Out of the woods: a true story of an unforgettable event bu R. Bond

Abstract

Bond, Rebecca. Out of the woods: a true story of an unforgettable event. New York: Margaret Ferguson Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, 2015. Print.The year is 1914 and Antonio lives in Ontario on the edge of lake Gowganda in a hotel run by his mother. The hotel is a curious place to live, with workers who make food, clean and keep things working. There are also all kinds of guests who pass through the hotel that Antonio finds fascinating. Some visitors are sportsmen out to hunt and fish, others are workers who stay longer and have interesting stories to tell. While there are not many children to play with, Antonio’s time is divided by exploring the woods around the hotel and engaging with the hotel workers and guests. When Antonio is only five, a serious forest fire causes all the hotel guests to take refuge in the waters of the lake. Some unlikely visitors join them: the woodland animals from all around them. As they wait for the fire to end, the humans and animals wait in the water. All are held hostage by this catastrophic event.Rebecca Bond has captured this striking story from her grandfather’s life and retold it in a way that reaches out to young readers. The story itself is quite striking as it causes the reader to think about the broad sweeping effects a natural disaster can have. It also makes one reconsider our connection to animals and how we are all vulnerable when it comes to nature. The sketched illustrations in this book have a sense of warmth mixed with dark detail so that children and adults will both enjoy reading the images as much as the text. The images of Antonio’s life come alive in great detail, especially when the forest fire is depicted, with its ominous browns and oranges, which really sets the appropriate mood. This book is likely best for children in early grade school, as younger children may not fully grasp the story.Out of the Woods captures a small piece of Canadian history and presents it alongside a pivotal moment in a young boy’s life. This would be an excellent book for parents and children to read together, so they can discuss it afterwards.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Hanne PearceHanne Pearce has worked at the University of Alberta Libraries in various support staff positions since 2004 and is currently a Public Service Librarian at the HT Coutts Education and Physical Education Library. Aside from being an avid reader she has continuing interests in writing, photography, graphic design and knitting.