Courage at Indian Deep: An Autumn Blizzard, a Sinking Ship, and a Boy's Heroic Rescue for Kids

by Jane Resh Thomas

A ship sinks during an autumn blizzard on Lake Superior, and Cass and his dog are the only ones who can help the survivors.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1990

About the author

Jane Resh Thomas has written more than a dozen fiction and nonfiction books for young readers, including the highly praised Behind the Mask for Clarion. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Reviews

[Maria Mattaini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a little tiny book but it was a really cute story. Obviously an easy read definitely meant for someone way younger but I love little stories like that and this book has just been sitting on my shelf for years. I used the last two days of sitting in the sauna and not wanting to sweat all over kingdom of ash as an excuse to finally pick it up. Definitely worth the read, a book I’d keep around and read to my kids someday felt parallel to a classic but not quite.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Similar to "Touching Spirit Bear" & "Long Winter" Jack London's books, and also Gary Paulsen's Books "Brian's Winter & Brian's Hunt or Hatchet!"
Lake Superior is beautiful, yet deadly to those who don't abide to her warnings.
I was reminded of my days of growing up in Minnesota and the fishing trips w/my Father and Grandfather.
Definitely recommended read.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good children’s adventure story, especially if you are familiar with the North Shore in MN and know if the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute little book.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good kid's adventure short story

[Annemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a gift, probably right after it was published in 1984, from a dear family friend who was once a librarian specializing in books for children. At first I thought it was kind of cool because Jane Resh Thomas had actually visited my classroom in 2nd grade to talk about The Comeback Dog. But after reading Courage at Indian Deep, I decided that it was a "boys' book" and I would never have anything more to do with it.

After thinking about this on and off for 29 years, I have concluded that boys and their books are, mostly, not the worst things ever. And thanks to my deeply sentimental nature and abiding affection for the woman who gave it to me, I still have that copy of Courage at Indian Deep. It called out to me from a dark corner as I was searching for something short to read between longer books.

The main character is an 11 year-old boy named Cass. While his mother and sister are steadying presences in his life, Cass struggles to get along with his father. The family has been forced to relocate from their city life in Minneapolis to the comparative isolation of the North Shore of Lake Superior. Cass and his dad each have reasons to resent this new situation, and they have become isolated from one another.

Even if Cass doesn't see it, most of the people in this rural, tourism- and ore-dependent community are sympathetic. He begins to discover this during the grand life-or-death adventure which fills the final third of the book. With some help from unexpected sources, Cass undertakes a daring rescue in a Lake Superior blizzard. The storm is still blowing as the book ends, but Cass is secure in the love of his family and confident in his ability to live in his new home.

The best part about the book to me is the wonderfully evocative language Thomas uses to describe Lake Superior and the North Shore. This is my favorite place on Earth to visit, and I felt like I was almost there reading this book.

[Kathy McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written adventure novel.
Set in the Upper Peninsula, which is a bonus.
Easy plot development for teaching the elements of the adventure genre.
Short chapters that can be read and analyzed/discussed in one class period.