Leif's Journey

Gr 8 Up—With his older siblings gone to make their lives in the city, Leif is the only one left to carry on the family farm in 1881 Minnesota. During a trek for supplies in a terrible winter storm, Leif meets Anna and the two begin to dream of a life together on a farm of their own. But, life is not easy and Leif's Pa is a hard man. The protagonist has to decide whether to follow his older siblings toward progress or stay and fight for his father's respect at home. Along the way, he learns who he is, where his father came from, and what his future holds. Well written and historically interesting, Leif's coming-of-age journey will resonate with teens. Even though the novel's setting and the character's way of life may be vastly different from that of many young adults today, readers will understand Leif's desire to be seen and treated like a man. Parent/child conflict drives the story and shows that while some things have changed greatly, others are still the same.