On the way home from the family reunion, we took an interesting little side trip. Okay, it was a bit torturous getting there, but worth it. We drove through Rochester, MN, then angled up on windy, steep, two-lane roads to the Mississippi River. We crossed the river and arrived at Pepin, Wisconsin. What's the big deal about Pepin? Well, it just happens to be the setting of one of my childhood favorite books, Winter on the Johnny Smoker.

Lake Pepin, which is really a wide spot in the river

For those of you who are deprived because you never read this book, I'll summarize it for you. It's the story of the Dustin family, whose father is a side-wheeler riverboat captain. They live on the boat while timbering and then enter a race to be the first to St. Paul after the spring ice breakup. The prize for the winner is free wharfage in St. Paul. During the winter, they discover a secret which allows the boat to go faster. This book was written in 1943. I read it and loved it as a child, read it again during a Children's Lit class in college and didn't love it as much, and re-read it again a few years ago and loved it again. Besides the entralling story, it has charming line drawings. I would recommend it to anyone.

We then drove about 15 miles east and visited the site of the Laura Ingalls Wilder book, Little House in the Big Woods. The little house is long gone, as are the Big Woods. It's a cornfield now. But there is a replica cabin, which we enjoyed. My favorite Laura Ingalls Wilder book is Farmer Boy, but it was fun to see the setting of the first of the Little House books.





We then continued north a few miles to Menominee. About 15 miles south of Menominee, we passed Downsville, WI, which is the setting for Caddie Woodlawn. I've never read Caddie Woodlawn, but I think that perhaps I will now.