A Tippy Canoe and Canada Too

Title: A Tippy Canoe and Canada Too
Author: Sam Campbell
Series: Living Forest, book 4
Major Themes: Animals, Canada, Canoe Trips, Wilderness, Wisconsin
Synopsis: Will the old canoe hold up for one more trip into the wilderness as three nature-lovers search for the perfect place to study wild animals?

When we first started reading the Living Forest series, some of my children were less than impressed. One of them, in fact, pretty much refused to listen, and went outside to do his own projects when I started reading a book by Sam Campbell. Within a chapter or two of the beginning of A Tippy Canoe and Canada Too, however, he was staying inside and not even pretending to not be interested. We all enjoyed it—although some of the younger ones didn’t understand the main theme of the book, which was the search for a new Sanctuary Lake at which Sam and Giny could study more animals.

The characters were our favorite part of the book. To begin with, there was Sandy the Squoip. We loved the conversation that gave him that nickname—and it really must be read aloud to get the most benefit out of it! Then there was Hi-Bub. What a funny little boy! My crew loved his lisping—which should also be read aloud for the most enjoyment. We loved his tall tales, too.

About half of this book involves a canoe trip as Sam and Giny and Sandy searched for the elusive lake they had never seen except in imagination. We thoroughly enjoyed some of their experiences along the way, and wondered along with them if the ancient canoe they were using would hold up to the end of the journey.

If you enjoy nature stories, have a look at the Living Forest books. There are some very fascinating animal stories in them, as well as life lessons. The philosophizing gets a bit long-winded at times, but as we go through the series, there is less in each book.

No warnings!