The Last Loon
by Rebecca Upjohn
- Commended, CCBC Best Books starred selection
- Short-listed, Silver Birch Express nominee
- Winner, IODE Jean Throop Book Award - Toronto Chapter
- Commended, Resource Links "The Year's Best"
"Spending Christmas holidays in the wilderness with his ex-con aunt Mag is not Evan's idea of a good time. What's worse is that everyone he meets-even his new friend Cedar-is making a big deal about a loon that is hanging around on the lake. Why should Evan care about a dumb bird? When he discovers that the loon will die without help, he realizes he does care, but rescuing the wild bird turns out to be whole lot harder, and more dangerous, than he expected."
close this panel"The Canadian wilderness is portrayed here as an antidote to the city life Evan leaves behind; it is the kind of place where each person does his or her share of the work and relishes the simple joys of companionship and the beauty of the natural world. A beginning chapter book with a good story and a clear environmental agenda."
"Refreshingly modern. Upjohn has created a multi-dimensional 11-year old character...[and] because he is so easy to relate to, the reader absorbs knowledge right along with Evan."
"This exciting novel keeps the reader questioning to the finish. Information abounds about the loons, wolves, and turtles all found in the lake regions in Ontario and other parts of Canada. Though the story moves at a fast pace, the characters are sensitively developed This novel would complement Canadian studies and should promote interesting discussion on wildlife survival."
"Evan learns important lessons about nature, environmentally sustainable living, and the danger of making rash judgments about people."
"The short chapters and accessible vocabulary will make this novel a good choice for readers who have made the transition to chapter books. The writer explores themes of: relationships, environmental responsibility, loon and wolf biology, animal rights, biodiversity, renewable energy sources, sustainability and the ecology of Canada's North. Recommended."
