Betsy Lynn in Alaska

By H. David Campbell

This is the story of Betsy Lynn and her best friend Kaya who live in Alaska. Kaya is a full blooded Eskimo girl. Because they live on an island, called Kodiak, they have to take a ferry boat to get to the main land of Alaska. This is always great fun for them. They both live a way from the nearest town of Kodiak, which is also the name of their island. It tells of the girl's relationships with their parents, friends at school, and their relatives. It's sad in some parts, and exciting in others. They also have some adventures in the wild country in which they live. Because they live away from the nearest town, they sometimes have to use snowmobiles and their horses to get around. I think you'll enjoy reading about Betsy Lynn and her friend Kaya's ventures together. Life is never boring in the beautiful state of Alaska.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Apr 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781475983814

H. David Campbell

H. David Campbell is a retired sales executive. He is a grandfather and a great grandfather. He worked in the public schools as a volunteer for twenty years, helping kids with their reading. These books are for kids who are eight to twelve years old. He hopes that the kids will continue to enjoy reading his books.

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Copyright © 2013 by H. David Campbell.

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ISBN: 978-1-4759-8382-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-8385-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-8381-4 (ebk)

iUniverse rev. date: 04/08/2013

Contents

This Book is Dedicated to

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter One The Kodiak Bear

Chapter Two The Hunting Trip

Chapter Three The Dog Teams

Chapter Four Thanksgiving?

Chapter Five The Ferry Boat Trip

Chapter Six My Cousins

Chapter Seven Our Anchorage Trip

Chapter Eight The Robber

Chapter Nine Going Home

Chapter Ten Back to School

Chapter Eleven Mom’s Big Surprise

Chapter Twelve Glory Canyon

Chapter Thirteen Christmas Shopping and the Pet Fox

Chapter Fourteen Valentine’s Cards and the Party

Chapter Fifteen Kiki

Chapter Sixteen The Kodiak Crab Festival

Chapter Seventeen Uncle Tyson’s Visit

This Book is Dedicated to

all of my family and friends who are always encouraging me to keep writing, and also to all the wonderful children I have tutored over the last ten years.

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank some wonderful people who have made this book possible. I couldn’t have done it without them.

First, I’d like to thank my editor, Barbara Sweeney, who was a former teacher for thirty-nine years. Most of this time was spent in Germany for the Department of Defense Dependent Schools. She has been editing all my books since I started to write. This is the fourth book she’s helped me with, and she’s spent many hours. I can never thank her enough.

Next, I’d like to thank my newest illustrator, Darlene Thomas. I’ve known Darlene and her family for almost five years now. She’s a mother of twelve. I know and love all of her children. She is also going to art school three mornings a week. I don’t know where she finds the time to illustrate for me, but I am so grateful for the extra special drawings she has done for this book. I wish I had known more about her wonderful talents sooner. Her cute daughter, Emma, is representing Betsy Lynn on the cover of this book.

Last of all, there are some very special kids to mention. My granddaughters, Jordan and Macie, are always so excited to get my newest book. Also I certainly can’t forget my kids at Century Elementary School in Aurora, Colorado. Their library has three of my published books, and so many of the kids tell me how much they enjoy reading my stories.

So you see, it takes a lot of people to make a good book, with a lot of encouragement from my friends, relatives, and also from the kids who have read my books. I appreciate them all so much!

Introduction

This will be my fourth published book, and I really enjoyed writing it. It takes place in Alaska on the island of Kodiak. It’s told in the first person by Betsy Lynn herself. She has a best friend whose name is Kaya. Kaya is a full-blooded Eskimo. I think you’ll fall in love with these two girls as you read about them.

The book is about these girls and their interactions with their families and their school mates. You’ll find out about how they enjoy their holidays, their festivals, and riding their horses. They even get to ride a ferryboat to go visit their relatives on the main land of Alaska. Their adventures include dangers that they are faced with in the wild country where they live. They will also encounter a robber, and deal with a death of a relative! So many adventures await you.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading this book. It’s almost like you’re experiencing being in Alaska yourself.

