Product Description
This charming and extraordinary volume is a real treasure. The stories were written in 1939 by Frances Kittredge, who lived in the remote village of Wales, Alaska, from 1900 to 1902. Taking a special interest in the lives and customs of the villagers, Kittredge later compiled her notes and interviews to create this delightful story of a year in the life of a fictional, seven-year-old Eskimo boy. Arranged as a series of seasonal adventures, there's a story for every month of the year, starting in July, "the warming-up time when flowers bloom and Eskimos go on trips for trading and fishing."

The stories are accompanied by intriguing illustrations by famed Eskimo painter Howard Rock, who was commissioned for this work by Kittredge when he was a young man. Neither the stories nor the illustrations have been published until now. This very special book serves as a record of Inupiat lifestyles before the 1918 flu that virtually wiped out a generation of elders in Alaska. ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Recounts the life of Balto, the sled dog who saved Nome, Alaska, in 1925 from a diphtheria epidemic by delivering medicine through a raging snowstorm. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Balto book
The story of Balto is really an amazing one and all of my grandsons love the story of DVD.This book also gives the details of the story and it is easy for the kids to understand.

Great book
Didn't make my daughter's (she's 5) top 10 list, but it is among her favorite.

Childhood Favorite
I remember when I was a kid absolutely loving this book! As a child, I loved the heroic tale of Balto and enjoyed the detailed pictures. Now, almost 20 years later as an artist, I still enjoy the illustrations and simple plot. Great for kids!

Perfect for 1st graders & some 2nd graders!!!
This book keeps kids interested as they read! It makes reading enjoyable!! My students Love it!!!

balto
Great book.....my 7 year old daughter loves it and read it herself.Good information about Balto. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides step-by-step instructions for craft projects based on traditional crafts of the Tlingit, Haida, Inuit, and other Native Americans of the Northwest Coast, Arctic, and Subarctic. ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Sixteen-year-old Robbie Daniels, happy to get a job aboard a troller fishing for king salmon off southeastern Alaska, finds himself in danger when he discovers that his mysterious captain is searching for long-buried Russian plaques that lay claim to Alaska and the Northwest. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Leaving Protection
My daughter read this book over the summer and loved it!It was an exciting story and a fast read.She would definitely recommend it to other middle school students.

What a well thought out book!
Having fished in Alaska, I found Mr. Hobbs ability to take me back onto a boat extraordinary.I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for the adventurous souls in your life.I am an adult, but imagined reading this as a boy and how much I would have liked it then too!Well done Mr. Hobbs, thanks for a great read!

Leaving Protection: Worthy of Gimmel
Will Hobbs is no stranger to the genre of realistic nature-related fiction.I would in fact find it safe to say that Will Hobbs has mastered this genre.Leaving Protection is a great example of his L33T \/\/r1t1|\|g 5k1llz.
Leaving Protection is a story of a boy named Robbie, who leaves his floathouse home at Port Protection to get a job as a deckhand to a salmon troller.He arrives in the port town of Craig to find that nearly all the openings for deckhands have been taken.Luckily, he gets a tip from a local that a certain "highliner," or very successful fisherman, might be able to use his help.Well, Robbie's curiosity gets the better of him as he begins to snoop about aboard the guy's boat, and stumbles across this odd plaque. The captain of the Storm Petrel, Tor Torsen, catches him and after much begging, Robbie manages to persuade the highliner captain to hire him - or so he thinks.Robbie eventually learns from Tor the meaning of the plaques.The plaques were buried along the coast hundreds of years before by the Russians to stake their claim on Alaska.Tor hunts for these plaques and unearths them to sell on the black market for his retirement fund. As they pursue these plaques, Robbie feels as though danger is imminent.Does he know too much?What does Tor have in store for him?Meanwhile, a monstrous storm approaches.What is Robbie to do?
The main reason behind my great enjoyment of Leaving Protection was Will Hobbs's attention to detail.Hobbs makes such colorful descriptions of the fishing.As I read Leaving Protection, I could feel my sea legs returning.I braced as the Storm Petrel skipped across the bay.I saw the ever so lustrous King salmon leap out from the water.I heard the dull thud of the gaff making contact with its skull.I could feel the sea spray on my face and taste the salty water on my tongue when a swell came.
One problem I initially encountered was a weak sense of character complexity, but when you live on a boat for a couple weeks, it doesn't take a three-ring circus to entertain you.Besides, the filler between the single-sided suspense is probably the best part, sort of like a 99¢ cheeseburger from McDonald's: the air-pocketed storyline holds the compressed, pre-cut character patty in place, while what appears to be a half-melted slice of cheesy nothingness keeps it all glued.Try pulling the bun off, and half of it is stuck to the cheese, while the other half is in flakes on your lap.You can't slip the meat out, because that cheese is sticking for good.The fishing is the source of calcium.It strengthens your structure and it's the only thing in that sandwich that's good for you.
I may be able to better appreciate Will Hobbs's descriptions because I have sport-fished for salmon in Southeastern Alaska on three occasions.However, even if you have never seen live salmon, Will Hobbs does a great job of depicting the actual setting - it's even historically accurate.I think Leaving Protection deserves a full 5 points, and if I had another dollar, I'd buy another burger.

Good Sea Story
This book is about a boy named Robbie who
tries to get a job as a fisherman. He has always
wanted to be a fisherman. He thinks he is happy
when he becomes a fisherman, but as he works for
a man named Tor, Robbie discovers that Tor has
more of an intention than catching fish. Robbie
discovers that Tor is trying to find a very
valuable plaque. Robbie is dragged out farther to
sea, and learns that he will have to face a
violent storm, that will test his courage to try
to save somebody's life and risk his life at the
same time.
This book was PRETTY good. I liked the
character,Robbie the most because he has a lot of
courage to try to save somebody in a violent
storm at sea. Robbie's character was developed
o.k. but it did not show how he felt during the
storm when he might have lost his life and when
he was trying to save someone else. I did not
like Tor's character because he never seemed like
he was in a good mood that much. He also did not
show his pride for catching fish and he did not
show his gratefulness when Robbie tried to help
him. The book could have been improved if it had
more of a point than catching fish, and if they
got stranded on an island or something,it would
be more interesting. It needs more of a
background,kind of. I would recommend this book
to people who like stories about fishing and
being stranded at sea. This book would of also
been more interesting if it was more about being
stuck at sea. FROM FLAMINGNET BOOK REVIEWS
For more preteen and young adult book reviews please visit
www.flamingnet.com

rock on
this book is the best i love it i didnt even put it down it can become expensive though but that dosnt matter when you love fishing like me so this book was the best for people who like outdoors with a little drama

Ps 10 stars all the way!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. With the arrival of the full moon, a native totem pole in chilly Alaska comes to life and soon Grizzly, Beaver, Frog, and Raven are set free to roam the beautiful landscape and see the world around them, but when morning comes around, the four adventurous friends end their fun and head back to take their rightful places on the pole once again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Does not disappoint. Don't wait to order.
I wanted to purchase this book a year ago, but I waited because I wanted to see if I could find it at my local bookstore. I hadn't read it and prefer to look through a book before I commit to buying it. Well, Barnes and Noble didn't have it and couldn't order it because it comes from a very small publishing company. By this time, Amazon ran out. I was kicking myself. I looked online to see if I could find it at another retailer. The only copies available were being sold for $75 because of its limited availability! I couldn't believe it. I signed up to receive an email message from Amazon when it became available again and promptly ordered it when they had a copy.

