The Lost Lake

The Lost Lake
by Allen Say (1989)

         The Lost Lake by Allen Say is different than many of his other books I have read because the focus is not on Japanese culture or Japanese Americans. The focus in this book is instead a camping trip that closes the distance between father and son as they search to find their own lake. I am drawn to the story because I spent a lot of time in my childhood backpacking and camping with my own father, and trying to find places where there were no traces of humans except for our own family. It is a powerful experience and Say artfully crafts the story around silences and discussions. Although the son wants his father to say more to him at the beginning of the story, the experience of finding a lake together and looking at it silently is perhaps the most meaningful connection of all.
         I believe this book would be a good introduction to outdoor education experiences for younger children. Although the book doesn't focus on conservation or survival skills or any specific outdoor education topics, it encourages students to appreciate untouched places. Students might consider an "untouched" place that they like to visit, even if it is just a spot in a nearby park, and write about why the place is so powerful. The book uses very simple language and might be a good book for students in the lower grades to challenge themselves to read alone.