I should give you guys a little update before I review this next book. I have been reading faithfully, but I am afraid I am a tad bit behind where I "should" be, based on my calculations. :] I should have finished four books already, and be on #5. Well, I have finished 2 books and am working on two more. I have been reading Little Women at the same time as another book, because I feel like I make more progress that way.
So. I finished My Side of the Mountain.
My Side of the Mountain, by: Jean Craighead George.
177 pages.
In this book, Sam Gribley is an ordinary boy living in New York. He decides he wants to run away from home, and takes only a few things with him. His parents let him go, assuming he'll be back in an hour or so. Only... he doesn't come back. He runs away to the woods, makes friends with the animals, learns how to catch food, finds which plants are okay to eat, discovers how to make things that he needs, and even builds himself a house inside of a tree.
At first, he hides from most people. He lets himself meet a few, an old lady picking strawberries, a nice man passing through. He doesn't want anyone to find him, or even know that he is living there. Soon, he meets a man which he calls Bando, an English teacher who gets lost in the woods. They become fast friends, and Bando promises to come again sometime.
Bando does come again, as promised, but brings with him newspaper clippings about Sam. He has become a hot topic in many towns, with all the journalists hoping to write the best article about the boy who is supposedly living on his own in the wilderness. Bando assures Sam he did not give him away, and, based on the clippings, Sam concludes it was, indeed, others. At first, the articles bothered Sam. Many were untrue. He felt they had wronged him, and he didn't want anyone else searching after him.
I don't want to give away the ending. Although I do wish I could, I won't. :)
Ultimately, Sam learned a lot from living out in the woods. He learned more about animals, cooking, cleaning, making clothes, etc. He also learned about people, and about himself. His life in the woods was a valuable experience.
This book was a light read, and an adventurous book. I, personally, did not like the ending. As soon as I finished, I looked up and said "That's how it ends?!" in slight disgust. But it was a very good book. This book was just a good story, a story about family, people and nature. About how the three tie into each other. I would recommend this book to someone who is looking for a simple, fast, yet fun read. Even someone 8 or 9 years old could enjoy this book, I think.
I give this book four stars out of five. It was an awesome story. And I enjoyed it. But I don't want to give a book five stars unless it really deserves it. :)
