This book is about a young boy who is sent to live with his grandmother during World War II while his father is at war and his mother is working in a factory. The grandmother is a cook for a group of men who are building a road through the forest into Canada.
The time period seems to be well researched. There were roads built into Canada during World War II, in case the United States was invaded and people had to flee into Canada. This was also a time where a lot of women were joining the work force because their husbands were off fighting in the war. The focus of the book is not on the historical facts though, but rather on the boy�s relationships with his grandmother and the men at the camp.
The setting is vividly described. The author�s description of the road through the woods really helps the reader create a mental image of the area. �They came to a stream, and the road disappeared into the water�� The time period is also described well. The author tells how the men at the camp are too old to fight in the war, but they are still strong enough to participate in war efforts. The author also describes the time period by the way the boy�s mother goes off to work in a factory, which was common during World War II.
The boy is believable and readers can identify with him. It�s easy to understand how much he misses his mother, but also how much fun he�s having with the men at the camp when they let him ride on the machines with them. The mother and grandmother are believable as well. The mother is lonely with her husband away at war, and this leads her to get a job and have an affair with a man from her job. The grandmother loves the boy and is glad that he�s there, but at the same time, she knows that he needs to be at home with his mother. The dialogue in the book is much like dialogue would be today, which seems accurate since the book is set only about sixty years ago. The characters are straight forward and to the point. For instance, when one of the men wants the boy to come work with him, he says to the boy, �Aren�t you coming?� The characters say what they mean and are direct.
The plot is certainly realistic to the time period. It�s easy to believe that the boy�s father went to war, the mother had an affair, and the boy is sent to stay with his grandmother. In this aspect, the plot grows out of how the characters would really behave in this situation. The mother is ashamed of her affair and it makes her feel uncomfortable around her son, which is why she sends him to live with his grandmother. The boy doesn�t mean to tell his grandmother about his mother�s boyfriend, but it slips out, which ultimately leads to his mother ending the affair and the boy getting to go back home. These plot developments grow directly out of the characters� actions.
The theme of the story is one of love both inside and outside of the traditional family. The boy loves and misses his mother, but also loves his grandmother and the men at the camp. The men themselves have become a kind of family through their work and depend on and take care of one another. This is shown when one of the men gets crushed by a machine and is rushed to the nearest hospital for medical care. This example also shows how the author portrays the flavor of the times. This was a time where people looked out for one another, more so than they do today. This is shown on the train, where the attendants on the train look after the boy and make sure he has food and is comfortable. It is also shown in the way that the men look after the boy. They are kind to him and let him help them with their work so that he won�t be so sad. The author�s individual style is also shown through these interactions. Every character in this book is kind and well meaning. It reflects the author�s ideal that people are inherently good.
The story definitely isn�t sugarcoated. The author accepts and tells the reality of how war affects the people left at home. The boy�s mother cheats on his father, which leads to sadness for the boy and his mother. The story focuses on the characters, their emotions, and actions, rather than focusing on historical details. The story flows nicely and all children, particularly Gary Paulsen fans, will enjoy the book.
