The Lake

by Jack Lasenby

It is the summer of 1952 in New Zealand. Ruth is nearly thirteen, and she is running away from home; away from her stepfather who keeps trying to touch her, and from her mother, who doesn't seem to notice what is going on. She has no plan in her head the morning she leaves, except that she is heading for the lake where they used to spend their holidays before Dad died, the lake where she was happy. It's a long journey into the bush, and more lonely than Ruth could ever have imagined. But she is determined to survive in the wilderness; she learns the ancient Maori names of the trees from an old botany book and becomes a skilled hunter. Eventually she is befriended by Tommy, an old drifter who lives in a hollow tree-house and passes on his bush-wisdom to her. When Tommy dies, Ruth decides to return to civilization. After two years in the wild she is ready to confront her family and start over on her own terms.
Set against a dramatic outdoor background, this absorbing novel presents the story of a young girl's remarkable voyage of self-discovery.

168 pages, Hardcover

First published July 6, 1988

About the author

Jack Lasenby was an editor and writer of children's books. From 1969 to 1975, Lasenby edited the School Journal, which had previously been edited by the poets James K. Baxter, Alistair Campbell, and Louis Johnson. His work with School Journal brought him into close contact with leading authors and illustrators of children's books. Lasenby has been honored many times, receiving the Esther Glen Award for distinguished contribution to New Zealand literature for children and young adults in 1987 for Mangrove Summer. He also received the 1993 AIM Children's Book Award Honour Award in Senior Fiction for The Conjuror. In 1996, his book, The Waterfall, received the AIM Children's Book Award for Senior Fiction. Lasenby also received the New Zealand Post Children's Book Award in 1997, 1998, and 1997 for The Battle of Pook Island, Because We Were the Travelers, and Tour, respectively.. His latest books, Old Drumble and The Haystack, were, respectively, winner of and finalist for the NZ Post Junior Fiction Award.

Reviews

[Maria Mahoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book as a teenager. In spite of its dark subject matter, I found it surprisingly easy to empathise with the protagonist, through all her struggles. Rereading it, didn’t change my opinion. I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone wanting to read it, but it’s well worth the read.

[Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I relished Lasenby's novels as a kid, particularly Because We Were the Travelers and Mangrove Summer, and I'm sort of appalled that I've only just this year read The Lake - I'd've found Ruth Green an inspiration. As with much of Lasenby's work for children, this novel doesn't shy away from darkness - fleeing trauma, a disaffected, disengaged mother and a predatory stepfather, Ruth Green goes bush, seeking to return to the lake where she'd spent many happy summers with her father, before he died. With grit, feeling, and resourcefulness, Ruth navigates her way through the remote and immense land and the challenges that arise. The dark podicarp forests, rugged valleys and ridges of Te Uruwera are wonderfully evoked by Lasenby, who himself spent many years there as a possumer.