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Chapter One

The Kodiak Bear

This is the story about Betsy Lynn and Kaya, as told by me, Betsy Lynn. Both of us girls are almost ten years old. We live near the town of Kodiak, Alaska, which is on the island of Kodiak.

I met Kaya when she was about four years old. She’s a real Eskimo girl, from the Native Tribe of Alvtiiq! Her family moved close to us about five years ago. We both live about eight miles from the town of Kodiak. My father hates cities, so we live way out in the middle of nowhere, or at least it seems that way to me. Both my father and Kaya’s father are fisherman. They have to travel to Kodiak for their jobs on the fishing boats, five days a week and sometimes even six.

I surely don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have Kaya as my best friend. We do everything together. While Kaya has a five-year-old sister named Kiki, I’m an only child.

Betsy Lynn, where are you? called my mother.

I’m upstairs in my bedroom reading, Mother.

Weren’t you and Kaya getting together about 2 p.m. today? It’s your turn to go over to her house, isn’t it? she shouted.

Yes, Mom, it is. I wish we had a phone. What if something were to happen someday? How would we even call for help? I also don’t know why dad insists on living so far away from Kodiak! I cried.

You know why, Betsy Lynn! Now be on your way. It’s almost 2 p.m. now. Be back here around 5 p.m., and don’t forget to take your rifle!

It was nearing the fall season, and the weather was turning a little colder. As I was on my way to Kaya’s house, I wished I had ridden my horse instead of walking.

I had to go about a mile and through some wooded areas to get to her house. It was a short cut, and so much quicker than following the road. Our area is teaming with wild life and I often encounter various kinds. I rarely have to use my rifle though.

I finally went over the last hill, and I could now see Kaya’s house. As I came down the hill toward her house, she came out to meet me.

You’re late, Betsy Lynn! My mom said we could ride our horses into town. Come on… let’s get the horses saddled up. Did you bring any money?

No, and you didn’t say anything about going into town. Are you sure you want to go that far? It’s supposed to rain! I said. It always seems to rain every Saturday when we want to get together.

They sometimes say that about rain on the weekends, cried Kaya. It almost never does, come on! It will be okay.

I know why you want to go into town! It’s to see Kilber, isn’t it? I cried.

Yes… kind of. I hope he’s working in the hardware store today. He usually is, replied Kaya. I see you have your rifle. I shouldn’t need mine, right?

I guess. Let’s get going. It’s almost 2:30 p.m. already, Kaya.

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KAYA

We sure liked riding our horses, and we did so, every chance we got. The only thing that Kaya and I didn’t like was helping to clean up after them, but I guess it’s worth it to have horses to ride.

Kaya was sure hoping she’d see Kilber when we got into town. They were both Eskimos from the same tribe. I think she really liked him.

As we rode into town on our horses, it was already past 3:30. We always tied our horses up on one of the side streets. There weren’t many places to do that now because there weren’t as many people riding their horses into town. We did find some places to tie them though. We then tried to find Kilber, but he wasn’t there at the hardware store this afternoon. Kaya was so disappointed. As we left the hardware store, she saw Kilber just coming out of the drug store across the street.

Kilber, Kilber, wait! I want to talk to you! cried Kaya. As we got to him, she said, I guess you had the day off.

No, I didn’t have the day off, Kaya. I got fired! I don’t work there anymore. That old Mr. Brighton has always had it in for me. I’m glad I don’t work there anymore. He never lets me do anything but sweep up the place. I know I’m only ten years old, but I wanted to do more. He said I was too young for now.

Did you find another job yet? asked Kaya.

Not yet. Oh, hi, Betsy Lynn. You girls want to go get an ice cream or something? asked Kilber.

Sorry, Kilber, but it’s almost 4 p.m., and I have to be home by 5 p.m., I replied. I’m going to be late as it is now.

Oh, come on, Betsy Lynn. Just give your mom a call, and tell her you’re going to be a little late, pleaded Kilber.

That would be nice, but I don’t have a phone, and neither does Kaya, I told him. Come on, Kaya. We need to start back now.

Not yet, Betsy Lynn! We just got here. Let’s go to the 5 and 10 Store. I love that store. We won’t stay very long. Come on, please!

I loved the 5 and 10 Store too, so we did go