Book Notes

Characters :
Luke: Oldest brother, first Morrison child to go to Teacher's College
Matt: Other older Brother, works on the neighbours farm (Pye Family)
Kate: Narrator of the story, ten years younger then Matt
Bo (Elizabeth): Baby sister
Aunt Annie: Came to look after the children after the accident
Daniel: Kates boyfriend *(when she's older)


So Far...
Kates brother Luke has been accepted to teachers college, assuming he needs a suitcase as soon as possible the children's parents rush out to buy him one. Leaving Bo and Kate to be watched by their brothers, the parents went out of town to purchase Luke's suitcase. The boys knew something was up when they saw the police cars pull up to their house, seeing police cars in Crow Lake was highly unusual. Finding out that their parents had been hit by a logging truck and died, the children headed towards their "comfort zone"; the pond.


"Memories, I'm not in favour of them, by or large" (20) Kate hopes to keep her memories in an airtight cupboard, she tried to do so for months. Kate makes many referrals to her great grandmother more than anyone, she believes she is truley the strongest Morrison the family has had. Great Grandma's devotion was, education- homework before farm work. Kates father was one of her only sons to finish highschool, they sent him off with a packed hacksack and sent him out into the world. He followed the St.Lawrence river until he finally settled into Crow Lake. He had a job as a banker in Straun and proposed to his highschool sweetheart.

After the death of the parents, Matt and Luke were left to take care of all the funeral plans, appointments, and phone calls.

Chapter Three

Kate starts off talking about Daniel and how she has not shared her full history with him. Daniel is a professor at a University also in the zoology department. He is curious about Kate's life, and lets her know that by constantly reminding her that she does not open up to him completely. Kate is not from a background where people talk about their problems in their relationships. “If someone does or says something that upsets you, you don't say so”(36) That is the Eleventh Commandment, Thou shalt not emote. Kate is always trying to keep her emotions locked up inside, she does not like discussing her tragic past. Kate describes her life like “osmosis” by soaking up her surroundings unintentionally in order to know her past life. Miss Vernon is the source of what she knows most about Crow Lake.

Aunt Annie arrived two days after the funeral, in order to take care of the children until they got settled, and figured out what was going to happen next. Aunt Annie was just like Great Grandmother Morrison. She referred to this time as “the honey moon period”- there was no real happiness.

Kate goes to the pond for comfort, lying there trying to forget about everything that has happened in the last week. “Dread lying inside of me rose up like a river, like a flood.” This is a sign that Kate is unsure how she should handle the situation, she is old enough to realize something bad has happened, but still too young to do anything about it.