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The Cookcamp
Told through the eyes of a 5-year-old boy, this is a story of adventure and discovery in a cookcamp located in the Canadian woods during World War II.
When?: World War II
Where?: A cookcamp in the Canadian woods
Why?: He's not really sure.
One summer, a 5-year-old boy goes to live with his grandmother in a cookcamp. The camp is home to 9 men who are building a road through the woods. The boy misses his mother, but at the same time the camp becomes home--a special home where he learns to spit and rides the tractor. It's a wonderful summer, but then he lets slip to his grandmother about "Uncle Casey" and she writes seven letters to his mother. Seven letters that she mails "good and hard." A short while later, the boy returns home.
When?: World War II
Where?: A cookcamp in the Canadian woods
Why?: He's not really sure.
One summer, a 5-year-old boy goes to live with his grandmother in a cookcamp. The camp is home to 9 men who are building a road through the woods. The boy misses his mother, but at the same time the camp becomes home--a special home where he learns to spit and rides the tractor. It's a wonderful summer, but then he lets slip to his grandmother about "Uncle Casey" and she writes seven letters to his mother. Seven letters that she mails "good and hard." A short while later, the boy returns home.
117 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
17 people are currently reading
439 people want to read
About the author
Gary Paulsen
418 books4,051 followersGary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.
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December 7, 2025
In several of Gary Paulsen's novels, the main character's name is never stated. The Foxman, Tiltawhirl John, and Fishbone's Song are all like this, as is The Cookcamp; the five-year-old protagonist is simply referred to as "the boy." It would seem these nameless characters represent Paulsen himself, though the books range from factual memoir to somewhat fictionalized accounts of the author's life. Chicago, 1944: World War II is forcing fathers and husbands to go fight for human liberty across the Atlantic Ocean. Such matters shouldn't concern a five-year-old, but the boy's life turns upside down after his father leaves. His mother takes a job and looks for someone to watch the boy while she works, but quality babysitters are rare; he'd almost be better off by himself. The boy takes it in stride when a man—"Uncle Casey"—moves in, but catching his mother with Casey in a compromising position one night on the couch turns out to be the catalyst for the boy's departure from Chicago. He is sent by train to spend summer with his grandmother, Anita Halverson, at a work camp in the Minnesota woods, and this is where our main story commences.
No one is there to meet him at the train depot, but the agent agrees to keep an eye on the boy until his grandmother shows up. When she does—a strong older woman, dark hair streaked by gray—the boy launches into her arms without hesitation even though he doesn't know her. His grandmother's embrace is a steady point of reference in a world where a father can travel overseas and may never come back, and where a mother sends her child away all because of Uncle Casey and the disturbing sounds they make together on the couch. Worry and loneliness melt from the boy's shoulders as his grandmother carries him to the truck. The driver, an easy-going but physically imposing man named Carl, accelerates through miles of dense woods to the camp where the boy's grandmother has her trailer, near where laborers are building a new road. The boy's grandmother works as cook for the men, and he finds out what that entails the next morning.
The boy sleeps hard: a pure, deeply rejuvenating sleep, but his grandmother never seems to rest. She's up before the sun to set out plates and cups for the men's breakfast, and cook large quantities of filling food to hold them over until midday. The boy eagerly helps her, glad to be up and about with the men before they depart for work. It's a carnival of sights and sounds when they tromp into the trailer to break their fast: all the men are as tall and well-muscled as Carl, and eat like Clydesdale horses. They spit out their snoose chewing tobacco, pulling any remnants from the lower lip with their fingers before piling their plates with pancakes, stew, biscuits, whatever has been prepared. After eating, they head off on their loud construction vehicles to the worksite. Breakfast is a breathless, invigorating experience for the boy, but right away it's time to start making lunch, and his grandmother could use some assistance. For once, he's not only wanted, but needed.
Cooking and cleaning, learning to sew, baking fresh apple pie and doing sundry tasks for his grandmother, the boy never lacks stimulation. He has time to play outside, and fancies the little animals that come so close to him without fear; a chipmunk snatches a bit of pie crust dough from his hand, to the boy's everlasting delight. He hardly thinks of his mother or Uncle Casey at all. He loves watching the men at meals and the quiet, gentle company of his grandmother before sleep, when she sings to him in Norwegian and tucks him into bed. The boy's curiosity is piqued the first time the men gather to play the card game whist, their voices raised in competitive fervor. Gustaf, a bald man who looks stern but has a soft disposition toward the boy, lets him sit in his lap and be his whist partner, a thrill for a five-year-old yearning to take his place among stout, strong-willed men. Gustaf decides the boy should come participate in the road work tomorrow, and the anticipation is nearly more than the boy can stand.
Awakening almost before his grandmother, the boy assists with breakfast as usual before heading out. Gustaf lets him help steer the big cat tractor, which climbs a massive pile of gravel at an impossible angle to fill the men's trucks one by one with loose stone. Dust, dirt, and noise thick in the air, the scent of wilderness all around...could a more sensuous experience exist? Riding the cat is like an amusement park ride, but important work is getting done. At midday the boy eats right alongside the men for the first time, attempting to scarf down huge quantities of food like they do in spite of his little stomach, and then it's back to the hustle and clamor of the job. Part of him looks forward to evening alone with his grandmother, to tell her every wondrous thing he saw and did today. This is true belonging.
Gustaf isn't the only one who takes the boy to work. Carl has a turn, as do all the other men. The boy knows they could do the work themselves, but having him along is a joy for both parties. The weeks pass in a blur of energy and anticipation for each new dawn, curiosity at what challenge might be next, and the privilege to tackle it beside the hard-working men. In his happiness, the boy even opens up about Uncle Casey to his grandmother, casually describing what he saw on the couch that made him dislike Casey. Upon hearing this, the boy's grandmother adds a new part to her day: after he goes to bed she writes letters to his mother, openly crying as she does. Why is she upset about Uncle Casey? The boy tries to console her, and his grandmother is cheered by his sweet concern, but perhaps the time is at hand for his summer in Minnesota to end. Indeed, lately the boy has started missing his mother, a feeling of emptiness growing at being apart from her. It increases into a sadness his heart and body can't contain, but is his mother ready to receive him back? Will his father ever return, or is normal life permanently broken? His dual connection to loved ones in Chicago and Minnesota tug him in opposite directions, but we have only one life to live, and choices must be made. This summer will crystalize those choices for the boy and his family.
Not every Gary Paulsen novel brims with beauty and wisdom, but The Cookcamp does. The boy can't understand all his own complex emotions about being sent away from home in Chicago, but the cookcamp is exactly what he needs. His grandmother and the men adore him; being the center of their affection and attention is a salve for the hurt in his heart. Each day working beside Gustaf, Carl, or one of the other men is a memory he will treasure for life. These rugged, admirable men who want to spend their days with the boy become sacred to him. At the tender age of five he has found a way to plug into the workforce and do useful labor so he's fully satisfied at night when his head hits the pillow. We all crave purpose, and the boy has found a measure of it before his first day of elementary school. What a wonderful way to spend a childhood summer.
Most impressive of this book's philosophical points is the apple pie metaphor. The flood of flavor from his grandmother's apple pie is amazing, washed down with condensed milk that tastes of the tin can it comes in, but something puzzles the boy. "There's so many things in it," he remarks to his grandmother. "In the pie. So many different things and they aren't all good, but when they are in the pie they are good." Apples are too hard for his teeth, the boy explains, cinnamon can be overly potent, and too much sugar nauseates him. But, "When you put them all together in a pie they taste good and make me want to eat more and more and even drink the milk with the tin in it. How can that be?" Most significant experiences, and life as a whole, are composed of elements sweet and vile, soothing and stressful. Even being at the cookcamp turns out that way. You can't judge an experience based on the individual ingredients that go into it, only by the taste of the finished product, which can be good even if not every ingredient is to your liking. Life is a recipe that seems absurd at times, but in the end if we loved the pie, our efforts were worthwhile. We can't know how it will turn out until the baking process is complete.
Tally up The Cookcamp as another superb Gary Paulsen novel, a poignant reflection on one's cherished bygone days. There's nothing like the emotion and immediacy of childhood; its memories tend to be indelible. The book's concluding chapter, "Portrait", is a loving reminiscence on Paulsen's own grandmother, who navigated ninety-two years of sorrow and joy on this earth. The sting of missing her is palpable in his words. I love John Ward's cover painting for the hardback edition of this book; the portrayal of the cookcamp tucked in among the Minnesota wilderness is verdant and cozy. If you enjoy Gary Paulsen's more contemplative novels—The Haymeadow or The Island, for example—be prepared to add The Cookcamp as a new favorite. I love his writing like no one else's.
No one is there to meet him at the train depot, but the agent agrees to keep an eye on the boy until his grandmother shows up. When she does—a strong older woman, dark hair streaked by gray—the boy launches into her arms without hesitation even though he doesn't know her. His grandmother's embrace is a steady point of reference in a world where a father can travel overseas and may never come back, and where a mother sends her child away all because of Uncle Casey and the disturbing sounds they make together on the couch. Worry and loneliness melt from the boy's shoulders as his grandmother carries him to the truck. The driver, an easy-going but physically imposing man named Carl, accelerates through miles of dense woods to the camp where the boy's grandmother has her trailer, near where laborers are building a new road. The boy's grandmother works as cook for the men, and he finds out what that entails the next morning.
The boy sleeps hard: a pure, deeply rejuvenating sleep, but his grandmother never seems to rest. She's up before the sun to set out plates and cups for the men's breakfast, and cook large quantities of filling food to hold them over until midday. The boy eagerly helps her, glad to be up and about with the men before they depart for work. It's a carnival of sights and sounds when they tromp into the trailer to break their fast: all the men are as tall and well-muscled as Carl, and eat like Clydesdale horses. They spit out their snoose chewing tobacco, pulling any remnants from the lower lip with their fingers before piling their plates with pancakes, stew, biscuits, whatever has been prepared. After eating, they head off on their loud construction vehicles to the worksite. Breakfast is a breathless, invigorating experience for the boy, but right away it's time to start making lunch, and his grandmother could use some assistance. For once, he's not only wanted, but needed.
