My Side of the Mountain

George, J. C. (1988). My Side of the Mountain. New York: Puffin Books.

Plot Description: Sam Gribley is very unhappy living in his family’s small apartment in New York City.  Instead of continuing to live there he sets off to live off his Grandfather’s land in the Catskills.  While there he learns how to live off the land and is very comfortable.  He trains a falcon and can make his own clothes.  After a couple years of living this way Sam comes to realize that he misses human contact.  Just when he is starting to get really lonely his whole family surprises him by trekking up the mountain and coming to live with him.

Genre: Adventure

Age Group: This book would be appropriate for grades 5-8.

Series Information: On the Far Side of the Mountain & Frightful’s Mountain

Personal Thought: This would be a great book for any student interested in the outdoors.  It would be an especially good pick for boys interested in adventure type stories.

Subject/Themes: Running Away, Outdoors, Nature, Wildlife

Awards: Newberry Honor Book, ALA Notable Book

Character Description: Sam is a young boy who was sick of the cramped life he lived in New York City.  He left home for the Catskills and learned to live all the land.

Bando is a school teacher who got lost in the wilderness.  Sam befriends him and they become good friends.  Bando end ups spending holidays with Sam.

Frightful is the falcon that Sam has trained.  He kills a lot of the food they eat and is a good companion to Sam.

Annotation: Have you ever thought about running away from home?  Same Gribley had the same thought but he acted on it and left his home in New York City for the Catskills.  Read My Side of the Mountain to find out if he was able to make it on his own in the wilderness or was force to go back home.