Description

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In 1800, 13-year-old Pierre La Page never imagined he'd be leaving Montreal to paddle 2,400 miles. It was something older men, like his father, did. But when Pierre's father has an accident, Pierre quits school to become a voyageur for the North West Company, so his family can survive the winter. It's hard for Pierre as the youngest in the brigade. From the treacherous waters and cruel teasing to his aching and bloodied hands, Pierre is miserable. Still he has no choice but to endure the trip to Grand Portage and back.

About the Author

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William Durbin is a Minneapolis-born teacher and writer who has lived in the lake country of northeastern Minnesota for many years. He has supervised writing research projects for the National Council of Teachers of English, the Bingham Trust, and Middlebury College. He teaches English at a small rural high school and composition at a community college. The Broken Blade is his first novel.