What was that book?

September 20, 2022 10:40 AM

A guy buys some land, but the land is a lake, and the guy that owns the land all around it is a real dick? And the original guy is nice and everyone loves him and he builds his house on the lake and maybe drains part of the lake later and beavers show up and everyone is happy? Probably.

I read this book in the late 80s probably. It was "suitable" for a 10-14 year old. It could have been published anywhere from the 40s on, probably, maybe earlier even? Our copy had that red/fibrous cover(?). This is Midwest US of A.

posted by J0 to Media & Arts (2 answers total)

Sid Fleischman wrote a series of children’s books about a guy named McBroom, one of which (Wonderful One Acre Farm) saw McBroom buying an 80 acre plot which was a swamp that had all 80 acres stacked on top of each other, resulting in extra fertile soil.

I don’t recall beavers, and it was for younger kids, and published in ‘92.
posted by itesser at 11:35 AM on September 20, 2022

McBroom’s children were, of course “WillJillHesterChesterPeterPaulMaryLarryandlittleClarinda!”

But published long before 92 — I remember it from my childhood in the 1970s.
posted by LizardBreath at 12:28 PM on September 20, 2022 [3 favorites]