This book was positively captivating. It was a beautifully written coming-of-age story that is destined to remain on my bookshelf (and in my heart) for all time. The love between Lorna and Jens was that of the simplest and purest nature, which is so rare to find in this day and age when everything is so complicated. I truly felt for Jens and Lorna and openly cried more than once. Thankfully, I was all smiles by the end...enough said, as I wouldn't want to give it away for those who have not had the pleasure. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

P.S. Also try Lavyrle Spencer's "The Gamble" and "Years"

November of the Heart was the first romance novel I ever read. It touched my heart so! I'd had this image of "those type of books" that kept me away from them. You know, hot descriptive sex and exotic locales. This was nothing like that.

Two very different people meet and love has its way with them. There were a couple of places in this book where I literally started sobbing, overcome with emotion.

I have since read everything LaVyrle Spencer has written, but this one holds a special place in my heart.

One of LaVyrle Spencer's best books. Lorna and Jens are so well developed that you can almost touch them and truly feel their pain. I never wanted this book to end. If you liked the "poor boy meets rich girl in hopeless relationship" themes in the movies "Dirty Dancing" and "Titanic," then you're sure to love this book as much as I did. This one's on my keeper shelf.

I can't believe I'm not the only person to have ever read this book. I read it first when I was about 10, around 21 years ago. It has always stuck with me. But every time I've ever told anyone about it they've never heard of it. It was such an imaginative book, I felt like I was actually there as I read it. I've been drawn back to it over the years and I believe it is still at our local public library, but I've never had a copy of my own. I would love to know where I could get a copy. It's too bad a book this good is so hard to find.

It's a story that somehow captured my imagination so fully that it left me in a state of wonder.. I was very young when I last read Under Plum Lake, but I can't seem to forget the impact it had on me, so long ago. I too hope to someday share this book with my children, for few books manage to paint a more magical picture so vividly in the mind. When I think about it I feel deep nostalgia, and I'll keep looking until I find a copy for my own.

I read this book in 1986, having borrowed a copy from the Public Library in Bristol, UK. I was immediately and totally enraptured by the world portrayed below Plum Lake. I felt then and now that this is how the world ought to have been! I can't explain it but I just can't get this book out of my head and have been desperately searching for a copy for about 3 years now, as I feel something approaching an urgent need to re read it. I was stunned to see a copy listed on the Amazon web site but so disappointed that it is out of print. I am also amazed to see that I am not the only one on whose imagination this book has made such an astounding impact.

If anyone can get hold of a copy PLEASE let me know!

The book starts slow. It builds background knowledge and "flavor", but it may be hard for a pre-teen child to continue to read independently. That's why I think this book would be a good choice for read-aloud or adult-child paired reading. However,the author really grabs the reader by Chapter 10 (The Visitor). It becomes a "can't-put-it-down book" as the reader experiences Omakayas' fear and sorrow because of the White Man's visit. It is an excellent book to show the everyday life of Native Americans before their lives were severely changed by foreigners in their lands. It would be a good book to read with the Little House series to compare lifestyles, but also to illustrate the American Indians' perspective of the pioneer movement.

Reading this story of a young native american girl trying to survive from heart aches, a smallpox epidemic, hunger, the harsh winter, and mixed emotions was one of the best books that I have read in a long time. The author, Louise Erdrich did an outstanding job portraying the life of native americans and the troubles that they went through just trying to survive. The main character, Omakayas, was a young native american girl, who gave this novel life. She learned to hang on by thread on a small island, the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker, through a cycle of four seasons, that the book subdivided into chapters. Omakayas was found crying and was picked up in a canoe by a woman called 'Old Tallow'. She was adopted by a family on the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker where she is faced with many trials and heartaches. This strong minded and spirited girl guided me through the book like I was actually there during this time in history, the smallpox epidemic of 1847. I would suggest this book to anyone that appreciates survival stories and how even a young girl can get through hardships through the land and spirit.-Susan Brown, Oxford, MS