Cooking and cleaning, learning to sew, baking fresh apple pie and doing sundry tasks for his grandmother, the boy never lacks stimulation. He has time to play outside, and fancies the little animals that come so close to him without fear; a chipmunk snatches a bit of pie crust dough from his hand, to the boy's everlasting delight. He hardly thinks of his mother or Uncle Casey at all. He loves watching the men at meals and the quiet, gentle company of his grandmother before sleep, when she sings to him in Norwegian and tucks him into bed. The boy's curiosity is piqued the first time the men gather to play the card game whist, their voices raised in competitive fervor. Gustaf, a bald man who looks stern but has a soft disposition toward the boy, lets him sit in his lap and be his whist partner, a thrill for a five-year-old yearning to take his place among stout, strong-willed men. Gustaf decides the boy should come participate in the road work tomorrow, and the anticipation is nearly more than the boy can stand.
Awakening almost before his grandmother, the boy assists with breakfast as usual before heading out. Gustaf lets him help steer the big cat tractor, which climbs a massive pile of gravel at an impossible angle to fill the men's trucks one by one with loose stone. Dust, dirt, and noise thick in the air, the scent of wilderness all around...could a more sensuous experience exist? Riding the cat is like an amusement park ride, but important work is getting done. At midday the boy eats right alongside the men for the first time, attempting to scarf down huge quantities of food like they do in spite of his little stomach, and then it's back to the hustle and clamor of the job. Part of him looks forward to evening alone with his grandmother, to tell her every wondrous thing he saw and did today. This is true belonging.
Gustaf isn't the only one who takes the boy to work. Carl has a turn, as do all the other men. The boy knows they could do the work themselves, but having him along is a joy for both parties. The weeks pass in a blur of energy and anticipation for each new dawn, curiosity at what challenge might be next, and the privilege to tackle it beside the hard-working men. In his happiness, the boy even opens up about Uncle Casey to his grandmother, casually describing what he saw on the couch that made him dislike Casey. Upon hearing this, the boy's grandmother adds a new part to her day: after he goes to bed she writes letters to his mother, openly crying as she does. Why is she upset about Uncle Casey? The boy tries to console her, and his grandmother is cheered by his sweet concern, but perhaps the time is at hand for his summer in Minnesota to end. Indeed, lately the boy has started missing his mother, a feeling of emptiness growing at being apart from her. It increases into a sadness his heart and body can't contain, but is his mother ready to receive him back? Will his father ever return, or is normal life permanently broken? His dual connection to loved ones in Chicago and Minnesota tug him in opposite directions, but we have only one life to live, and choices must be made. This summer will crystalize those choices for the boy and his family.
Not every Gary Paulsen novel brims with beauty and wisdom, but The Cookcamp does. The boy can't understand all his own complex emotions about being sent away from home in Chicago, but the cookcamp is exactly what he needs. His grandmother and the men adore him; being the center of their affection and attention is a salve for the hurt in his heart. Each day working beside Gustaf, Carl, or one of the other men is a memory he will treasure for life. These rugged, admirable men who want to spend their days with the boy become sacred to him. At the tender age of five he has found a way to plug into the workforce and do useful labor so he's fully satisfied at night when his head hits the pillow. We all crave purpose, and the boy has found a measure of it before his first day of elementary school. What a wonderful way to spend a childhood summer.
Most impressive of this book's philosophical points is the apple pie metaphor. The flood of flavor from his grandmother's apple pie is amazing, washed down with condensed milk that tastes of the tin can it comes in, but something puzzles the boy. "There's so many things in it," he remarks to his grandmother. "In the pie. So many different things and they aren't all good, but when they are in the pie they are good." Apples are too hard for his teeth, the boy explains, cinnamon can be overly potent, and too much sugar nauseates him. But, "When you put them all together in a pie they taste good and make me want to eat more and more and even drink the milk with the tin in it. How can that be?" Most significant experiences, and life as a whole, are composed of elements sweet and vile, soothing and stressful. Even being at the cookcamp turns out that way. You can't judge an experience based on the individual ingredients that go into it, only by the taste of the finished product, which can be good even if not every ingredient is to your liking. Life is a recipe that seems absurd at times, but in the end if we loved the pie, our efforts were worthwhile. We can't know how it will turn out until the baking process is complete.
Tally up The Cookcamp as another superb Gary Paulsen novel, a poignant reflection on one's cherished bygone days. There's nothing like the emotion and immediacy of childhood; its memories tend to be indelible. The book's concluding chapter, "Portrait", is a loving reminiscence on Paulsen's own grandmother, who navigated ninety-two years of sorrow and joy on this earth. The sting of missing her is palpable in his words. I love John Ward's cover painting for the hardback edition of this book; the portrayal of the cookcamp tucked in among the Minnesota wilderness is verdant and cozy. If you enjoy Gary Paulsen's more contemplative novels—The Haymeadow or The Island, for example—be prepared to add The Cookcamp as a new favorite. I love his writing like no one else's.
