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2004
finalists.

2004 Hackmatack

Children's Choice Book Award/Prix littéraire - le choix de jeunes

In the early 1800s, John Hutchison was a doctor in a town on the fringe of the North American wilderness. He lived the life of a buy pioneer physician while supporting a rapidly growing family.

Told from the point of view of a young patient, Kathleen, the story follows the doctor as he deals with both medical emergencies and regular rounds. This was a time when stethoscopes were just coming into use, a woman's place was in the kitchen and diseases such as tuberculosis claimed the lives of many settlers. Kathleen sees patients being bled, visits a backwoods family plagued by malaria and assists at the birth of a baby. Her experiences make her want to become a doctor herself, but she dares not voice her dreams; women were not allowed to become licensed medical doctors until decades later.

In those days, doctors were much more than physicians. They were the kingpins of their communities, often acting as coroners, justices of the peace, postmen, delivery men, midwives, diplomats and friends fr the many people who depended on them. When Dr. Hutchison announces that he will have to leave the community because there is no house to accommodate his growing family, the townspeople, devastated at the thought of losing their beloved doctor, come up with an unusual but perfectly logical solution.

Ainslie Manson is the author of several inventive historical books for young people, including A Dog Came, Too (the story of the dog that crossed North America in 1793 with Alexander MacKenzie), Just Like New (the tale of a young girl who sends her favourite doll to an English child during World War II) and Baboo (the story of the daughter of Canada's first prime ministe, who lived life to the fullest despite her severe disabilities). Manson lives in Vancouver. John Hutchison was her great-great-grandfather.

Thematic Links

• Doctors in the wilderness
• Pioneer life
• Medicine then and now
• Roles of men and women

Suggested Activities

• The Hutchison House Museum has produced a study guide for House Calls ($12.00). It can be ordered by emailing: hutchisonhouse@nexicom.net or phoning 705-743-9710.