This book could not of been any better than the autor, Louise Erdrich, made this narrative with the authentic illustrations and Objibwa terms that she infused within the story. This book gave readers a since of hope and duration as she portrayed it through a young native american girl, Omakayas, through a cycle of hardships and troubles. There were times that the story made me laugh, but I could not put this book down as this native american family faced an epidemic of smallpox. I actually felt like I was part of these peoples'lives on the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker. To see how Omakayas helped her family and lifted their spirits during these troubling times, I think that it is a excellent and heartwarming story. There were historical documentations that were seen through the young girl, Omakayas's eyes. Knowing that she had to try to get her family through this plague, gave the story more emotion. Omakayas showed devotion to her siblings, parents, friends, animals of the forest, and grandmother. A true enlightenment! -Allison Byrd, Oxford, MS

The Birchbark House was a good book and I think Louise Erdrich is a wonderful author and illustrator. The part I liked the most was when the main character's, Omakayas, grandmother told her a story in the winter. It was about her grandmother when she was a little girl. A sad event in the book was when the visitor came and brought smallpox to the village. It was also sad when Omakayas's little brother died. All in all, everybody should read this book.

Bill Belleville's sublime story of the St. John's River was a book I could not put down. A modern version of William Bartram's Travels, "River of Lakes" truly catches the history, geology and flavor of life along the St. John's River. For those of us who have grown up on the river, and who have played in its creeks and springs since childhood, it was an absolute joy to read. I hope that Belleville (who also makes films about rivers) makes a film about the St. John's based on this book. Hang up your hammock by the river, sit back and soak up the beauty of this poetic odyssey. If you haven't seen the St. John's before, you will want to now!

Bill Belleville invites you aboard an allegorical raft as he explores Florida's St. Johns River. I was glad I accepted his invitation. With him as your guide "discover" this river with its many surprises and wonderments. With Belleville you learn how much of the "old" has survived modern day Florida and how important it is to preserve what remains. It is a wonderfully written book and before you know it you are caught up in Belleville's storytelling and when his story is finished you wish there were more bends in the river to travel and more tales to read about.

Bill Belleville travels the length of the St. Johns River from south to north, a rarity for rivers in North America, by houseboat, kayak or whatever means necessary to travel the river and many lakes through which it traverses. The book is an excellent balance between the natural and human history of the river and the river valley. The human history focuses on the early settlers, the growth of agriculture and lumbering as well as the later growth of tourism. It disusses some current problems with pollution and sprawl. The unique nature of the St. Johns truly comes across in the descriptions of the natural history. It has narrow passages through subtropical vegetation and then goes through a number of lakes, large and small, all of which have their own personality and unique characteristics. To me, the most interesting part of the book were the dives into the cave from which the many spring come to the earth and are the point where manatees often gather. Well-written, lyrical with just enough ironic humor to make you enjoy the trip.

This is a big book, but it really doesn't take long once you get into it. The story line is very good, and it's exciting and holds the attention. This is one of the best books I've read where the characters are travelling. Having two sets of people going to the same place made it interesting. This is my second favourite book so far in the series,:"People of the Fire" being first. This one is more like a prehistoric romance than any of the others.

I have read many of the "People of" books, and this is so far, my favorite. The book follows Otter, a trader, Black Skull, a Warrior, Green Spider, a spiritual man, Pearl, a runaway and Star Shell, the beautiful daughter of a cheif, as they quest in pursuit of a the Many-Colored Crow's mask. The book is filled with beautiful descriptions, and fabulous dialogue. I started the book on a plane, and didn't want to put it down. I like to try and guess what's going to happen in a story, and in this case, the story line kept me guessing right up until the very end. And, most importantly, this book was very historically accurate. This is a great read, especially for those people who are interested in Native American cultures.

Although this was a scary book to pick up and dive into, due to the length, it is a very easy read. I have laughed so hard at the antics of Green Spider and the group of mismatched men traveling the river. As usual there are a number of powerful women and men in battles of strength, wit, and stamina as well as physical power. This is one of the best I've read so far, being only the 5th in the series. I intend to finish off the series. These are all fantastic books. The wonderful story is woven through threads that tie clans and families together and cords of power that tie them all. The story is built on a strong foundation of historical knowledge and the details abound thoughout this novel of prehistoric North American life. Descriptive and captivating, you'll enjoy every minute of it.

Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting and attending a reading by Terry Tempest Williams, author of Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place. At the time, I was unfamiliar with her work, but I was nevertheless astounded by her presentation. Immediately, I bought two of her novels-- one of which was Refuge. When I read it a few months after meeting her, I was amazed at the tone and emotion in the text. Williams' book can be a source of peace or healing to many whether you have experienced cancer, a loss, or just adore nature. The language is rich yet gentle. The structure of the narrative is such that, during reading and after, a reader feels she has experiences a unique marriage of nature and family issues. The way in which Williams weaves the Great Salt Lake and its inhabitants with her own family's suffering is not only amazing but especially touching as well. Just as the waterfowl and other creatures are evicted from their home during the great rise and flood of Salt Lake, so does William's mother fight for the domicile and dominance in her own cancerous body.
This is a must read. A wonderful story of love, hardships, and more love, REFUGE is a truly breathtaking piece of art.

Now that I have read Terry Tempest Williams' excellent book on finding refuge in the areas around the Great Salt Lake, I find I want to visit, to see for myself the stunning landscape and myriad of birdlife. I also find myself drawn to this courageous woman who lets us into this difficult part of her life, as her mother passes into the shadow of cancer. Not for the first time, we learn, and not such a rare occurrence in her family, we discover; a discovery that, for me, evoked anger at the unfairness of exposing human beings to atomic bomb test fallout. There is so much in this book: the detailed descriptions of the birds and their habits, the extraordinary unfolding of the progression of cancer and its effect on the family, the interplay of three women -- grandmother, mother, daughter -- and through it all, the gentle and exquisite writing carried me nearly effortlessly, yet with great strength. I can find no fault with the writing, the evocative images, the revelation of relationships, and the treatment of this undoubtedly amazing place. Thank you, Terry, for writing this book.

As the Great Salt Lake rose to submerge and destroy the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, grief rose and submerged Terry Tempest William's spirit with the destruction of her mother and grandmother by cancer. The gradual regeneration of the Refuge with the subsiding of the lake parallels the regeneration of her spirit and the subsiding of her grief. But the pain and the scars remain and transform. Terry is no longer an accepting trusting Mormon daughter but a searching questioning activist after her tumultuous emotional experience. One wonders if the gifts of awareness and sensitivity are worth the price of the pain endured. The Refuge becomes a sanctuary for the returning birds and Terry's returning spirit. No more moving piece has been written about the folly and ultimate tragedy of human intervention in the environment. From the nuclear testing of the 1950s to the manipulation of the level of the Great Salt Lake, there is much to learn about the long term consquences of our short sighted acts. Everyone should read and reread and pass on this book.

Fabulous book. It was my favorite goosebumps book. The clever ending was unexpected. I would reccomend this book to all goosebump book readers.

This has ALWAYS been one of my FAV Goosebump books!!!!:

Sarah is at Camp Cold Lake she hates it, her parents made her go. She hates swimming, she hates the lake, she hates outdoors, her bunk mates are total jerks,and her brother is having the time of his life. Sarah is so miserable she go's out the to the one day to pretend she'd drowning. The plan go's so well that she practiclly dies and as planned everyone feels sorry for her, but not without a downside as Dellah, a ghost is continually haunting and chasing her. Because Dellah needs a budy, everyone at camo cold lake needs a buddy!!!

Sarah is so miserable she wants to drag her brother with her to escape, he wont go he's having to much fun though... So Sarah makes the brake on her own!!!

One of the best Goodbump books!!!

Read the book to find out the rest!!!

God Bless ~Amy

After reading a different Goosebump book {Give Yourself Goosebumps # 8 Curse of The Creeping Coffins} I didn't touch one Goosebump book. But then in a book club, I got Curse Of Camp Cold Lake, I never put it down! Actually, I'm reading it after I send this!