I just received my copy and I'm delighted. I am a third grade teacher in Washington and we are about to start a unit on coastal Native Americans. This book is perfect! It was worth the one year wait, but don't make the same mistake I did. Order it right away!

Wonderful book from a former teacher
I just found this book recently and discovered it was written by a teacher I had in high school.She was an inspiring and highly creative teacher that made you love what you were learning.I'm so excited to have my children reading books written by a former teacher of mine.
I'm on the hunt to get the rest of her books.Thank you Ms. Vanasse!

Magical Totem Tale
My 4 year old and I have read this book over and over.The illustrations are wonderful, the concept of a totem pole being based on a story is clear.The totem pole takes itself apart at night and my daughter tries to remember the story the pole is based on in order to put the pole together again in the right order as the sun rises.

Captivated by this original story line ... and the art is lovely!A MUST READ/VIEW!
As I've often said, what intrigues me most about a book is a "catchy" title and an extremely original storyline. This book has that and much more!

I'm amazed at the simplicity of the plot, but how cute, clever, and creative it is.Who would have thought about the characters carved into a totem pole coming to life and fussing over their order on the pole???ONLY A CREATIVE, TALENTED AUTHOR ... That's who!

You just HAVE to read this clever book by Deb Vanasse ... and the fabulous art by the equally-talented illustrator is marvelous, too.I understand the illustrator has some books under submission; I hope you get them published, Erik.

Highly recommended!

An engaging picturebook account of cooperation, faithfulness, and helping out a friend in need
Totem Tale: A Tall Story From Alaska by Deb Vanasse combines a lively and original story with skillfully drawn illustrations by Erik Brooks to create the fun tale of a Native American totem pole which comes to life in the beauty of a moon-lit night. Children will follow the adventures of a beaver, an eagle, a bear, a wolf, a raven and a frog through a remarkable journey on one very special night. An engaging picturebook account of cooperation, faithfulness, and helping out a friend in need, Totem Tale is very highly recommended for all young readers, as well as parents and librarians searching for something entertaining and worthwhile for children ages 5 through 8 to read and enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Traces the friendship between a boy and a bear in the rugged Alaskan Territory ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Gentle Ben
I think "Gentle Ben" is an amazing book. It is a story of animal survival and the relationship between a boy and a bear."Gentle Ben" is a serious book but some parts are hilarious.My favorite part is when Karl Anderson's ship Far North,was sinking. It was intense. I didn't know if the father would survive.I would recommend this book to 4th thru 8th grade because the language is difficult to read.

Very disappointed
Seller did not ship as promised. Product therefore missed the camper who had gone home. Seller refunded shipping costs but not cost of book.

I rate this NO STAR but this form will not permit NO STAR.

Wonderful book for animal lovers
I thought this was an amazing book. As an adult reader who enjoys children's fiction, I found the story interesting, heart-warming, and suspenseful. I thought I knew what was going to happen next, then the unexpected would happen! What I loved about a few of Walt Morey's characters is how they seemed tough and mean on the outside, but then they would open their hearts to help Mark and his pet bear, Ben. The book is a very intense page-turner, with many exciting moments. You may even want to cheer out loud (like I did) when Ben makes his unexpected appearances and saves the day! Do have a dictionary handy if you are not familiar with boat and fishing terminology (many words in the book were not in my vocabulary). You will learn a little about Alaskan culture before statehood, and how in a small town like Orca City, people can rely on good neighbors to help when help is needed. You will fall in love with Ben and appreciate how friends and family help each other throughout the story.

A story that will stay emblazoned in your mind for years to come, and warm your heart
Mark Andersen leads quite a lonely existence in the Alaskan wilderness, where he lives with his mother and father. Things wouldn't be so lonely if his older brother was still around, but since his death, Mark has been devoid of contact with anyone even close in age to him. Due in large part to the fact that he's the smallest boy at school - at least for his age - and risks injury if he plays with the stronger boys, so he keeps to himself. That is, until he discovers a friend named Ben. Ben isn't your average friend. He's an Alaskan brown bear "brownie," who is larger than life, and frightens anyone who sees him. Except for Mark. Mark knows how gentle Ben is, and quickly befriends him. Mark and Ben discover that they are much more like one another than anyone could possibly know, and forge a strong bond. But when the local townspeople find out about Mark and Ben's relationship, they are determined to destroy it. Even if it means destroying Ben.

Animal stories always have a strong place in my heart, so when I discovered Walt Morey's GENTLE BEN, I knew that I would adore the story. And I did. Much like Sterling North's RASCAL, GENTLE BEN captures the essence of falling in love with a wild animal, and keeping it as a pet, even when the world is against your decision. It's about the special bond that humans and animals hold with one another. Mark is a lovable character, whose small body, but strong mind, make him the ideal friend for Ben. While Ben is a character that will never be forgotten, based solely on the kindness in his heart, and his laugh-out-loud antics. A story that will stay emblazoned in your mind for years to come, and warm your heart.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

Bears Of the Wild!!!!
This book is touching.The animal is abused but then is loved by Mark. Once he goes out he gets happy.They are afraid he'll turn wild again, buthe stayss tame. It was sad when they let him go, but i am happy that he iss not endangered anymore and can eat his fill...This was a great book(RECOMENDED)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
"Ten-year-old Donald McDonald watched the miners shovel the pay-dirt into the wooden sluice boxes. When the miners stopped the water flowing through the boxes, Donald's father motioned him over. Dipping both hands in the freezing liquid, Donald felt around in the gravel and sand at the bottom. Suddenly, up came his fingers clutching shiny nuggets. 'Gold!' he screamed. 'Look, Mama, I'm rich!'"

Donald was just one of many children who came North with their parents in search of gold. In yet another previously untold chapter of the gold rush era, Claire Rudolf Murphy and Jane G. Haigh have gathered individual stories, vintage photographs, and historic memorabilia to tell what life was like for these indomitable kids a century ago.

In a land where freezing, dark winters and mosquito-filled summers challenged even the hardiest pioneers, children, like their parents, had to be tough and quick to adapt to harsh conditions. They lived in boomtowns and rugged encampments on the gold creeks.They sold newspapers, baked bread, learned to read from pages torn from magazines-if there was anyone with time to teach them, performed on stage, and learned to make the most of their new situations. And perhaps infected by the eternal optimism of the gold-seekers, they learned to be positive, even during times of misfortune. Their stories continue to inspire hope and a positive attitude today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Glimpses from the real Klondike
With the huge number of books that are available on the Klondike Gold Rush, it's always a pleasure to see a new viewpoint being used. There are now several books dealing with the part played in the development of the North by women, but this is the first time that children have been the focus.I've heard this book referred to as a children's book (and in fact Amazon has it listed as reading level 9-12), but I consider it to be suitable fare for anyone with an interest in Northern history.The first aspect of the book that impressed me was the production - from cover to cover it is beautifully laid out, and graphics and photographs are used extensively throughout its 82 pages. While some are common images (the Chilkoot and gold camps), the majority are ones that I have seldom or never seen.The introduction to the book serves its purpose well - describing the conditions that families had to endure both en route to the North, and while living there. Cold, the hard work and the usual lack of schools were significant elements in most children's lives in the Yukon and Alaska, and often forged the types of personality traits important in later successes. Contrary to modern theories that growing up too quickly can be bad for a child's development, Murphy and Haigh argue that "Learning to work hard at a very young age may have been their best lesson of all."With stories in the book ranging from sad and introspective to comical, "Children of the Gold Rush" will make a worthwhile addition to the library of anyone who wants a more rounded perspective on the development of the Northern frontier.

