Leaving the Log House

Christina Pike is a member of the Evaluation Division, Department of
Education, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Teresa, who lost her leg at the age of three in an all-terrain-vehicle
accident, is about to get a prosthetic leg. Leaving behind the comfort
of her home and the support of her family, she travels to Vancouver to
attend a rehab centre, where she will learn to walk all over again. Her
older 13-year-old brother Tom, who feels responsible for her accident,
accompanies her. They stay with their aunt and uncle, and Tom spends
time playing with Teresa, helping her to adjust. Before long, Tom has to
leave the city to go to work on a farm in Langley. Teresa, now homesick,
questions whether she’ll be able to cope with all the changes in her
life. She writes to her brother, but he doesn’t reply. Then her aunt
and uncle surprise her with some gifts. From her uncle, she receives a
model replica of her log home back in Chilcotin; her aunt gives her two
little dolls to live in it. The comfort Teresa derives from the gifts
gives her the strength to go forward.

Leaving the Log House is a realistic portrayal of a young girl’s
struggles as she begins to build a relationship with her brother,
adjusts to a new living situation, and learns to walk again. Manson
wonderfully captures the innocence and naпveté of Teresa’s character
while allowing her to find her inner strength. Highly recommended.