier King Charles spaniel, Dawn.
-------------------------------------
INTERVIEW WITH MARION DANE BAUER
-------------------------------------
Q. What brought you to a career as a writer?
A. I seem to have been born with my head full of stories. For almost as far back as I can remember, I used most of my unoccupied moments--even in school when I was supposed to be doing other "more important" things--to make up stories in my head. I sometimes got a notation on my report card that said, "Marion dreams." It was not a compliment. But while the stories I wove occupied my mind in a very satisfying way, they were so complex that I never thought of trying to write them down. I wouldn't have known where to begin. So though I did all kinds of writing through my teen and early adult years--letters, journals, essays, poetry--I didn't begin to gather the craft I needed to write stories until I was in my early thirties. That was also when my last excuse for not taking the time to sit down to do the writing I'd so long wanted to do started first grade.
Q. And why write for young people?
A. Because I get my creative energy in examining young lives, young issues. Most people, when they enter adulthood, leave childhood behind, by which I mean that they forget most of what they know about themselves as children. Of course, the ghosts of childhood still inhabit them, but they deal with them in other forms--problems with parental authority turn into problems with bosses, for instance--and don't keep reaching back to the original source to try to fix it, to make everything come out differently than it did the first time. Most children's writers, I suspect, are fixers. We return, again and again, usually under the cover of made-up characters, to work things through. I don't know that our childhoods are necessarily more painful than most. Every childhood has pain it, because life has pain in it at every stage. The difference is that we are compelled to keep returning to the source.
Q. You write for a wide range of ages. Do you write from a different place in writing for preschoolers than for young adolescents?
A. In a picture book or board book, I'm always writing from the womb of the family, a place that--while it might be intruded upon by fears, for instance--is still, ultimately, safe and nurturing. That's what my own early childhood was like, so it's easy for me to return to those feelings and to recreate them.
When I write for older readers, I'm writing from a very different experience. My early adolescence, especially, was a time of deep alienation, mostly from my peers but in some ways from my family as well. And so I write my older stories out of that pain, that longing for connection. A story has to have a problem at its core. No struggle
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 5, 2020
4.5. 🌟
This book was about a girl named Caitlin who goes camping with her sister and her sister's boyfriend. She ends up meeting a ghost who just needs some help crossing over after wondering the Earth for over a hundred years.
This book was about a girl named Caitlin who goes camping with her sister and her sister's boyfriend. She ends up meeting a ghost who just needs some help crossing over after wondering the Earth for over a hundred years.
October 26, 2019
Even though this was written quite a while ago, and even though I first read it quite a while ago, I knew I had to re-read it. And I'm very glad I did. A Taste of Smoke is a delightful, enriching short story about a young lady, who just wants to be treated with respect. While she and her older sister are traveling together, she meets a boy who is not quite alive, but not quite dead either. In spite of this however, he is the first person outside of her own family to treat her with kindness and respect. And she gladly returns the favor. In all honesty, I don't even remember who he or she is...Ha! Note: I don't remember when I re-read this novel, so I'm giving my best guesstimate.
EDIT: I'm writing this review based on the concepts of kindness and respect, because not a lot of people I've met have shown me much (If any) of respect or kindness. Therefore, a story like this always comes as a breath of fresh air to me.
EDIT: I'm writing this review based on the concepts of kindness and respect, because not a lot of people I've met have shown me much (If any) of respect or kindness. Therefore, a story like this always comes as a breath of fresh air to me.
August 14, 2026
After a few cups of coffee a good friend told me of this book and I bought it instantly and just finished it. Fun little read with some Minnesota history sprinkled in. At 106 pages it would be perfect for kiddos on a camping trip up north or weekend getaway.
March 16, 2022
This has been one of my favorite books since childhood. I ran across it when cleaning out a closet and had to read it (for probably the 200th time).
January 12, 2023
Good writing, quick read, nice story. I liked the sister dynamic because it's realistic.
March 30, 2023
I'm not usually one for ghost stories, but this one was great! Especially with a historical, coming-of-age aspect to it. And I appreciate the family dynamics portrayed.
May 2, 2026
Not a favorite, but still fun to read aloud with my kids.
October 26, 2011
My main character in the book, Is Caitlin And Frank She was so exited to go on the camping trip with her older sister Pam for the summer but when they got there Pam boyfriend was their, And she was not to happy because she thought Pam and her were going to be the only ones Pam hanged out with her boyfriend most of the time so Caitlin just rode her bike alone.