Great Book!
This was another great book by Jane Haigh and Claire Rudolf Murphy! It was great to hear about how tough children were in the goldrush! This book takes you into the world of many small children in a gold oriented society.It really showed how easy most of us have it now! This is a "mustread" for any one who wants to learn about the goldrush, is a goldrushfan, or is just looking for a good book. ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. When Julie returns to her father's Eskimo village, she struggles to find a way to save her beloved wolves in a changing Arctic world and she falls in love with a young Siberian man. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

A kids review
Julie is the sequel to Julie Of The Wolves, and you have to read the first book before you read this one.
In this book Julie has returned to her father and finds out that he has remarried a women named Ellen. At first Julie does not like Ellen because she is from Minnesota, but eventually comes to like her. She also finds out that her father has changed. He now has an airplane and owns a herd of musk oxen.
Shortly after Julie's return she hears her wolves howling for her. Afraid that her wolves will kill her father's musk oxen, Julie goes out and, after two weeks she finally gets her wolves to stay away, at least for awhile.
Also in this book a boy named Peter falls in love with Julie. At first she will not love him back, but eventually admits that she does loves him. It is a pretty weak love story but the rest of the book is awesome.
If you did not really like the end of Julie Of The Wolves (I didn't) I would definitely still read Julie, it has a much happier ending.
I would recommend this book for kids ages 11 and up, mostly because of the love story. It is a very good book for kidswho love adventure, nature, Eskimo life, and wolves(although I'll warn you that there is not near as much about the wolves in this book as there is in Julie Of The Wolves).
And don't forget that there is a third book in the series called Julie's Wolf Pack. I haven't read it yet, but maybe I'll write a review on it once I've read it.

Eliza, age 12

Julie
This is my favorite Jean George book. I like the plot and how Julie lives with her family, who we get to know, and how she trys to help the wolves. I like most of Jean's books and this is ny favorite.

Marvelous! Simply marvelous!
At thirteen, Julie Edwards - or Miyax Kapugen - was married according to the agreement between her parents and those of her bridegroom. Miserably unhappy in her temperamental husband's home, Julie fled. She and a wolf pack befriended each other, out in the wilds of her native Alaska, and because of the wolves Julie has survived to find her way home. Back to her widowed father, who (to her considerable surprise) has missed her and looked for her. And then, when told falsely of her death, has mourned for the daughter he loved and now knows he should not have pushed into that early marriage.

In Julie's absence Kapugen has married again, and his new wife is a schoolteacher from Minnesota. Ellen has convinced Kapugen to give up, for the most part, his life as an Eskimo hunter. Although they still live in the village where they met, Kapugen flies an airplane and cares for a herd of domesticated musk oxen while Ellen continues with her teaching job. Julie's homecoming is marred not only by her doubts about her father's choice of a fair-skinned, red-haired outsider as his new wife, but also - far more - by her terror of Kapugen's insistence that if and when the wolf pack comes to hunt his musk oxen, he must kill them. Julie knows that Kapugen means it, because he killed one of "her" wolves before. She can't go off to high school in Fairbanks, not even when she falls in love with a young Eskimo man who will be going to the university there. She has to stay in the village until she figures out how to save her wolves from Kapugen, whom she loves despite his growing departure from the ways he taught her to follow.

Coming of age novels with girl protagonists are rare enough, if one doesn't count (and I certainly do not!) those books whose whole point is how that girl learns to accept the limits of traditional femininity as the cost of mature happiness. Books like this one, about a girl who comes of age by meeting physical and intellectual challenges thrown at her by Nature itself - and by the clash of cultures, too - are rarer still. Marvelous! Simply marvelous!

Julie
Julie was about an Eskimo girl who got lost in the Alaskan tundra. Julie, the girl learned to live by wolf ways. She followed the wolves and they accepted her. Amaroq was the pack leader and Silver was his mate. Nails was Amaroq's best friend and Jello was the lowly puppy-sitter. Kapu, Sister, Zat, Zing, and Zan were the puppies. Amaroq got shot by a helicopter flier and died. Kapu was also shot but was nursed back to health by Julie. Julie then found her father, Kapugen (Kapu was named after Julie's father.) near by. Kapugen had stopped following the Eskimo traditions and married a gussak (white) woman. Julie was not at all thrilled about this. Then she saw flying goggles hanging in the house. Julie then realized that Kapugen had shot Amaroq. Julie learned how Kapugen had changed. Then, she found out how Kapugen had started an industry in musk oxen. The caribou which is sort of like a moose or deer is one of the most eaten animals on the tundra. The wolves also eat caribou. The caribou was not going through Kangilik, where Julie was now living or where Kapu and his pack were. The wolves were very hungry and needed food to live off of.What will Julie do to save the wolves?

Julie
This one, in my opinion, is a bit better than the first one. Since this one has more social interaction, it makes time seem to fly by much quicker. It also contains the same friendly wolves, which also makes it exciting for anyone who read Julie of the Wolves. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

The Yup'ik way
Minuk of the Yup'ik group of Inuits in Alaska in the 1890's tells us right away some of things a girl must know to become a "good" woman:

*Take food to the men in their house and wait to take away the dishes
*Eat little, save the best for family, never eat alone
*Sew beautiful clothes (to be praised by the husband in front of other men, for this was an honor)
*Always obey the rules for women so as not to spoil a husband's luck in hunting.
*To obey all rules for women in order to be praised as a "good woman."

By laying out rules of behavior early on, writer Kirkpatrick Hill, who grew up in Alaska, sets the tone for the rest of the story of Minuk and her tribe's encounter with white missionaries, who come in "to civilize" them. The ways of missionaries have surely changed since the last century. The two adult Hoffs arrive with a superior attitude: only Christian beliefs are correct and all other people will go to Hell for not accepting them. However, their son David accepts the Yup'iks as they are, although, on one occasion, he is nudged into repeating his parents.

When qualities of "good women" are first outlined, I had to squash my feminist hostility. Incredibly, by story's end, I agreed with Minuk's choice to stay with the tribe and the deep sense of community it brings to each member.

One surprising aspect of this culture is that a woman may renounce her husband for abusive behavior. All she has to do is go before the men's council and say she renounces him. Afterward, Mr. Hoff goes before them to express his displeasure with the renouncing because divorce is "wrong" before God. Such a sick belief goes back to the misognynist belief that women have less value an abusive marriage. Don't let me get started!

I thought Mrs Hoff would be a representative character of the good Christian, but the excessive workload wears down her spirit and makes her gripey and grumpy. Eventually, the couple and their son move on to their next "call" in a new location. The white nurse returns to her home in Massachusetts.

Girls of Many Lands is an excellent series published by the American Girl conglomerate. What I particularly like about the books is the clarity of writing and the booming good stories of life and girls in other times and places. If we are to be citizens of the world and avoid xenophobia, we must encourage our girls to broaden horizons. My library girls eat up these books as fast as I can get them in. What better recommendation than that!

Other books in the series:
Spring Pearl: The Last Flower (Girls of Many Lands)
Neela: Victory Song (Girls of Many Lands)
Saba: Under the Hyena's Foot (Girls of Many Lands)
Leyla: The Black Tulip (Girls of Many Lands)
Kathleen: The Celtic Knot (Girls of Many Lands)

Absolutely Captivating
The book itself is actually extremely sad. If you're in the right mood, you will cry. But despite this, it has great originality. I shuffled through the section and spotted this book which was recommended to me. I grasped it and cracked it open, seeping into a chair, captivated by the 1st chapter. I love the voice in it. It's recognizable and understandable. This book is very real and interesting. Whilst reading this book, you are also learning! Imagine that! :) I enjoyed it; I'm sure you will too.

Educating, yet intriging
When I first saw this book, it stood out. Hastily I checked it out, and finished it in one day. The plot seems a little--odd, but it really seems like it's coming from a 12 year old's point to view. Minuk's character is very destinguished, and you get the sense of what it was like in her tribe. I highly recommend this book to all.

I loved it!
I loved this book. When I first became a teen, I picked up this book at the bookstore and couldn't put it down. It was a very easy read with simple writing. I felt that the author did a very good job because the narrating really did seem like it came from a 12 year old Yup'ik girl. Minuk was spunky, always curious, and ready to learn. This gave me an inside peek into the life of Yup'ik eskimos. The ending was so good, that I read the last chapter over and over again after finishing it.

Girls of Many Lands Ashes in the Pathway
In the story Ashes in the Pathway a girl, Minuk and her entire family went to a summer camp and met white people whose cultures were different from theirs. Minuk and her cousin met Mrs.Hoff and her family. She learned many differences between her culture and the white people's culture. Summer soon ended and winter began. All of the sudden during the winter illness came upon the family and people and made everything wrong.
I liked this book because Ilike to learn about the different cultures. I learned a lot about the Yupik culture and people just by reading this book. My favorite part of the book was when Minuk and Teksik walked back to the camp where Minuk makes her final decision of what she wants to do. I also liked this book because you can just picture this in your head and question yourself what would you do in that situation?
What I didn't like in some of the book was that some of the parts didn't interest me as much, like at the beginning. My least favorite part of the novel was in the middle when everyone became sick of a certain illness that you will find out if you read the book. I didn't like this part because it made me feel sad and depressed inside.
My favorite character was the protagonist, Minuk because she is a brave smart teenaged Yupik girl who makes the ultimate decision at the end of the story.
I enjoyed reading this book because I got to learn different cultures and also it was entertaining.
... Read more

Product Description
John Muir's favorite story of "the most memorable of all my wild days"-his classic adventure on an Alaskan glacier with the dog Stickeen-is now retold in modern language with stunning illustrations for another generation of children to enjoy. This is a compelling story of the developing relationship between Muir and an aloof, unfriendly little dog, Stickeen. After becoming stranded on the glacier, they reach safety with the help of a courageous trip over an ice bridge. Stickeen's aloofness is then replaced by rapturous emotion and his unfriendliness towards Muir turns to adoration. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Best version for kids
I have just read three versions of this story and this one is by far the best for little kids. Donnell Rubay's rewriting of Muir's story makes the story exciting and clear for young children, and the fantastic illustrations by Christopher Canyon enhance the drama. The version published in 1990 includes the original text by John Muir, which is interesting to an adult, but too hard for a child, and excellent but too few black and white illustrations.I doubt a preschooler would stay interested.The version published in 2004 includes Muir's text rewritten by Julie Dunlap and Marybeth Lorbiecki with illustrationsby Bill Farnsworth.Both text and pictures are ok, but lack the drama of the wonderful 1998 Rubay/Canyon book.

All animal lovers
Having read of Stickeen in detail in another John Muir book, I decided to buy this for my grandchidren.
They absolutely loved it in all respects. It will be passed on thru family as an insight as to just how much we can gain from animals freindship.
Tears welled from my eyes while I read the full story of this incredibly brave dog, knowing he would surely die if he failed his masters footsteps.
Kiwi hunter

Interesting Read
My son attends John Muir Elementary School in Antioch, California.There is a mural of John Muir with a dog at his school.Upon a discussion with a friend, we were wondering if the dog had a name.Much to my surprise, Stickeen was the dog's name.I ordered it to learn more about the brave little dog.I enjoyed the story from a historical aspect.I also was glad to know that the dog in mural had a name and to know what the dog went through in one adventure, making me appreciate the school that my son attends.

Beautiful, But Lacking
This book has received some excellent reviews on Amazon, and I hate to be the first one to put up a lukewarm review.However, I felt Stickeen left something to be desired.

Before I get to any criticism of the book, I'd like to say the illustrations are absolutely beautiful.Having reviewed recently several children's books on conservation topics, I have to say that the illustrations in Stickeen really blew me away with their attention to detail.No soft, warm pastels here; everything is intricate and bold, which conveys the landscape in a stunning manner.

The story, however, doesn't measure up to the beautiful illustrations.First, I felt that the story really missed out on an opportunity to talk more about John Muir's conservation mission.We're left with little impression of Muir as naturalist or the importance of his work.

Second, I felt that I was going to be treated to a much larger story of companionship in the wild than a dog crossing an ice bridge.In the afterword, the authors quote John Muir as sayaing "I have known many dogs . . . but to none do I owe so much as to Stickeen."Maybe, but you'd never know it from this story.Muir does everything for Stickeen in the story, and Stickeen practically does nothing for Muir.Perhaps the author should have presented those stories instead.

Nevertheless, Stickeen's worth it just for the great illustrations.

TOP GIFT for all young children
John Muir's original account of his experience with this dog (in his Travels with Alaska, and separately published 10 or 20 years ago) simply cried out to be retold for children and illustrated in a picture book. Thankfully, Rubay and Canyon have done the two things brilliantly. Rubay's text is a gentle reduction of Muir's own words, preserving his own 19th century phrasings and terms such as chasm, crystal, crevasse, and ice bridge so that their meaning is clear. And Canyon's 25 paintings are fabulously true to life depictions of the Alaskan wilderness in snow and storm, yet each one moves the story. Like all great children's books, it's one the parent wants to read as often as the child wants it read. A book that truly deserves a place in every classroom and on every child's shelf. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1903, aspiring journalist Robert Dunn joined an expedition attempting the first ascent of Mt. McKinley, the highest mountain in North America. Led by explorer Frederick Cook (who would later win infamy for faking the discovery of the North Pole), the climbers failed to conquer McKinley, but they did circumnavigate the great peak—an accomplishment not repeated until 1978. The trek also spawned a book unique in the literature of exploration: Dunn’s frank, sardonic, no-holds-barred look at day-to-day existence on an Alaskan expedition.

