On the Far Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
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Book Reviews of On the Far Side of the Mountain
Book Review: On the Far Side of the Mountain
Summary: 4 Stars
Very good book, especially for young adults. Many lessons along with adventures. Not quite as good as My Side of the Mountain (by the same author), but pretty close. Well worth reading.Book Review: on the far side of the mountain
Summary: 4 Stars
It was a good book for boys who like the wilderness. Some of the parts were vary boring. I picked this book because it was a medium length.Book Review: 10 year old nephew loved it
Summary: 4 Stars
The book was ordered for my 10 yr old nephew who had read the previous books. He loved it!Book Review: LEARNING TO LET GO
Summary: 3 Stars
This sequel to MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN takes up the story of Sam Gribley, living a wilderness existence by personal choice, two years later. Only he has been joined--to his amazement and displeasure--by his younger sister, Alice, who exhibits the family's pioneer spirit. As the book
opens Sam is devastated by the arrival of heartless Leon Longbridge, the local Conservation Officer, who confiscates Sam's beloved peregrine falcon, Frightful, for breeding in captivity.
Much of the story consists of Sam's tracking his independent sister who has taken it into her head to go off with her pet pig, Crystal. Demonstrating her woodland skills she plays their private game of "On The Track" with him, by leaving tantalizing clues re her destination. Sam enlists the aid of an older friend named Bando--a married man living in a rustic cabin nearby. The guys track girl and pig to distant wilderness areas. The story is enhanced by many pen and ink sketches and diagrams of woodland survival and colonial inventions, which make this book something of a reference manual for outdoorsmen.
The plot picks up amazing speed in the last chapters: Alice proves
a fearless and loyal sister to grieving Sam, while he must face the most difficult decision in his young life. Both siblings exhibit true character development in this YA book which makes use of diary entries as well as typical narrative to relate the story. Connecticut author Jean Craighead George presents a strong case for the preservation of endangered species, but can mankind both protect and responsibly enjoy these glorious birds of prey? Read the book to learn Sam's compromise.
Book Review: Either this is a step down, or I've gotten too old...
Summary: 3 Stars
The continuing adventures of Sam Gribley, who left his life in the civilized world to go live on a homestead on a mountain when he was just a young teenager. The first book dealt with Sam overcoming the harshest of conditions in his new life and coming to terms with his family, who initially want him back. With that conflict settled, this book centers around two interlocked crises; first, Sam's peregrine falcon companion is taken by a thief posing as a conservation officer; second, Sam's younger sister Alice disappears (she has been living with him for a while now), and he decides to track her down.
The Good and the Bad:
I may have just gotten to this book too late to derive the childhood joy that it is meant to impart. The characters all seemed wooden, the plot contrived and predictable, and the action unrealistic. The original book was one of my favorites as a young boy, and I imagine that I just missed the boat on this one. I did enjoy some of the ingenious survival skills Sam employed, and also liked that I can now recognize a few of the plant names that Sam mentions. And it is also a little thrilling to me to recognize that the tale takes place in the Catskill mountains, not far from my own childhood home. From outside the book, I can praise its politics, which are indicated by a bevy of strong female characters and a pure environmentalist ethic put into practical living.