February 13, 2026
Really beautiful. The boy's memories are so vividly conveyed and the details are so particular and sensory, and on top of that, the emotional component, lightly but powerfully laid in there. So glad I read this. The part at the back, Gary Paulsen's portrait (in words) of his grandmother, is lovely too.
Right near the end of the story:
I'm much, much older and understand. Really grateful to Gary Paulsen for sharing this story.
Right near the end of the story:
"You look just like Grandma when you cry," he said [to his mother]. "Just like her..."
And he had a moment of sadness, some cutting thing that went through him that he did not understand then and would not understand until he was much, much older.
I'm much, much older and understand. Really grateful to Gary Paulsen for sharing this story.
July 26, 2011
Excellent book! As with the other Paulsen books I've read, this story weaves together the adventure of living at a construction camp with the bittersweetness of being without family and the loss of loved ones. In this story a young boy (probably between the ages of 4 and 6) lives with his grandmother near the close of WWII while his mother settles some personal affairs. Throughout the boy must balance the excitement of living somewhere new with homesickness he is feeling. Meanwhile the grandmother must come to terms with her sense of loss for lost siblings and lost children as she watches her grandson grow.
For books like The Cookcamp that I thoroughly enjoyed and that perhaps touched me in some sort of emotional way, I want to make sure the book travels to someone else who wants to read it or may take something extra away from reading it. One way I can do this is by RABCKing the book (a random act of BookCrossing Kindness, taken from the Danny Wallace Book, Practice Random Acts of Kindess) to another BookCrosser who has wished for it. In this case, I found only one person who had requested The Cookcamp so I sent a PM and received a lovely response. I won't go into the details of it beyond saying that she was very happy to receive the book and had been going through some tough times. I feel like the book has used me to find the person who needs it most.
For books like The Cookcamp that I thoroughly enjoyed and that perhaps touched me in some sort of emotional way, I want to make sure the book travels to someone else who wants to read it or may take something extra away from reading it. One way I can do this is by RABCKing the book (a random act of BookCrossing Kindness, taken from the Danny Wallace Book, Practice Random Acts of Kindess) to another BookCrosser who has wished for it. In this case, I found only one person who had requested The Cookcamp so I sent a PM and received a lovely response. I won't go into the details of it beyond saying that she was very happy to receive the book and had been going through some tough times. I feel like the book has used me to find the person who needs it most.
March 13, 2019
Cookcamp by Gary Paulsen. I thought this book was a very curious book. I only say this because you didn’t know what was going to happen next in the book. This book was very short but had a lot of details in the book. Gary Paulsen did a fantastic job on the book. I understood the plot line and I could picture what was going on in my head. It felt like I was the little boy in the book.
Cookcamp is about a little boy during the WW2 time period. His father had gone to Europe with his parents and his mother was working in Chicago. So his mother put him on a train to go to his grandmother. He would soon see his grandmother. He would also meet 9 other older men. They would work outside and teach the boy life lessons with his grandmother as well.
I would rate this book 9/10. The book had a lot of detail in a very short book.
Cookcamp is about a little boy during the WW2 time period. His father had gone to Europe with his parents and his mother was working in Chicago. So his mother put him on a train to go to his grandmother. He would soon see his grandmother. He would also meet 9 other older men. They would work outside and teach the boy life lessons with his grandmother as well.
I would rate this book 9/10. The book had a lot of detail in a very short book.
February 11, 2015
Amazing look at Author's grandmother and growing up.
The Building of roads, Life during WWII and just being young.
The Building of roads, Life during WWII and just being young.
Read
September 22, 2016I Honestly thaught it was great
July 12, 2024
So ... I didn't love this, but I also can't really say anything specific negative about it. It just seemed a little simplistic a story, one I almost wondered why it was being told. This is where the author's interview at the end helped up the appreciation. Paulsen states that (paraphrased) while this is a novel, it's really non-fiction, it's basically what happened to him when he was young.
It was all just a little ambiguous ... no specific time/year is given (as often is in books), just stated that during "a war" (the assumption is ww2?) the boy's father (like in "Harris and Me" ... we are never given the boy's name, he is just "the boy" throughout) is gone to war, the mother is working and brings home "Uncle Casey" who really isn't his uncle, and the boy finds his mother and the man on the couch together making sounds he doesn't understand but doesn't like ... the writing IS simplistic like that, which I guess is representative of the way a 5-year old might think (this is from his POV). Reminiscent of "the secret" (parent's divorce) mentioned in Hatchet. The prologue here mentions how he "was sent to live with his grandmother" and that repeats three or four times in just a few pages (because it's not that simple, each time it's said he gives a few more background details). I'm sure there is something to discuss here ... some writing technique ...
I picked this one up because I am a Gary Paulsen fan (my boys and I enjoying the Hatchet series). I had a copy of the physical book donated for my LittleFreeLibrary, and I thought I'd give it a quick read before offering it up. It's short/quick. I had also happened to hear someone on one of my Facebook groups mention it, saying the strong relationship between the grandmother/grandson touched her. Me ... not quite so much. Similar to "Harris and Me" (also the story of a young boy, although older than 5 years, going to stay with extended family for the summer), and I think I preferred the latter. Just a little more going on.
