Following the North Star

Upon graduating from High School in Maine, George searches unsuccessfully for local employment. He accepts a job at a logging camp thousands of miles from home in Washington State. George enjoys the strenuous new job and realizes that he is contributing to society in a small way, by providing lumber. He makes friends with Jacob, a fellow logger, and an amateur astronomer. Together they find themselves studying nature and reexamining all their life values. When Jacob is hospitalized in an accident, George visits him in the hospital and is impressed with the love and skill of the medical staff. With prayer and deep contemplation he decides to become more closely involved in helping people. George completes his term at the camp and with a lot of obstacles in front of him, goes to college following his star and renewed life values. His decision to study medicine and become a doctor enriches his life and that of many other people.
Some of the words in the story may be unfamiliar and so are defined in an appendix to increase understanding. You can discuss the subjects George and Jacob talked about from questions listed in another appendix. Appendixes include information about games the loggers played, about folk heroes, and two original tall tales, one told by an old logger and another one by George. May they bring smiles to the reader. The last Appendix is a simple star map that can be made buy the reader with a flashlight.