My Side of the Mountain

AUTHOR: Jean Craighead George

From the Publisher:

“Should appeal to all rugged individualists who dream of escape to the forest.”—The New York Times Book Review

Sam Gribley is terribly unhappy living in New York City with his family, so he runs away to the Catskill Mountains to live in the woods—all by himself. With only a penknife, a ball of cord, forty dollars, and some flint and steel, he intends to survive on his own. Sam learns about courage, danger, and independence during his year in the wilderness, a year that changes his life forever.

 “An extraordinary book . . . It will be read year after year.”
—The Horn Book

Leah’s Thoughts:

I’ll be honest, this wasn’t a book I was excited to read. The writing didn’t really grab me, and there were parts of the story that felt so unbelievable to me as an adult. I had a hard time connecting with Sam’s character and some of the choices he made. But here’s the thing…my boys loved it! They were hooked from the first chapter, and it quickly became one of their all-time favorite read-alouds. My oldest even said it’s on par with Narnia and Matilda for him, which totally surprised me!

I can see why this story appeals to them. There’s a definite sense of adventure in living alone in the wild, being self-sufficient, and facing the challenges of the outdoors. The idea of a young teen finding freedom in nature, away from the noise of the modern world, resonates with their imaginations, and I think that’s where the magic of the book lies. It taps into the adventurous spirit that many kids, especially boys, around the age of Sam, possess.

The pace of the book felt a bit slow for me, and I wasn’t fully convinced by all of the plot points, but my boys? They were hooked. They loved the idea of survival and living independently, even if I didn’t always agree with how it was presented. And while I may have rolled my eyes a few times at the more unbelievable moments, I can’t deny that it kept their attention.

I think if you have a young reader who loves stories about independence, survival, and nature, this is a great pick for them. Although it may not be the most polished or realistic story for adults, it’s an exciting and captivating read for kids, especially boys. My kids are already asking for the next one in the series.