Winter Camp

I read this to my six-year-old boy, who is very interested in the outdoors and nature. We both loved it; it's probably the single book I most enjoyed reading to him of the scores I have read to him over the years. Although there is not a tremendous amount of action (almost the entire book centers on the group's winter campsite and two traplines), and the pacing is I think deliberately slow, it's a fascinating introduction to native American culture in Alaska from a thoroughly credible source (Kirkpatrick Hill was a teacher in the area for years) and thoroughly engrossing in detailing the small group's efforts to survive in very challenging circumstances. It's also a well-written book that packs a lot of thought and meaning into short, pithy sentences. Although it's not a fast-paced book, I recommend it highly for children who enjoy adventure, particularly in the outdoors.

I have just finished my first year teaching 4th through 6th grade students in a remote Eskimo village. Earlier in the year we had read Toughboy and Sister and toward the end of the year we finished the sequel, Winter Camp. As we read both stories I asked the students if the descriptions or events about nearby Athabascan Native Americans sounded true to them. Invariably they said, "yes." The two novels focus on a brother and sister, known in their village as Toughboy and sister. After their Father dies they live two come to live with their Aunt Natasha. Natasha longs for the old ways and is unwilling to change. She finds the children soft and suddenly takes them out of school and flies out to cabin in the bush. The children come to admire the survival knowledge and stamina of the Aunt, but question the value of many of the old beliefs. This book explores some basic conflicts; children set against nature, and tradition versus technology. According to the publisher's website the author, Kirkpatrick Hill, still lives in Fairbanks, Alaska. She taught elementary school in "bush" Alaska for more than thirty years. Both Toughboy and Sister and Winter Camp are written in a limited omnipresent point of view. We frequently jump from the mind of Toughboy to his sister and back. The story is often told in narrative format and while well written is at times uneven. Recommendation: If you are a teenage reader and want a taste of what life is still like for many in the remote parts of Alaska, I recommend both Toughboy and Sister and Winter Camp. Kyle Pratt

The book is about four people. Toughboy, Sister, Natasha, and Nelson, who is living with Toughboy and Sister up at the winter camp.A moose ran over Nelson's arm breaking it.Toughboy and sister take good care of Nelson.Until Natasha calls back and tells them that help is on the way.I like the book because you never know what's going to happen.

Wintr Camp is an awesome ficton book by Kirkpatrick Hill. It is about a girl that they call Sister, and a boy named Toughboy.They live with a lady named Natasha. Natasha takes them to Winter Camp, they will stay there for a while. The log cabin is old, dusty, and the windows are cracked.So the cold air seeps through the walls.Toughboy and Sister have to do their chores everyday.One day a man named Nelson comes and gets kicked by a moose.Natasha checked to see if he was hurt, and they found out that he broke his arm. The rest of the story is about how Natasha goes to get help. I enjoyed this book because it was exciting, and it captured my attention. The theme or mesage in Winter Camp was that the old ways are good and the new ways are good too.

Winter Camp is a great adventure book. It's writen by a Kirpatrick Hill. This story is about a brother and sister who have great adventures together. They call sister sister they call brother Toughboy. Sister and Toughboy go on camping trip. They meet a friend of Natasha's. His name is Nelson. In this story Nelson is saved by Sister. Toughboy wished he saved Nelson. I like this book because like adventrues. by,Grace Dewitt