Dead Man's Rapids

February 15, 2017
In the north woods of 1899 Minnesota, young teens Ben and Nevers, both white, become the assistants to a quirky German immigrant, log-drive cook Sard, in this sequel to Blackwater Ben (2003).The Durbins have a knack for realistically depicting life on a rugged frontier and the many dangers of driving millions of board feet of logs down rivers to sawmills, an annual event in 19th- and early-20th-century America. After Ben's father, a logging-camp cook, quits in order to court a local woman, one-eyed Sard steps in. He has his own ideas of how the wanigan (cook boat) should be run, leaving the boys to adapt to his unusual practices as they also try to learn how to spit raisins accurately and stay astride logs moving down the river. The latter activity almost ends in tragedy when Nevers gets caught in the current of a dangerous sluice-dam chute. Several of the log drivers are vividly depicted and fully come to life, adding additional believability to an already effectively atmospheric tale. Many of the boys' experiences are everyday ones, but they are nonetheless unique to readers unfamiliar with the unusual setting. Fans of Gary Paulsen will enjoy immersing themselves in a grand adventure. A long, informative afterword provides additional historic context. Fine historical fiction that will successfully transport readers into an out-of-the-ordinary time and place. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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April 1, 2017
Gr 5-8-This sequel to Blackwater Ben begins in 1899 as Ben and his friend Nevers embark on a log drive with Ben's father, who works as the camp's cook. Ben hopes that someone less grumpy will replace his father as cook, and, lo and behold, his wish comes true when a new slop slinger named Sard takes over. Unfortunately, things go from bad to worse for Ben. Loggers who move the payload from Minnesota to Canada round out the characters. The loggers each have their own personality, some with more depth than others. Sard, with his ill temper and his physical injuries, is stereotypical at first. However, as the story progresses, he becomes more fully realized. The book's setting and the episodic plot, filled with humor and adventure, are its strengths. Readers will smell garlicky sausages, feel the bitter cold the loggers endure, and visualize the flora and fauna. The integration of logging vocabulary and the descriptions of camp life further immerse readers in the novel. Ben's constant wishing gets him and the crew in trouble, yet kids will welcome the diversion from the backbreaking labor and dangers of the drive. Information on the impact logging had on the region offers depth and discussion fodder. An afterword with facts about log drives is included. VERDICT The action and period details of this historical novel, reminiscent of Jennifer L. Holm's Our Only May Amelia and -Boston Jane- series, will captivate even reluctant readers.-Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY

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