Nature Girl

Kelley, J (2010). Nature Girl. New York: Random House.

Plot Description: Megan’s family has gone to Vermont for the summer where there no internet, no TV, and she isn’t allowed to use the cell phone.  It wouldn’t have been so bad if her best friend Lucy would have come with her like she promised.  Instead she is spending the summer in Massachusetts with her mother who has recently been diagnosed with cancer.  Megan is upset with Lucy and doesn’t understand why she can’t hang out with her.  As a punishment for acting up Megan’s parent make her go on a hike with her older sister but after she gets grossed out by Ginia and her boyfriend she wanders off and gets lost.  After crying for awhile Megan decides that she wants to make a change in herself.  She decides she is going to hike to Mt. Greymore in Massachusetts to see Lucy and to prove to herself that she can do something without giving up.  Throughout the hike she is without food, water, heat, and a place to sleep but she and her loyal dog Arp are able to overcome those obstacles and she finally reaches her goal and makes it to the top.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

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

Similar Books: The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowery and 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass.

Personal Thought: This book shows that anything is possible and if you want something really bad you need to put in the hard work.

Subject/Themes: Cancer, Nature, Hiking, Friendship, Self Improvement

Character Description: Megan is eleven years old.  She would prefer to sit around and do nothing rather than going outside.

Lucy is Megan’s best friend but they haven’t been getting along the greatest since Lucy’s mom found out she had cancer.

Trail Blaze Betty is a hiker who has hiked the Appalachian Trail eight times.  She follows Megan closely during her trip so she can keep an eye on her.

Arp is Megan’s little white dog.  He is carried during most of the hike.

Ginia is Megan’s older sister and they constantly fight.  Ginia is off with her boyfriend Sam when Megan gets lost.

Annotation: Megan and her dog Arp have embarked on an adventure to hike the Appalachian Trail to Mount Grelock to see her friend Lucy and so that Megan can prove to herself that she isn’t a quitter.  Will they make it or will Megan take the easy way out and give up?