* Paulsen's personal connection to the Midwest: Gary Paulsen lived in Minnesota for many years and often used the region as a setting in his books.
* The novel's themes: The story revolves around a family struggling with poverty and dealing with the harsh realities of rural life, which is characteristic of the American Midwest.
* The characters' names and dialect: The characters' names and their way of speaking suggest a Midwestern background.
While the specific location isn't mentioned, the novel's atmosphere and details point to a rural setting in the American Midwest, likely in Minnesota, where Gary Paulsen lived and drew inspiration from.