Before Dunn, most such accounts were sanitized and expurgated of anything unflattering. Dunn, however, a protégé of the muckraker Lincoln Steffens, endeavored to report what he saw, with panache. And what Dunn reported was a journey rife with conflict, missed opportunity, incompetence, privation, and danger. By showing men reduced to their rawest state, the young journalist produced a compelling, insightful, and oddly amusing book that disturbed and riveted his contemporaries. As Hudson Stuck—the Episcopal archdeacon of the Yukon who completed the first ascent of Mt. McKinley in 1913—observed, “[Dunn’s] book has a curious undeniable power, despite its brutal frankness. . . . One is thankful, however, that it is unique in the literature of travel.”
Amazon.com Review
More adventure books should be like this. In a genre rife with overbearing machismo and braggadocio, this book, originally published in 1907, is a refreshing and at times hilarious take on exploration. Robert Dunn reveals the bickering and frayed nerves, petty insecurities and trivial jealousies that existed alongside the courage, discipline, and determination exhibited by each member of the 1903 expedition that attempted the first ascent of Alaska's Mt. McKinley, the highest mountain in North America. Without downplaying the difficulty of the task, Dunn's honest assessments of the men involved reveals the complex motivations for undertaking arduous exploration and the human weaknesses that are revealed in the process.

The group was led by Frederick Cook (who was later shamed for faking a discovery of the North Pole); Dunn served as the group geologist and second-in-command. He was also an aspiring journalist, and true to his muckraking roots, he makes no apologies for his brutally frank and often unflattering depiction of the party and events. "To distort or hide, in deference to any custom, or so-called sense of pride or honor, simply is to lie." His companions undoubtedly would have appreciated less sincerity, but readers will find his unflinching accuracy most appealing. For instance, he writes of Cook: "I cannot believe he has imagination; of a leader's qualities he has shown not one." Or a possibly worse fault: "He doesn't smoke, and that makes me uncomfortable...." He also dispenses witty advice: "The reason this Diary seems so good-humored, is because it's always written after eating. Never write a field journal on an empty stomach."

Though the experience was often hellish, Dunn can't help but focus on its heavenly rewards upon conclusion, wondering: "Shall I ever return to so glorious a land, to such happiness?" With that line, as with the entire book, he brilliantly and stylishly captures the inherent paradoxes that lie at the core of exploration. --Shawn Carkonen ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Brilliant insights from a master
Dunn takes the cake from the grave! While the Crook Society scrambles to promote the old faker Dr. Cook, and Bryce tries to sue Washburn for his book about the McKinley fraud we have Dunn's magnificent work back in print.

Skip the modern intro (how ridiculous!) as Dunn's razor sharp writing needs nothing added. Was Cook a fake? Of course! And far worse than that - he is seen here as a sociopath, a failure, a miserable little worm who couldn't lead a horse to water.

It is wonderful that publishers are putting books back in print such as this one, or the Denali (Deception, etc.) triple reprint. In addition to this group we now have Washburn's brilliant images that say more in a few photos than Bryce did in 100 pages.

A fascinating study of an expedition gone to [junk], by the man who taught everyone else how to "tell it like it is".

Predecessor to Into Thin Air
If you've read Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" you can only come away from reading "The Shameless Diary...." thinking how it must have been the model for the frankness and criticism he wrote of himself and his fellow climbers in his blockbuster Everest disaster story. Besides the no holds bared frankness of the author's daily reflections of the events of this expedition the reader is let into the authors inner mind as well as the levels of, what can only be considered, animal brutality required to actually complete such a journey, and, which could have only been common, yet previously unexposed, to all such expeditions of it's age.

Throughout the reading I was constantly contemplating how I could have stood up to the rawness of nature that these men withstood. My own meager climbs of the major peaks of the White Mountains of Vermont, and the high peaks of the Adirondacks and Catskill Mountains of New York all paled in comparison to what these men accomplished during any one day of this expedition.A recent winter day hike to Windham High Peak, NY now seems like a child's day in the sun in reflection.

This is the sort of book that forces one to be constantly making those sorts of comparisons. ... Read more

Product Description
This book gathers the riveting stories of adventurouswomen-miners, madams, merchants, and mothers-who went North during thegold rush era. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A moving history of little known women of the Gold Rush
This small book's size belies the wealth of information it contains.The book gives brief (2-5 page) summaries of the lives of a wide variety of women that participated in the Klondike Gold Rush.The authors write as ifthey personally knew these women and were telling their friends about them. Their writing style is easy to read, brief and very descriptive.The womeninclude a native woman whose husband made an early stike; a woman whose sondidn't return from the Klondike so she followed to search for him; severalwomen who started/worked in businesses in the Klondike and women andfamilies that entertained the prospectors.Photos accompany eachbiographical sketch.These are poignant stories that made me marvel at thestrength of character of these women.Many made fortunes and foundhusbands in the Klondike but most suffered emotional or financial losslater.This book can be savored as either a very enjoyable read or for thehistorical bibliography it provides.I've referred to it several times andwill continue to re-read it.

Sparked a fascination of the women who's courage prevailed!
What an awesome book! Couldn't put it down. The odds these women fought against to chase their dreams during such a dangerous journey, not to mention the hardship of simply being a woman during this time in history isastounding! A must read for any woman looking for inspiration andmotivation to follow her dreams!

Great!
I loved this book it was a great resource to me in building my Women in Alaska's History page. It was both well written and visually appealing, it flowed nicely and had excellent graphics!

Excellent!
Jane G. Haigh and Claire Rudolf Murphy have compiled a book about women of Alaska that is both concise and comprehensive. Glancing through this slim volume reveals a starting place on every page and creates an urge to read it all in one sitting.That would be a mistake, however, since the history contained in the pictures, biographical sketches, journal excerpts, maps, and historical cameos deserves to be savored in small slices and contemplated at length. Haigh and Murphy not only catalog names, dates, and places, but they have managed to create a view of the Gold Rush Women of Alaska and the Yukon that instills a sense of pride in their daughters, granddaughters, sisters, and nieces.These women defied not only the hardships of survival in the north, with its harsh climate and unforgiving nature, but most of them also defied the social conventions of their day to travel alone, or in small groups, seeking adventure, employment, and riches in much the same way as the men usually associated with the gold rush.Many of them found all they were seeking and more, while others died trying.Some took up the illicit trade of prostitution or worked to deprive successful miners of their treasure.Most simply worked hard, took advantage of opportunity as it presented itself, and prospered in the self reliance and skills they possessed.Gold Rush Women includes stories of educated, sophisticated women from the privileged societies of America and Europe, illiterate but highly skilled women from poorer levels of those societies, and the Native women who adapted to the invasion of their homeland and created new lives for their own families.From Harriet Pullen, who owned the most elegant hotel in Alaska, to Klondike Kate Rockwell, known as the Belle of the Yukon, to Sinrock Mary, Reindeer Queen, every story in this book inspires admiration for the women who settled, civilized, and survived one of the most famous human stampedes in history.Not all of these women succeeded in reaching the goals they set for themselves, but every one has a fascinating story to tell her late 20th century sisters.We are not the only ones to establish our independence, prove our abilities, and conquer life with all the adversity it may throw at us.The Gold Rush Women were here first! ... Read more

Product Description
An 11-year-old Indian boy and his younger sister must fend for themselves alone in an Alaskan wilderness camp when their father disappears on a drinking binge. "A simply told, well-crafted story . . . Sure to satisfy survival-story fans."--Kirkus Reviews. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A good adventure story
This book was enchanting as it has children living on their own without adults.We all think about what that would be like.Toughboy is 11 and he tries to act very grown up.Sister is younger and she really looks up to her brother.The book is full of adventure, but not scary.I wish I knew what happened next.My brother and I both read this book (he is 8 and I am 11) and we both liked it.

Authentic Alaskan Adventure for Young Teens
This is my first year teaching 4th through 6th grade in a remote Eskimo village.As we read this story together I asked the students if the descriptions of events about nearby Athabascan Native Americans sounded true to them.Invariably they said, "yes."

The story centers on a brother and sister, known in their village as Toughboy and sister.After their Father dies they are left to fend for themselves at their remote fish camp. When I first arrived here, in mid-August, I was told that most of my students were still out at fish camp.As I walked around all I saw were old people, very young children and a few women and girls.As it came closer to the first day of school families began arriving in boats.In addition to parents and children the boats were loaded with enough fish for the winter.

The author, Kirkpatrick Hill, still lives in Fairbanks, Alaska according to the publisher's website.She taught elementary school in "bush" Alaska for more than thirty years.The story is written in a limited omnipresent point of view.We frequently jump from the mind of Toughboy to his sister and back.The writing and the story are good, but at times uneven.

One reviewer has lambasted Hill for the negative stereotypes.Hill wrote the father as a loving, caring man who was a drunk.The people of the village where I live and teach have voted this community dry, no alcohol may be brought in, made or consumed.There is a reason they did that; alcohol has seriously hurt this community.These problems are a fact of life here and in the "wet" towns and villages of Alaska.

Kirkpatrick Hill continues the story of Toughboy and Sister in Winter Camp

Recommendation:If you are a teenage reader and wanta taste of what life is still like for many in the remote parts of Alaska, read Toughboy and Sister and Winter Camp.

Kyle Pratt

Avoid this book
Imagine you're a First Nations student, and all the stories you ever read represent your people as dead, dying or drunk. When oh when are writers going to give their readers a few positive First Nations role models? There was no need for the mother to die in the first sentence of this novel, nor for the father to be a drunk. Let's use a little imagination, you writers! Why couldn't the scenario have the father in apositive role, perhaps teaching the children about the land, when some accident happens, leaving them to fend for themselves. And why don't any of the editorial reviewers mention this tiresome sterotyping? Please do not buy this book.

Toughboy and Sister, tough language as well
After reading "The Year Of Miss Agnes" with my 9 year old we eagerly ordered "Toughboy and Sister".What a disappointment!I don't feel that even mild profanity is appropriate in a book sold for the 9-12 age level.Nor was I pleased with two different examples of taking the Lord's name in vain.This book was ordered for a book report for my daughter but was a waste as it cannot be used in her Christian school.
The sad thing for us is that the story is great, and would have been just as good without including words that are offensive to a whole group of parents.

Toughboy and Sister
Toughboy, age 11, and sister, age 9 have only their alcoholic dad to care for them after their mother's death.They get excited about going to fish camp, even though it will be the first trip without mom.Shortly after they arrive to camp, their father leaves.Toughboy and sister learn to prepare meals, take care of themselves, catch fish the way their parents once had, and reminisce about past times.One day the dad returns on the boat, dead.They are then stranded at the fish camp for many weeks; finally Natasha saves them.At this point, they both realize the tremendous positive affect being stranded has had upon them.
The book, in my opinion, tells a very good story.It provides a positive ending to a suspenseful, intriguing story.If you like survival stories, you will definitely enjoy this book! ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Recounts the author's ambitious quest to run the Iditarod, an 1,180-mile trek of snow and deep cold, and his 17-day journey with a team of dogs during which they endured blinding wind, snowstorms, frostbite, moose attacks, and hallucinations.Amazon.com Review
Fueled by a passion for running dogs, Gary Paulsen enteredthe Iditarod--the 1150-mile winter sled-dog race between Anchorage and Nome--in dangerous ignorance and with a fierce determination.Winterdanceis his account of this seventeen-day battle against Nature's worst elements andhis own frailty. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (168)

Winterdance:The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod
Deeply moving true story about one man's grueling dash across Alaska against all the odds.Full emotional gamut from side-splitting laughter to mournful tears.The book itself is a journey toward a truer sense of self and one's connection with the world.It awakens the innocence in all of us and revitalizes the mystery.

On my desert island list
With so many glowing reviews, I don't know what I can add here, but honestly this book is one that I have returned to over and over again since the first time I read it. I am a voracious reader, especially of Victorian "women's novels" so most people wouldn't associate me with this title. Well too bad. It is one of my all time favorites, I stayed up all night reading it the first time, and it continues to please through multiple re-readings.Most highly recommended.

an inside look at a great competition
This is a great book for anyone wanting to see what the world of running sled dogs is all about.

The Sanity of Fine Madness
It's been a long time since I've laughed so hard trying to read a book.The descriptions of the dogs, their personalities complete with all their quirks pitted against the human and man's desire to challenge themselves was hilarious, but oh, so true.

I still have visions of the dog sled slapping up against tree trunks as the dogs spin their way through the woods chasing a skunk or just the sheer joy of living.

The humor is understated at times and other times it pure hyperbole, but it works to bring the narrative into a cohesive wholeness with it's opposing tensions.

More Than Just a Dog Story
If you love dogs, you absolutely have to read this book.And, if you don't love dogs, you still absolutely have to read this book because it is so rich in its enthusiasm for living life and meeting its challenges that it would be a shame to miss it.Paulsen enters the Iditarod, but the book is much more than his account of the race.His description of preparing for the race is rich in humor and pathos.You'll laugh out loud at some of his exploits, but you'll also feel his passion and love for his dogs.His focus in telling about the race,is not so much on the geography of the race, but on the psychology of the mushers.It's a classic -- both as a dog book and an Alaska book -- and one of the most entertaining reads I've had recently. ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. The story of Chris McCandless, a young man who embarked on a solo journey into the wilds of Alaska and whose body was discovered four months later, explores the allure of the wilderness.Amazon.com Review
"God, he was a smart kid..." So why did Christopher McCandless trade a bright future--a college education, material comfort, uncommon ability and charm--for death by starvation in an abandoned bus in the woods of Alaska? This is the question that Jon Krakauer's book tries to answer. While it doesn't—cannot—answer the question with certainty, Into the Wild does shed considerable light along the way. Not only about McCandless's "Alaskan odyssey," but also the forces that drive people to drop out of society and test themselves in other ways. Krakauer quotes Wallace Stegner's writing on a young man who similarly disappeared in the Utah desert in the 1930s: "At 18, in a dream, he saw himself ... wandering through the romantic waste places of the world. No man with any of the juices of boyhood in him has forgotten those dreams." Into the Wild shows that McCandless, while extreme, was hardly unique; the author makes the hermit into one of us, something McCandless himself could never pull off. By book's end, McCandless isn't merely a newspaper clipping, but a sympathetic, oddly magnetic personality. Whether he was "a courageous idealist, or a reckless idiot," you won't soon forget Christopher McCandless. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1346)

Great read!
I watched the movie and was absolutely thrilled to get my hands on the book. Found some references to other books im currently reading. The two of them being War and Peace and Solitude. Author gives the facts and delivers a objective theory on how Chris M. really died.

Into The Wild Review
Into The Wild
By Jon Krakauer
The story of Christopher Johnson McCandless is truly inspiring, yet terrifying at the same time.Jon Krakauer does a great job in making the reader feel like he/she is actually living Christopher's eccentric adventure.You can feel the beauty of the amazing sights Christopher experienced, as well as the fear and the hunger.My favorite part of this book was when Christopher finds the abandoned bus in the Alaska interior and lives in the wilderness for four months.It is truly amazing how Christopher McCandles could touch the hearts of so many individuals in such a short amount of time.Although some may say Christopher McCandless is a crazy idiot, all readers including me, can relate to Chris because you realize that Chris was just a normal human being, just like us.Into The Wild is in many ways a mystery.The big question "Why did he do it?" will keep you thinking, even when you are not reading the book.Jon Krakauer does a great job in re-telling Christopher's story, but I feel that some chapters such as chapters 8 and 9 should be majorly shortened because of their irrelevance.I highly recommend this book, and then watch the movie.

Into the Wild left me out in the cold.
When I learned about the premise of this book I was thrilled, I had hopes of a wilderness adventure about self discovery and solitude. I was anxious to peer into the life of Chris, the protagonist. Unfortunately what I received was a poorly sorted accord of the this kids adventure that read more like a series of news articles than it did a story or a true account of what happened.

The book is an uneven ride, sometimes compelling, other times misguided, and overall not very impressionable. I thoroughly enjoyed some insights into his life, the numerous characters he met on his escapades, the relevant back stories that help paint us a portrait of this young man, however, it was never as cohesive as I hoped. At numerous times of the book I thought the author just didn't have enough to write about and the material presented just seemed like fillers. Also, while the two chapters were well written, the story of the authors expedition in Alaska served to me no relevance to the story other than to fill pages. Sure, it was a departure of the story to fulfill some insight to a mindset not unlike the protagonist, but for it to span two lengthy chapters in meticulous detail came off as a bit pretentious or that the author just wanted so badly to put his own adventures into words.

The book is painless to read, I'm not much of a hiker or outdoor adventurer so I'm sure some of his immaculately detailed descriptions went over my head, but that is just one of the few bright spots in this book. I have no doubt that others have read and loved the same book, but it clearly wasn't for me and left me unsatisfied.

Into the Wild Book Review
Into The Wild Book Review
Krakauer, Jon. 1996. Into The Wild. New York: Villard Books. xi +207
One might consider the tale of a young man venturing out into the unknown, unforgiving Alaskan bush hard to identify with. Jon Krakauer, however, captures the minds and hearts of the reader as he reveals the truth of a life well explored in his book Into The Wild. Though this novel was undoubtedly written for the hearts of those that are hungry for adventure, it is easy to say that even one as plain as the rest could get lost in this book. Following many other books written by Jon Krakauer such as Into thin Air, Where Men win Glory, and Eiger Dreams, this book is one that is similar in intrigue and adventure, but set apart in depth and meaning. Villard Books, a division of Random House, Inc. New York, and as well as Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto published this book.
Krakauer begins the novel with a scene of Christopher McCandless's last contact with human kind, just before his steps out into the Alaskan Bush. Following the first chapter, Krakauer takes the reader through the scene of how they found the body of the deceased boy.The story of McCandless's life unfolds from there. Krakauer retraces the steps of the young boy, revealing the theories and reasons behind the journey and death of this young boy.
As Krakauer reveals more and more about the boy and his life previous to April 28, 1992 when he stepped into the wild, it is clear that McCandless was misled by the romantic writings of his favorite authors. It seems that he took the writings of Tolstoy, Thoreau, and Jack London to heart, and decided to live the life that these authors wrote about. McCandless set off to create for himself a fiction novel of his own; with each day in the wild, he wrote a new chapter of his story. Krakauer also inserts tales from his own life that reflect the same mentality and risk that McCandless displays in his journey. Nearing the end of the book Krakauer uncovers the true result and conclusion of McCandless's adventure, however this is a detail that is left for only the readers to discover.
To couple with this story, maps are present on some of the pages in this book that chart and track the journey that McCandless took during his "tramping" days. They support the text accurately and provide a very real opportunity to put the story to real life and imagine the roads that he treads in the last two years of his life. The retracing of Christopher McCandless's steps, which are depicted in these maps, demonstrate the effort and dedication Krakauer had for uncovering the mysterious journey taken by this young boy.
The book follows a detail account of a life that was lived much on the romantic side of reality. Through the eighteen chapters of this book Krakauer takes excerpts of writings by Christopher McCandless's favorite authors, as well as highlighted sections found amongst his remains that give light to the way he was feeling in the course of his journey. The book is a slight attempt at discovering what exactly was going on inside McCandless's head before the day he died. Although we will never know the answer to just what he felt, Krakauer does an adequate job at attempting to put some order to the boy's journey that forms an explanation of the otherwise unknown.
Nearing the middle of the book, Krakauer turns the words his way describing some of the adventures he had as a young boy, that prove to shed light on the mindset that the young McCandless may just have had as well. Krakauer's adventure of choice was climbing. He discloses the reasons for his passion for climbing in chapter fourteen. He writes of danger aspect of the climb as a major point of appeal to him. He states, "The greater the risk, the greater the reward in most aspects of life," (Krakauer, 134). One particular adventure that he unpacks in the book is his ascent of the Devil's Thumb, an icy mountain in the deep of Alaska. He also, like McCandless chose to do this adventure alone.
Krakauer's journey was full of risk and zeal and over-coming fear, much like McCandless's, however this journey did not cost him his life; though, he seems to think it should have. Much like the vocabulary that is thought to have influenced McCandless to take this adventure in the first place, Krakauer describes the moment when man overcomes the fight of the climb. "A trance-like state settles over you efforts; the climb becomes a clear-eyed dream." (Krakauer 142).
Was this the mentality that got a beloved McCandless in to such trouble, or was it something different? Local Alaska citizens sent in mail prior to the article that was published in Outside concerning Christopher McCandless's death. Folly was the reason for this fatality according to him. His letter reads, " Why would anyone intending to `live off the land for a few months' ignore Boy Scout rule number one: Be Prepared?"(Krakauer, 71) and another piece of mail form an Alaskan local states, " Alex is a nut in my book," (71). The census, in Alaska, it is easy to tell, would say that this boy's adventure and death was due to a lack of research and a poor study of the Alaskan wild lands, therefore a lack of preparation in total.
However, I am lead to a different conclusion. From the explanation of this book, I see the hunger and zeal, which was present in this boy's journey through the American wild. McCandless's pursuit of a wild life was one that carried the risk of a wild adventure that must be present in any journey, lest it be anticlimactic, as well as a few simple errors that ended up costing this boy his very life. It was a combination of both. There was error made in his decisions and his lack of nature training and in this respect, his actions are easily considered folly. Sadly, his folly could have been prevented had he done deep and thorough research on the wild lands of Alaska. However, that said, the entire concept of living alone in the bush of Alaska is undoubtedly a risk that would have been less intriguing had it been anywhere else. Thus, the boy's journey was one combined with folly and risk, which is what landed him the sad fatality of death at an early age.
All in all, it seems that Krakauer's goal in writing this biography of Christopher McCandless was simply to find some answers about his journey as well as to understand better the reasons behind his thirst for adventure. Both of these goals he does very well. By beginning with the boy's death and unraveling the story from there, Krakauer provides a more logical way of explaining what exactly happened to get him there. He interviews quite a few of the people that were impacted by McCandless on his journey and gets a taste of the man he was through the eyes of the people he encountered in his last two years of tramping around the United States.
Therefore, I am inclined to recommend this book wholeheartedly to any person who cares for the wilderness- or doesn't. This book is full of the effect of present day life on the soul of a man built for the outdoors, (and we all were). The conflicts, the laughter, the tears, and the freedom felt through the pages of this book are sure to move anyone who reads them. The story of Christopher McCandless is one that is real and relatable, even to those who don't now much about the wilderness. His journey is as much a tale of discovering truth and the heart of life and happiness, as it is a tale of wild adventure.Into The Wild is a book for the ages, and perhaps one that will amplify our appreciation for life and those we share it with for years to come.