On her way back to the campground were they stayed at she got lost halfway it was really dark she just sat down n rested thinking of what she was going to do. Suddenly this boy with a bright light he was good looking she said his hair was shinny and gold looking he was being really nice and kind Caitlin wanted to ask so much questions but she didn't, Once they got there he told her that he would see her again she said were? n he didn't reply?
They went boating and she kept on seeing Frank but while they were boating Frank appears right in front of the boat she pushes the boat yelling saying were going to run him over! Pam thought she was crazy because she did not see anybody and neither did Alex her boyfriend then after a while she starts realizing that really Frank is a goust boy who died in the fire.
She dos int wanna see Frank anymore but to not be able to see him she needs to stop thinking about him but its really hard for her because its interesting for her life but he starting to scare her.
On her way back to the campground were they stayed at she got lost halfway it was really dark she just sat down n rested thinking of what she was going to do. Suddenly this boy with a bright light he was good looking she said his hair was shinny and gold looking he was being really nice and kind Caitlin wanted to ask so much questions but she didn't, Once they got there he told her that he would see her again she said were? n he didn't reply?
They went boating and she kept on seeing Frank but while they were boating Frank appears right in front of the boat she pushes the boat yelling saying were going to run him over! Pam thought she was crazy because she did not see anybody and neither did Alex her boyfriend then after a while she starts realizing that really Frank is a goust boy who died in the fire.
She dos int wanna see Frank anymore but to not be able to see him she needs to stop thinking about him but its really hard for her because its interesting for her life but he starting to scare her.
October 10, 2012
A amazing book. I read about, i'd say, first time 4 years ago in 5th grade. I found it on the floor of the classroom and picked it up and read it. I was a bookworm back then, getting mostly f's cause of my obsessions for books. I get a's and at the worst c's now, but my obsession hasn't faded, and i'd just like too say, in my top ten,
This makes 3.
This book is ADDICTING,
It has good plot,
Rich characters..
Sadly, the book is rather short and i finished it in a day. Even though, its a AMAZING BOOK.
Its odd cause I'm not the greatest fan of love/paranormal books. It aint my thing.
I HATE twilight..
But this..this book is amazing.
Im not saying anything besides its about a ghost boy from the late 1800's early 1900's.
But really,
If you want a short book that is engrossing and is a different tale of love and the supernatural, this book is perfect for you.
This makes 3.
This book is ADDICTING,
It has good plot,
Rich characters..
Sadly, the book is rather short and i finished it in a day. Even though, its a AMAZING BOOK.
Its odd cause I'm not the greatest fan of love/paranormal books. It aint my thing.
I HATE twilight..
But this..this book is amazing.
Im not saying anything besides its about a ghost boy from the late 1800's early 1900's.
But really,
If you want a short book that is engrossing and is a different tale of love and the supernatural, this book is perfect for you.
August 9, 2014
I loved this book, it's a book you think about long after you put it down.
This girl is spending her summer not like normal girls, she's spending her summer talking to a ghost. A ghost who's doing everything in his power to make her look crazy unless she talks to him. He's re-living his death in front of her in movie theaters, jumping out of nowhere and talking to her, the girl can't get a break from him.
She learns to talk to him about why he's there, not with his family. She learns his family died long ago and that he died in a train fire.
This girl is spending her summer not like normal girls, she's spending her summer talking to a ghost. A ghost who's doing everything in his power to make her look crazy unless she talks to him. He's re-living his death in front of her in movie theaters, jumping out of nowhere and talking to her, the girl can't get a break from him.
She learns to talk to him about why he's there, not with his family. She learns his family died long ago and that he died in a train fire.
March 30, 2009
This was a really fast read and I was sorry to put it down. I would have liked it too be longer and more detialed and mysterious. I thought the plot as very interesting. The characters were all good. The one thing I didn't really like was the length and the end. The end was good, but it all happened so fast. Overall, I liked the book.
January 20, 2014
After being frustrated by "The Ghost of Windy Hill", I saw this novel on the YA shelves at the library and so I grabbed it and was gratified to actually get a ghost story. Not anything earth shattering, but a nice story all the same.
September 14, 2007
Girl goes camping with her big sister and is disappointed when college sister's boyfriend comes. She meets a strange boy in the forest that was ravaged by a fire in years past.
September 13, 2010
Kinda weird but cool at the same time
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews