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2005
finalists.

2005 Hackmatack

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

Young Hélène St. Onge and her older sister Catherine are orphans. When King Louis XVI orders all men in New France to marry, Catherine becomes a fille du roi, one of the many young women sent to the new world as brides. Hélène will accompany her on the long sea voyage and live with her sister's new family. But Catherine dies during the gruelling journey, and Hélène finds herself alone in a strange new country. New France is a far harsher place than she imagined, with bitter winters and the threat of attack from the Iroquois. Will the new friendships she has made on her long voyage enable her to survive?

Maxine Trottier is the award-winning writer of numerous books for young people, including Claire's Gift (winner of the Mr. Christie's Book Award), Laura: A Childhood Tale of Laura Secord, the Circle of Silver Chronicles and The Tiny Kite of Eddy Wing (winner of the CLA Book of the Year Award). Her books have been nominated for the Hackmatack Award before: Dreamstones in 2002 and By The Standing Stone in 2003.

While researching Alone in an Untamed Land, Maxine discovered that she herself is directly descended from another fille du roi. She is now an associate member of La Société des Filles du roi et soldats du Carignan, whose purpose is "to honour the memory of these courageous people." Maxine lives in Port Stanley, Ontario.

Thematic Links

• Quebec history, French-canadians
• Mohawks, French-Indian relations
• Women in New France
• Pioneer life, dfficulties of settling a new land

Suggested Activities

• Trace Hélène's journey from Reignac to Montreal on a map.
• Make the soup suggested at the end of the book.
• Imagining you are a descendant of Hélène and have inherited her journal, write about it.
• Write about how Hélène's life might have been different if Catherine had survived the journey.
• Try finger weaving, perhaps with someone who knits or crochets.
• When is your birthday? What saint's feast day might Hélène have been celebrating on that date?
• Copy Hélène's face from the book cover on the internet and print it out. Now finish drawing her body and clothing using the descriptions from the story.
• Check out www.civilization.ca/vmnf/popul/habitant/index-e.htm.