My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George Review by: Peter V.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George is a fantastic book. It is by far THE BEST realistic fiction book I have ever read. The book is about a boy named Sam Gribley who lives in New York City. Sam is tired of city life so he runs away to the Catskill Mountain wilderness to forge a life of his own. All he brings with him is an ax, a penknife, a ball of cord, $40, and some flint and steel to make fires. To survive Sam uses the resources of the land including wild animals and plants. Along the way Sam meets some new people and animals that he gets to know very well. The biggest challenge Sam faces is not surviving, it is staying hidden from people who will take him back to the city. This book is an account of Sam's fascinating wilderness experience. Sam is an ingenius and resourceful young man who always finds a way to make the best of a situation. He has many good ideas like capturing a falcon and training to hunt game for him and making large snares to capture deer. All in all My Side of the Mountain is a terrific book I would recommend to anyone who likes the outdoors.