Cousins Camp
by
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“Goodbye! See you next week! We’re going to the ranch!” Jack, age ten, and his brother Sam, age eight, waved and shouted to all their friends as they got off the school bus and raced up the big hill to their house. School was now out for a week of Spring Break in
“I’ll bet I can get my stuff packed quicker than you can,” Sam told Jack.
“Bet you can’t. That’s because I packed all my clothes and stuff last night,” Jack replied smiling.
“Ah, man! You always do that. Well, then, come and help me pack my bag. I’m going to need my boots and some games and some books and my cowboy hat.”
“Is that all?” Jack asked. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Sam replied. “I think that’s all I need.”
“How about some clothes, dummy? Do you think you might need some shirts and jeans and socks to wear at the ranch? Or were you just going to go without any clothes on all week?”
“Oops,” Sam said. Both boys started to laugh, then they went to Sam’s room to start packing the things they would need to take to their Grandpa and Grandma’s ranch in
The ranch was called “Cross Texas Ranch”. It had cows and horses and lots of room to run and play and also to catch fish in the creek and the pond. The boys had learned to shoot B-B guns safely at the ranch. They had also learned to drive the big tractor, sitting on Grandpa’s lap, of course. Jack, being older, also had learned to drive Grandpa’s old pickup truck ...the one with the “standard shift” that was very hard to drive! Grandpa only let Jack drive around in the open pasture with him on board and under his watchful eye, but, still, Jack knew he was really learning to drive. Jack and Sam looked forward to going to the ranch for Spring Break each year. They knew that they would be meeting their cousins Ava, five years old, and Matthew, age three, in
“Do you think Ava and Matthew are excited about going to the ranch this year?” Sam asked.
“I’ll bet they are. Matthew is still pretty little, but he’s getting big enough to do some big guy things now. I guess Ava and Matthew are home right now packing up their stuff too.”
At Ava and Matthew’s house, their mom was helping them pack clothes and toys for the trip. “Your Grandma and Grandpa will be here to pick you up tomorrow,” she told them. “They’ll go to the airport and meet Jack and Sam first, then they’ll all come here to get you for the drive to the ranch.”
Ava jumped up and down. “I’m going to catch the biggest fish ever this year! Grandpa is going to build us a really, really big fort out of hay bales, and he’ll tie a rope to the tree so we can climb up and swing down from on top of the hay bales. It’s so much fun!”
“Me too, me too!” said Matthew.
“Matthew, you’re still too little to do that, but Grandpa is making you a little swing under the trees, one that’s just your size,” his mother told him. “Now, you two behave nicely at the ranch and mind your Grandma and Grandpa....oh, and stay together with your cousins at all times. Jack and Sam are older and they know their way around the ranch very well. Will you both try to be safe at the ranch?”
“Yes, Mommy!” both of the children said and hugged her.
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About the Book
Four young cousins, ages 11, 8, 5 and 3 are excited at the prospect of spending Spring Break at their grandparents’ ranch in
Arriving at the ranch, bad storms force the cousins to change their plans for recreation. Finding a puppy that has been abandoned causes them to chase after the little dog, and they go farther into the woods and away from familiar territory. They are lost with a big storm approaching. The cousins must stick together and be resourceful to find their way back to the ranch headquarters.
They brave the elements and use their heads, but find that the dam is washed out preventing them from getting to safety. A fishing canoe by the creek enables them to try for a safe crossing, but takes them on a wild ride down a creek that is now a raging river. Frightened and lost, they make it to the other side, then help each other as they try to make their way home.
The cousins are finally rescued by their grandfather who has employed the assistance of mounted cowboys from neighboring ranches. The cousins are now safe, but in deep trouble, as their grandfather requires them to recall the rules of safety for conduct at the ranch and in the outdoors. The cousins have violated almost every rule, so they are given a punishment. They must “muck out” stables and barns, an odious task, indeed.
The cousins all agree that they learned some valuable lessons. However, they also agree that there is one rule they complied with perfectly: stick together! They celebrate Cousins Camp with “high fives” and the pledge to always stick together...cousins forever!
About the Author
Carol Walt is the author of five other books, but “Cousins Camp” is her first book for children. Having spent thirty-two years as a social worker in children’s protective service, she has a unique perspective on children and their lives. Carol lives with her husband on a ranch in West Texas where she says, “We specialize in raising cows, horses, and terrific grandkids!”