It IS so crazy to think about the different times ... sure, just put a five year old with a note pinned to him onto a train to travel several states away on his own. I'm not sure if I figured out the relationship between the grandmother and the boy's mother (why they weren't talking) ... but didn't re-read/re-listen to clarify (I remember one section going into the grandmother's history, but then it saying ALL her children had died, but then this seemed to cover years at one point ... which also makes me wonder about the sequels? I'm not really planning on continuing on).
There are a few covers - don't love any. The physical book here has the realistic (real? was this made into a movie, can't see anything on that) faces of grandmother and the boy. Included in AudiblePlus, the narrator was a woman ... might have made more sense to have it be male, but then again it was more of an omniscient narrator overlooking it and telling the story, 3rd person/Past tense. The ebook was also on Hoopla, but I'm a Kindle snob. No library had the Kindle copy, and I didn't feel like it would be worth $4, especially as I did already have the text/physical book to glance through.
While this is YA, and a simple story, I do feel like IF I were to study it closer, make notes, discuss it with bookclub ... I'd probably find some things worthy of a deeper delve. Just based on my quick listen though, it's not really one that will stay with me.
It was all just a little ambiguous ... no specific time/year is given (as often is in books), just stated that during "a war" (the assumption is ww2?) the boy's father (like in "Harris and Me" ... we are never given the boy's name, he is just "the boy" throughout) is gone to war, the mother is working and brings home "Uncle Casey" who really isn't his uncle, and the boy finds his mother and the man on the couch together making sounds he doesn't understand but doesn't like ... the writing IS simplistic like that, which I guess is representative of the way a 5-year old might think (this is from his POV). Reminiscent of "the secret" (parent's divorce) mentioned in Hatchet. The prologue here mentions how he "was sent to live with his grandmother" and that repeats three or four times in just a few pages (because it's not that simple, each time it's said he gives a few more background details). I'm sure there is something to discuss here ... some writing technique ...
I picked this one up because I am a Gary Paulsen fan (my boys and I enjoying the Hatchet series). I had a copy of the physical book donated for my LittleFreeLibrary, and I thought I'd give it a quick read before offering it up. It's short/quick. I had also happened to hear someone on one of my Facebook groups mention it, saying the strong relationship between the grandmother/grandson touched her. Me ... not quite so much. Similar to "Harris and Me" (also the story of a young boy, although older than 5 years, going to stay with extended family for the summer), and I think I preferred the latter. Just a little more going on.
It IS so crazy to think about the different times ... sure, just put a five year old with a note pinned to him onto a train to travel several states away on his own. I'm not sure if I figured out the relationship between the grandmother and the boy's mother (why they weren't talking) ... but didn't re-read/re-listen to clarify (I remember one section going into the grandmother's history, but then it saying ALL her children had died, but then this seemed to cover years at one point ... which also makes me wonder about the sequels? I'm not really planning on continuing on).
There are a few covers - don't love any. The physical book here has the realistic (real? was this made into a movie, can't see anything on that) faces of grandmother and the boy. Included in AudiblePlus, the narrator was a woman ... might have made more sense to have it be male, but then again it was more of an omniscient narrator overlooking it and telling the story, 3rd person/Past tense. The ebook was also on Hoopla, but I'm a Kindle snob. No library had the Kindle copy, and I didn't feel like it would be worth $4, especially as I did already have the text/physical book to glance through.
While this is YA, and a simple story, I do feel like IF I were to study it closer, make notes, discuss it with bookclub ... I'd probably find some things worthy of a deeper delve. Just based on my quick listen though, it's not really one that will stay with me.
May 27, 2018
Set during WWII, a five-year-old boy is packed off to stay with his grandmother, who works in a cookcamp in the thick forests of northern Minnesota. He makes the sorts of little boy discoveries that a child does ... listens to his grandmother's stories and songs ... and manfully puts in a day's work with the big men who drive tractors and chew tobacco and relish cups of coffee with their pie.
Nostalgic (since I'm Minnesotan and grew up in a Scandinavian community) and an interesting blend of heartwarming and heartaching. Reading between the lines, it's clear that the boy was neglected at home ... and that his mother was carrying on with another man while her husband was off to war. But the story belongs to the boy, who doesn't really understand those kinds of things. For now, it's enough that he is his grandmother's "little thimble," and that he misses his mother.
Looking forward to the next book since I picked up the set for the home shelf.
Nostalgic (since I'm Minnesotan and grew up in a Scandinavian community) and an interesting blend of heartwarming and heartaching. Reading between the lines, it's clear that the boy was neglected at home ... and that his mother was carrying on with another man while her husband was off to war. But the story belongs to the boy, who doesn't really understand those kinds of things. For now, it's enough that he is his grandmother's "little thimble," and that he misses his mother.
Looking forward to the next book since I picked up the set for the home shelf.
July 3, 2025
The author of Hatchet brings another great tale about the struggles during the 1930s. This is a heart turning tale about a five year old boy who is sent to live with his grandmother for a small while in a cookcamp. I enjoyed the wholesome parts and felt that the boy's opinions about his "Uncle" Casey were justified.