Laura Ingalls tells about her childhood experiences as her family travels from Minnesota to settle in South Dakota. She gives an account of how their lives changed from living in a more settled area in Minnesota compared to living in unsettled land which later becomes De Smet. Mary, Laura's older sister, has lost her sight to scarlet fever, and Laura hopes that she will someday be able to attend a college for the blind. Although Laura works very hard she rarely complains. She enjoys singing with her father as he plays the fiddle. Ingall's gives clear pictures of what life was like for a girl growing up in early American History. As an adult this was my first experience reading one of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books; I found it most informative and enjoyable. This book is a great way for children to learn what life was like during the pioneer era.

This book is probably the best book for kids other than Holes! It is about a girl named Laura and her sisters Mary,Carrie and baby Grace also Ma and Pa. She has to move to a new homested on Silver Lake. Her family has just gone through a very hard time-Mary got blind! She has many adventures-one of her scariest would be when a wolf almost atacks her! This is one of MY personle favorites!

In this next book in the landmark "Little House" series, the Ingalls family decide to leave their farm by Plum Creek to find a new homestead on the prairie. The grasshoppers and poor crops in Minnesota were a little too much for them. In addition, some bad times appear for the Ingalls family in the time period between this and the previous book in the series. The whole family had been stricken with scarlet fever and the oldest daughter, Mary, is now blind because of it. In addition, although it is never mentioned in the books, Laura had a little baby brother at this time (Charles Frederic, "Freddy") who died before his first birthday (1875-1876). And, a new baby sister has been added to the family, Grace Pearl Ingalls (1877-1941). Laura's father gets a job acting as a storekeeper for the Chicago and North Western Railroad who are laying tracks through the Dakota terretory. While working for them, he finds a new homestead on the prairie and brings the rest of his family out. There is concern as to whether he will be able to file his claim on time; but, he does. The Ingalls family are among the first to live near the new town of De Smet, South Dakota (although South Dakota doesn't become a state until 1889). The time frame of this book is 1879-1880 and Laura Elizabeth Ingalls is 12-13 years old. The book was a 1940 Newbery Honor Book (that is, a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best contribution to American children's literature. And, it deserved it! Near the end of the book, Laura gets her first glimpse at the boy who will later become her husband, Almanzo Wilder.

This children's book is a story of an Indian boy in Canada near Lake Nipigon (just north of Lake Superior) who carves a model of an Indian sitting in a canoe. In addition, he carves a name on the bottom of the canoe: "Paddle-to-the-Sea." The boy then sets it in the late winter snow and watches as the canoe follows the melting snow on its way to Lake Superior. The book then follows the canoe all the way to France. Children of all ages seem to love this book. And, it doesn't seem to matter what decade it is when they first read it. The book was a 1942 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a children's book.

Paddle-To-The-Sea was one of the first long books my mother read to me [early 60's] and one of the first long books I read on my own. Many elements make this a fantastic book for elementary school-age children: it is an excellent geography lesson, teaching the reader about the Great Lakes region; it shows a character being creative and sending his creation out into the world without knowing if there will be a return for his actions; the payoff for the carver of Paddle-To-The-Sea comes only after a long period of time. When I spent the summer of 1966 in Minnesota with my family, we visited many of the places in the book including Lake Superior. I remember how much the book informed that summer. Several years ago I revisited Lake Superior for the first time since '66 and the images of a small carved Native American in a canoe were still on my mind. Give this book to a young person so they can take its literary journey and have it leave them with a lasting impression.

I first came across this book while looking through my father's collection of childhood books, and started reading it because he recommended it so enthusiastically. I've read it many times since -- some books are richer the more you return to them -- and even now, I think of Lake Superior as a wolf's head and Lake Huron as a fur trapper. When, as an adult, a business trip took me to Detroit (my first time in the Great Lakes region), I drove eight hours at night after my meetings to see Sault Ste. Marie, because my impressions of "The Soo" were so vivid from having read Paddle-to-the-Sea twenty years before. This is a terrific book that stays with you.