Child of the Land tells the delightful story of Douglas Warren Greenfield’s childhood growing up in this northern pioneer land without electricity and many other modern conveniences we take for granted. He tells of the hardships and the fun, and through it all is woven the lessons that hard work reaps a great reward.

     A gifted storyteller, Mr. Greenfield weaves the harsh realities of northern pioneer living into humorous stories of boyhood exploration and mischief on the farm. Without modern conveniences, these brave pioneers had to “make do,” which often resulted in some very creative and ingenious solutions, from cooking with what was available (pigweed!) to building a home-made motorcycle using parts found around the farm!

      The author takes us through his love of exploration, his inquisitiveness of machines, his search for God, and his close encounters with danger. The chapter entitled, “Things you don’t tell your mother” will be particularly intriguing for young male minds. He also recounts stories of adventure from his time on the high seas as a member of the Royal Canadian Navy, and his duration as Park Ranger on Vancouver Island. Surviving several near-death events, his life was never dull!

     Child of the Land will be a welcome addition to any home library, grabbing the interest of young and old alike, and bringing one period in Canadian History to vivid life.

Review by: Heather Penner, columnist for Homeschooling Horizons Magazine   
www.homeschoolinghorizons.com

    Child of the Land is  an intriguing book. The strength of this book lies in its accuracy in depicting the hardships of homestead life and and the ingenuity of the pioneers who settled the land. When Greenfield described the bitter cold of a winter day, I swear I got goose bumps. His vivid word pictures of the dancing Northern Lights reminded me of the beauty that accompanied the life sapping cold.

     Greenfield’s autobiography is a story of an unusual life. His interests and occupations over the years are interesting too. His narrow escapes while skydiving and some of his harrowing experiences on the farm as a youngster give one the creeps.

     One of the charms of this book is its aura of innocense. The times described are often of an age long gone, before people had to be artificially entertained every waking moment of their life.  He talks of sitting for an hour in a driving snowstorm just contemplating the raging beauty of a winter landscape.

     Some of the scrapes he gets himself into as a young person are hilarious. Greenfield makes his characters come alive. I think parts of this book could easily be used for a geography or social studies class to learn about a part of Canada that’s frequently overlooked. The writing is engaging and easy to understand. It is appropriate for all ages.

Doug,
Your book--Child of the land--is truly a masterpiece. When I started reading it I couldn’t stop until I finished. Mary is now reading it with great interest. It truly depicts the life and hardships of our pioneering days in the Peace.
Mr. Frank Newland     St. Thomas, Ontario

Doug, you do have a great gift for story telling, and with such a nice touch of humour. There is so much with which I can identify!  I am also impressed by your detailed description of the mechanics of things - so precise and clear.
Doreen Gregory     Pentiction, B.C.

Dear Doug and Maggie,  Thank you for the wonderful book. I started reading the evening I got it and read until I got to the end, in early morning. I will re-read it this winter, Very interesting and brought back many memories of the 1930’s when we had a family of Dad & Mom and seven children, all under 12 moved to our homestead in the Hines Creek area. Thanks again, super reading.
June Nicholson    Valleyview, Alberta

Doug, when I finally read your book I laughed and I cried! I will read it again, so much to muse on.
Mrs. Jean Grant    Abbotsford, B.C.