August 8, 2019
this will forever be my all time favorite book. i’ve never been so in love with a book in my life. i read this for the first time in 3rd grade (i’m now on 8th) and i fell in love. over the years i have re-read this book multiple times. i love it so much it hurts.
December 31, 2025
I have a feeling we’re going to enjoy Gary Paulsen.
December 13, 2021
A small sweet book to carry and read on a 6 hour, 2 leg flight across the country.
May 22, 2015
I liked the book "Cook Camp" because it was an outdoors book. This book is about a young boy who gets sent away to live with his grandma, his grandma works for a highway business in Canada. When the boy went to live with his grandma he found out she cooks for the men working on the road in a small trailer house next to where they were working. He started going to work with the men and sitting in their Machines. Later in the book his grandma gets sick and has to go to the hospital, the young boy has to make them meals till his grandmother gets back.
The main characters in "Cook Camp" are, the young boy and his grandmother. The young boy is the one who goes to live with his grandmother on the roadway and help her cook and clean for the men. The grandmother takes care of the road workers and the young boy and teaches him how to cook.
This book takes place somewhere in the Canadian wilderness. The book takes place sometime in the summer when it is warm and still rains. They are working on a roadway throughout Canada and they are living in a trailer/mobile home.
I recommend this book to any outdoorsman at any age and gender. This book was packed with adventure and new things. This is a good book if you are looking for an easy read or just an all around good book.
The main characters in "Cook Camp" are, the young boy and his grandmother. The young boy is the one who goes to live with his grandmother on the roadway and help her cook and clean for the men. The grandmother takes care of the road workers and the young boy and teaches him how to cook.
This book takes place somewhere in the Canadian wilderness. The book takes place sometime in the summer when it is warm and still rains. They are working on a roadway throughout Canada and they are living in a trailer/mobile home.
I recommend this book to any outdoorsman at any age and gender. This book was packed with adventure and new things. This is a good book if you are looking for an easy read or just an all around good book.
Read
February 4, 2016A boy goes to meet his grandma because his father is in the war and he goes to a camp called the Cooked Camp and doesn't like it at first then he learns to like it
My favorite part is when his grandma shows up. Another part that was my favorite was when he goes to work with Gustaf (another character in the story). It is a short book so this is a short summary because there there was not to much to the book but none of the less it was interesting don't let this summery stop you from reading it (if it was boring to you).
My favorite part is when his grandma shows up. Another part that was my favorite was when he goes to work with Gustaf (another character in the story). It is a short book so this is a short summary because there there was not to much to the book but none of the less it was interesting don't let this summery stop you from reading it (if it was boring to you).
January 20, 2010
Read with Gavin...quick and easy so he can get his AR points and read the books he 'wants' to read. We both actually liked this one and cried a little bit through it!
Gavin and I have decided we're reading through Gary Paulsen books this year (this may be the only way I can get him to still read with me). Yeah! Thanks for writing books that my son thinks I should read with him ==way to go, Gary Paulsen!
Gavin and I have decided we're reading through Gary Paulsen books this year (this may be the only way I can get him to still read with me). Yeah! Thanks for writing books that my son thinks I should read with him ==way to go, Gary Paulsen!
Read
May 12, 2015This book was interesting and kept my attention. I would recommend this book to my class. I like novels and books that make you think of whats going to happen next.Then when you read them there is a twist in the book that takes you in another direction.
July 6, 2016
A sweet story of a little boy During the war...a tender [autobiographical] tribute to his grandmother by Gary Paulsen. The first of three books written about her.
July 17, 2022
The boy is five years old when his mother sends him to live with his grandmother, a cook for a construction crew in the wilds of the Northwest. He is instantly accepted by the rough but kindly construction workers. The short time he spends there is packed with warmth and new experiences, and though he eventually returns to his family, the cookcamp and what it taught him of manhood stay with him forever.
This book is brief and sweet. Just over a hundred pages, the majority of it is the inner life of a five-year-old boy, unable to grasp the meaning of the war going on around him, but able to understand and deeply internalize the gentleness and strength of his new family. It is descriptive and nostalgic, hardly anything actually happens, and is overall an ode to the Minnesotan wilderness and the strong immigrant stock that populate it. Despite looking like a children's book and having a five-year-old as a main character, this would probably be better enjoyed by older kids or adults. For one thing, they would be most able to appreciate the slow-moving but lyrical writing style. For another, there is one mature scene in the prologue where the boy walks in on his mother having an affair.
This book is brief and sweet. Just over a hundred pages, the majority of it is the inner life of a five-year-old boy, unable to grasp the meaning of the war going on around him, but able to understand and deeply internalize the gentleness and strength of his new family. It is descriptive and nostalgic, hardly anything actually happens, and is overall an ode to the Minnesotan wilderness and the strong immigrant stock that populate it. Despite looking like a children's book and having a five-year-old as a main character, this would probably be better enjoyed by older kids or adults. For one thing, they would be most able to appreciate the slow-moving but lyrical writing style. For another, there is one mature scene in the prologue where the boy walks in on his mother having an affair.
