My Side of the Mountain

                                     My Side of the Mountain (A Newberry Honor Book)

Jean Craighead George

Thanks, Brent!

I have a special love for children's books. In fact, I have a story brewing in my head to write my own. I love their message; I love their simplicity. Neither of these were not present in the beautiful story of My Side of the Mountain.

My friend, Brent, and I were in a conversation one day about books. I love to get the "Top" recommendations from people -- "Instead of your Top 10, tell me you're Top Top Top book. That's the one I want to read." In this conversation, it turned to our favorite children's books. I got overly excited telling him all about my favorite book as a child. It was about a squirrel who made a house for herself high, high up in a tree...and how she collected food to store...and fought off ants who climbed up...and...and....The pictures were beautiful and it was my most favorite book in the whole world. I probably read it 1,000 times as a child. It still stands as such a vivid memory for me.

In response, Brent offers me this title as his favorite, citing: "If you love me, you'll love this book." And in the end, I still love Brent and I did love this book. It was nice to have a break to read something a bit easier and with such a warm, positive story. It would be perfect for anyone age 10 and up to read.

The story is about a small boy, unhappy with his overcrowded life in New York City, who decides to take up residency in the woods. He goes with only the bare necessities--a penknife, a ball of cord, some flint and steel, and the clothes on his back -- and escapes to the Catskill Mountains. There, reliant only upon himself and the abundant resources of nature,  he survives and lives a life amongst the animals and trees.

Not only is the story enticing in many secret ways, but I learned so many practical new ideas about ways to use what nature readily supplies. For example, he journaled on white birch bark. I didn't know you could write on any bark, but you can. And, how to make a willow whistle. Even illustrations throughout! He taught me many lessons, if not inspired me for a more self-sufficient life myself.

I would highly recommend this, especially if there is a 10-15 year old you know that needs to be inspired. 

Similar adult reads would be Into the Wild by Jack Krakauer and The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert.