Product Description

"Remember -- you make your own luck."

Abandoned in Washington Territory by her faithless fiancé, Jane Peck prepares to return home to Philadelphia -- only to learn that the life she once knew is no more. Lost and alone, Jane must make a new home for herself as the only pioneer woman in the primitive settlement of Shoalwater Bay. Armed with little more than her finishing-school education, Jane is left to survive everything from the disagreeable habits of her unkempt landlord to the infuriating flawlessness of Shoalwater's latest arrival, Mrs. Frink. All this, as well as a blossoming romance and a perilous manhunt, awaits Jane as she matches wits with the wilderness.

The second book of the Boston Jane trilogy, this remarkable, suspense-filled adventure pits Jane Peck against some of her deepest fears in the wild, uncharted frontiers of friendship, love, and the Pacific Northwest.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91610 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-01
• Released on: 2002-09-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 244 pages

From Publishers Weekly
The heroine of Boston Jane, whom PW called an "outspoken, self-reliant young woman readers will long remember," returns for Boston Jane: Wilderness Days by Jennifer L. Holm. As the novel opens, Jane receives news that her father has passed away in Boston. Her ex-fiance describes his plans to move all of the Washington Territory's Shoalwater Bay Indians to a reservation. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 6-10-Boston Jane is as feisty as ever, but with a distinctively sharper edge. And with good reason. She has endured several months with smelly, uncouth old men, in less-than-pristine living conditions, in the wilderness of Washington Territory. Now, to increase her emotional burdens, the "proper" young woman from Philadelphia receives word that her father has died. The challenges of the wilderness begin to bring out the worst in her; she is prickly and feels unappreciated by those around her. Trusting a "gentleman" stranger, she inadvertently puts a friend's life in danger and she and two companions, one of whom is a love interest, trek through the wilds to reach the Stevens Negotiations between the Indians and the territorial government representatives, including Jane's pompous former fiance. She comes to recognize her true friends as she braves adverse conditions and returns to Shoalwater Bay with her emotional wounds less raw, and her retorts less sharp. Readers unfamiliar with Boston Jane: An Adventure (HarperCollins, 2001) are quickly brought up to speed on the previous events and memorable characters. Details are interestingly revealed and are, for the most part, historically accurate. The Stevens Negotiations actually took place, although the timing has been changed. (Holm acknowledges this in an author's note.) The depiction of life in the wilderness reflects experiences found in first-person accounts of pioneer women in the 1850s. Holm once again delivers an action-packed story with a strong female protagonist.-Carolyn Janssen, Children's Learning Center of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 5-8. Holm continues the saga of the intrepid Miss Jane Peck, a 16-year-old Philadelphian who, in Boston Jane (2001), traveled by ship to Washington Territory to meet a fiance who married someone else. In this story, she receives news of her father's death, befriends a mysterious stranger who inquires after her protector, Mr. Russell, and then must trek through the wilderness to prevent the stranger from committing murder. Although Jane is maturing and has moved beyond her blind allegiance to the rules of Philadelphia etiquette, she still has concerns about propriety and appreciates a few civilized luxuries. These worries and her stubbornness lead to more than a few misunderstandings, especially with Jehu, the sailor-turned-settler who loves her. As always, Holm keeps her touch light, sly, and humorous. The dichotomy of Jane's attempts to inhabit a "proper" world in the soggy, flea-bitten wilderness of 1854 Washington Territory is funny and romantic and should have wide appeal. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

A Proper Young Lady finds her feet at last!
If you haven't read Holm's first book in this series, "Boston Jane: An Adventure" and her Newbery honor winner, "Our Only May Amelia," pick them up now! Then dig into "Wilderness Days." Holm continues her fascination with the America's Paciific Northwest with the story of Jane Peck, a young girl from Philadelphia (in the 1850s) who follows a foolish young man to the Washington frontier. But whereas, in Book 1, proper and upright Miss Peck was newly come to the frontier, with its grubby men and lack of manners, in "Wilderness Days" she has to confront not only her decision to stay on the frontier, but also her basic notions of home, family, and friends. She also gets a rude awakening when a REAL "proper young lady" joins her frontier community. All of this drama takes place against a rich historical backdrop, including the climactic real-life rendezvous between Washington state's first governor, Isaac Stevens, and the native tribes of the Pacific Northwest (the members of whom are friends of young Miss Peck) that would decide the fate of the Indians, settlers, and future generations of Americans. Not a book any schoolkid should miss!

A nice easy read
I found this story of "Boston" Jane a fast paced easy and interesting read. This was the first Jane story that I have read, but I found it understandable despite the fact that it was not the first book in the series. The character Jane describes in first person her experiences in the NorthWest pre-major migration. She seemed realistic and strong. I was sick of reading about girls my age who found love and just kissed the guy and that was it. In this story, Jane is unsure of her love for a certain sailor (who the reader knows to be the perfect match throughout the novel) but in the end gets together with him. Janes strong will probably was not historically accurate, but it made for a great read.

One of the Greatest Books of all Time
This book is one of the greatest books of all time! It includes all of the elements I love in books- romance, adventure, and a happy ending. The world has never seen anything as wonderful as Boston Jane: Wilderness Days. It is my favorite book in the series! Jennifer L. Holm is a genius!