August 6, 2025
Once a year, I stumble on a book in a Free Little Library or Goodwill that I pick up purely because it looks sentimental. This year, it was “The Quilt” by Gary Paulson. A quilt? Minnesota? Gotta read it.
It always happens to be part of a series, which then sends me into a deep dive to secure the entire series before reading. And at the end, I give them all away because (usually) they’re not great and I’ve lost half of my summer. I have a feeling it’s happening again.
I put back “The quilt” because I thought I would never find the first book to this series. But then the next day a copy landed right in front of me. Thought it was a sign.
But can I just say, it’s not great? It has elements of fun boyhood - big scruffy men, construction, food, and the need to act big bound with a heart of tenderness. It’s cool that it’s a memoir.
But the main concept (alongside somewhat dry writing)- he moves to the backwoods of Minnesota to be with his grandma because his mom is starting to sleep with someone in Chicago and he accidentally SAW THEM is.. Not a book I would just give to my middle schooler to read? Call me crazy.
Ugh, but here we go. The second book arrives from Amazon today. I’m bound to the art of completion.
It always happens to be part of a series, which then sends me into a deep dive to secure the entire series before reading. And at the end, I give them all away because (usually) they’re not great and I’ve lost half of my summer. I have a feeling it’s happening again.
I put back “The quilt” because I thought I would never find the first book to this series. But then the next day a copy landed right in front of me. Thought it was a sign.
But can I just say, it’s not great? It has elements of fun boyhood - big scruffy men, construction, food, and the need to act big bound with a heart of tenderness. It’s cool that it’s a memoir.
But the main concept (alongside somewhat dry writing)- he moves to the backwoods of Minnesota to be with his grandma because his mom is starting to sleep with someone in Chicago and he accidentally SAW THEM is.. Not a book I would just give to my middle schooler to read? Call me crazy.
Ugh, but here we go. The second book arrives from Amazon today. I’m bound to the art of completion.
May 26, 2021
The cookcamp by Gary Paulsen. The lexile level is 1010. The cookcamp is a fictional book about a young boy who goes to the northern woods in Minnesota with his grandmother because his father is going to fight in world war 2 and his mother is working in a factory. And eventually did go home.
The young boy learns a lot from the cookcamp. The setting of the book is in the woods of Minnesota where his grandma lives along with other men who are building roads through the woods. The men that are building roads teach him things. He learned how to spit and took rides on tractors. He likes to ride on the cat with Gustaf. “Oh, grandma, I rode the cat and Gustaf put my hands on the levers and I got to drive and steer and raise and lower the blade and we rode to the top of the gravel pile and down…”.
I thought this was a good book. I would recommend this book for people to read. The book was not confusing and wasn’t hard to understand. The book was believable. The ending was good and not that predictable. My favorite part was when the boy got to ride on the cat. The Connection I made with the book is that the boy likes to ride on the cat and tractors. I like to ride on things like that.
The young boy learns a lot from the cookcamp. The setting of the book is in the woods of Minnesota where his grandma lives along with other men who are building roads through the woods. The men that are building roads teach him things. He learned how to spit and took rides on tractors. He likes to ride on the cat with Gustaf. “Oh, grandma, I rode the cat and Gustaf put my hands on the levers and I got to drive and steer and raise and lower the blade and we rode to the top of the gravel pile and down…”.
I thought this was a good book. I would recommend this book for people to read. The book was not confusing and wasn’t hard to understand. The book was believable. The ending was good and not that predictable. My favorite part was when the boy got to ride on the cat. The Connection I made with the book is that the boy likes to ride on the cat and tractors. I like to ride on things like that.
June 2, 2017
The Cookcamp, by Gary Paulsen is a book about a boy who, during WWII was sent to live with his grandmother at a logging camp, where she is the cook. It follows the boy through an emotional rollercoaster about liking living there and missing his mother. He befriends many logger men and does a lot with them along the way. I really enjoyed this book, partly because I am a huge fan of Gary Paulsen's writing, also because it was a very unique book. It was unlike anything I have ever read. Three reasons I would recommend this book to you are, for one, it's from the point of view of a young boy so it sees things in a different light than most people would. Also because it has an interesting plotline. It is not a very long book but it is full of emotion and excellent writing techniques. It is easily a 9/10 read and I would recommend it to readers of all ages.
October 9, 2018
Without giving it much thought, I picked up this book at the public library for my seven-year-old son to read. He did, and absolutely loved it. Likely echoing the last line of the book itself, he told me it was so good he wished he could keep reading it forever. His basic summary piqued my interest, so I read it myself.
I wept openly as I read through about the last quarter of the book. It was so touching to me, both as I realized how my son had read and enjoyed the story from the little boy’s perspective, but also as Paulsen’s simple narrative reached so deeply and subtly into the emotional lives of the mother and grandmother, and the love that drew the boy to each of them.
I was just glad I did not attempt to read it out loud to my son. I would not have made it through!
I wept openly as I read through about the last quarter of the book. It was so touching to me, both as I realized how my son had read and enjoyed the story from the little boy’s perspective, but also as Paulsen’s simple narrative reached so deeply and subtly into the emotional lives of the mother and grandmother, and the love that drew the boy to each of them.
I was just glad I did not attempt to read it out loud to my son. I would not have made it through!
September 24, 2025
“Summer days mixed with summer nights in the cook trailer and it seemed more of a home than even Chicago was a home except for missing his mother.”
Title: The Cookcamp
Author: Gary Paulsen
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a middle reader book.
This book follows “The Boy” . His father is off fighting the war. His mother is making bad choices and now he’s being shipped off to his grandmother for awhile he will stay with her. She works as a cook in a lumber camp.
This was a short little middle grade book. The most interesting part of this book is that the main character is never named. He is only referred to as “boy” or “the boy”.
If you’ve been following me here, you know that my goal is to read all of Gary Paulsen’s full work. I feel like it’s never gonna end. He has written so many books!
Title: The Cookcamp
Author: Gary Paulsen
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a middle reader book.
This book follows “The Boy” . His father is off fighting the war. His mother is making bad choices and now he’s being shipped off to his grandmother for awhile he will stay with her. She works as a cook in a lumber camp.
This was a short little middle grade book. The most interesting part of this book is that the main character is never named. He is only referred to as “boy” or “the boy”.
If you’ve been following me here, you know that my goal is to read all of Gary Paulsen’s full work. I feel like it’s never gonna end. He has written so many books!
December 7, 2025
This book vividly reminded me of my own grandmother. Just a beautifully written little book.
This is the youngest main character in any of Paulsen’s works by far that I have read. A five year old boy narrator gives the story a lens of gentleness that would be missing from any other viewpoint.
The boy is in a situation that is perilous, anger-inducing even. The grandmother swats flies even when she has killed all the flies, because she is so angry on the hoy’s behalf. The boy is not angry, however. He just misses his mother. This book is not about anger. It is not about what is fair or not fair. It is a snapshot of a life.
Hard situations can still make a good life. Hard apples and bitter cinnamon can still make a good pie.
This is the youngest main character in any of Paulsen’s works by far that I have read. A five year old boy narrator gives the story a lens of gentleness that would be missing from any other viewpoint.
The boy is in a situation that is perilous, anger-inducing even. The grandmother swats flies even when she has killed all the flies, because she is so angry on the hoy’s behalf. The boy is not angry, however. He just misses his mother. This book is not about anger. It is not about what is fair or not fair. It is a snapshot of a life.
Hard situations can still make a good life. Hard apples and bitter cinnamon can still make a good pie.
March 8, 2018
I read the The CookCamp by Gary Paulsen. I actually really enjoyed this book. This book is about a little kid that ends up living with his grandma. His grandma lives on a work cite in a cook trailer and her jobs to make meals for the men that are working. Now that the boy lives with her she now has a little helper. He would help her with setting the table and clean up after the men ate. Later on in the book the kid starts to get along with the workers. But at first one worker would take him and let him run the machines. As the story goes on an employee gets injured and the boy is left responsible for making the men food until his grandma returns. To know more about this story you’ll have to read and find out.
March 2, 2019
I can see why my son enjoyed reading Gary Paulsen books. I enjoyed this story and actually cried at the end when he was reunited with his mom. I was a little disappointed in her for what she did. I am glad her mom wrote to her and expressed her disappointment in her. Loved how his grandmother called him her little thimble also how all the men pitched in and took him to work with them. Great story.
June 9, 2019
Another fine Paulsen reading experience with my 9 year old daughter. Not as face paced and page-turny as Hatchet or his Tuckett series, but still quite enjoyable. There is a sweetness and honesty to his writing that is easy to appreciate. He doesn’t shy away from difficult themes and presents them in an appropriate way accessible to children. Like his other stories, Cookcamp provides many opportunities for important conversations with inquisitive kids.
June 16, 2019
Novella;
The first part of this series (actually written after the last book). The young boy who heads to live with his grandmother due to his father being at war, and his mother working, along with other sad circumstances. Wonderfully described life during WW II in Canada. Loved all the daily activities, little episodes and vignettes. Life through the eyes of a boy as he spends time with his grandmother who is a cook at a camp for Road workers. Beautiful read.
The first part of this series (actually written after the last book). The young boy who heads to live with his grandmother due to his father being at war, and his mother working, along with other sad circumstances. Wonderfully described life during WW II in Canada. Loved all the daily activities, little episodes and vignettes. Life through the eyes of a boy as he spends time with his grandmother who is a cook at a camp for Road workers. Beautiful read.
April 19, 2021
A five-year-old boy sees more than someone his age should witness. His father serves in the military during World War II. His mother, back home in Chicago, cheats on her spouse. After the boy caught the mother and his "uncle" making strange noises, his mother sends him to his grandmother who cooks for men building a road into Canada. While he loves his grandmother and the great adventures with the camp men, he misses his mother. I do not consider this book age appropriate.
October 22, 2022
Probably 3.5 stars. A five-year-old boy must leave his home in the city to stay with his grandmother way out in the country, where she works as the cook for a road-building crew. It is during World War II, and his father is at war, while his mother is working in a factory. But despite the fun and adventures he experiences that summer, he misses his mother and can't wait to return home to her. Based on events in the author's childhood.
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