A welth of experiance for us to borrow at a youg mans life.
I have never read a book so intently or violently in my life.
we all die.He died full of experience.that i think means most of us have something to gain here. ... Read more

Product Description
Seldovia Sam's series of "misadventures" started when Sam lost track of the tide while clamming in Book 1, continued when he rescued an abandoned sea otter in Book 2, and in Book 3 he saved a cat and her kittens but lost his best friend's new bike in a wildfire. This exciting series continues with Sam dreading the looming first day of school where he fears his annual back to school essay about his summer's activities will not be as impressive as the know-it-all Melody Chambers'. Find out if this exciting turn of events will make Sam's essay a grand prizewinner. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Marty’s small town in Alaska is the most beautiful place in the world.There she and her beloved boyfriend, Steven, can walk through fields of fireweed, explore the wild, and tie pink floozy fishing lures to catch the salmon that swim upstream. But when she starts her senior year, Marty must return to school by herself.Without Steven.Something happened during the summer that changed things forever.

It’s a small town and people are starting to talk; Marty can feel their stares and hear their whispers. But they weren’t there and they don’t know. Only Marty knows what really happened, and it’s something she must never, ever tell.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The ending fit the book very well
Melissa Lion tells a very real story about an Alaskan girl named Marty in her senior year of high school whose joie de vivre is somewhat diminished by a summertime tragedy that has made the rest of her town uneasy and awkward around her. Marty feels trapped in her current life and unable to escape the judgments of her fellow villagers until she meets Catherine, a new arrival from California. Catherine encourages Marty to apply to college, to gather up her life, to start living again. Now all that remains to be seen is...will Marty allow herself to move on?

I thought that Upstream was an interesting read because it gave me a look into the daily life in a place I've never been. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to try out a book that, while not challenging, moves past what one normally would read in a book. Melissa Lion gives readers the essential details that allow them to connect somewhat to the characters. Although the ending was the best possible for this book, I was still left "hanging" because all save one of the characters that the book closes on were introduced in the final chapter of the book. Other than this, the ending fit the book very well.

Reviewed by a student reviewer for Flamingnet Book Reviews
www.flamingnet.com
Preteen, teen, and young adult book reviews and recommendations

A novel about overcoming melancholy
From the opening paragraph of UPSTREAM, Melissa Lion's quietly powerful second novel, we know that Marty Powers's boyfriend, Steven, is gone. "I want to be with him, though I know he's not here," she tells us, climbing through the window of his family's deserted house in their tiny hometown of Homer, Alaska. We soon learn that he died over the summer, although we don't know how. Marty was with Steven that day, but she has kept the circumstances of his death shrouded from her family, her classmates and everyone else.

Slowly, over the course of the novel, Marty reveals the details of what happened. UPSTREAM, though, is less the story of Steven's mysterious death than of Marty's healing. She begins her senior year of high school withdrawn, avoiding the stares and whispers of the curious. Then she meets Katherine, a recently divorced 28-year-old who has just moved to town from California and bought the old movie theater where Marty works. It takes time for Marty to truly open up to her, but as their friendship deepens, she recognizes in Katherine a sadness similar to her own: "She misses someone. Maybe someone in her old life. Someone I'll never know."

Marty introduces the California girl to the rhythms and joys of Alaska life, such as the patience and strength needed for sockeye-salmon fishing, and the thrill of the hard-won catch. Katherine literally brings sunshine into Marty's world. She paints the dingy movie house walls a buttery yellow and organizes a beach movie marathon on the shortest day of the long Alaska winter. But as with Lion's first novel, SWOLLEN, these bright spots don't entirely eclipse the dark. There's no magical remedy for Marty's pain, and like the Alaska spring that brings just eight more minutes of light each day, Marty's recovery is incremental, and so natural, that she almost doesn't notice it.

UPSTREAM is firmly rooted in Marty's home state, so that the Alaska wilderness itself becomes another character: the two bull moose jousting in a meadow near where Marty takes Katherine fishing; the round red berries, Steven's favorite, that taste exactly like watermelon; the deep, cloudy blue of the river at Cooper Landing. "I'm grateful for the glaciers and the runoff and that I'll always be reminded of the color of his eyes," Marty says toward the end of the book. And as readers, we're grateful to Melissa Lion for sharing with us the beauty and the melancholy of Marty's world.

--- Reviewed by Carolyn Juris

Upstream

Title: Upstream

Entertaining Read ........Recommended............. 4.5stars

The Review
The narrative opens in a small Alaska with someone sneaking into the window.The house is empty. Marty lays her sleeping bag on the floor and lays down to sleep.The new school year will begin and Marty, Martha, will be facing it without her boy friend Steven.Marty, her sisters Gwen and Dottie live with their working Mom and sometime when home from the Coast Guard dad.Marty has had the summer to come to grips with Steven's death.School begins, a new owner for the movie theater where Marty works comes to town, life goes on.Then, Fish and Game begin to make noises about re opening the investigation into Steven's death.He was well versed in living in the wild and they are wondering how he and several more recent campers have come to be the victim of an accidental shooting.Winter melts into spring.Marty sends applications to colleges and faces the questions put to her by Fish and Game. Life goes on.

Writer Lion has wrought an appealing mystery certain to please the young adult market.Overflowing with exhilarating settings, a genuine conundrum and believably human characters Upstream is an engaging read.Writer Lion's adroitness for the human situation and her cloudless portrayal haul the reader right into the chronicle.Lion possesses a perception for the human inner self which she puts to skillful use to furnish a narrative filled with tingle, sentiment and coming of age.The reader is drawn into the tale from the opening lines as we accompany Marty into the now deserted home of her dead boy friend and that interest is held tight right down to the last page where we find Marty now grown up, finished with college and following her life dream.

Upstream is writer Lion's second work and is a commendable effort.That writer Lion has done her homework into people, activities, and tenor of youth is manifest as the anecdote unfolds.Lion uses occasional flash back type scene setting to explain what has led to Steven's demise.Brimming with a profusely fabricated chronicle, snappy, fulfilling conversations, in addition to a judiciously interwoven theme regarding a young woman coming to grips with life and herself Upstream is an agreeably composed work.Characters presented by writer Lion are creditable, discussion is acceptable as it serves to move the narrative along from beginning to end.

An indisputable winner for the target audience of young adult to adult aficionados of `slice of life' accounts.The well written account has ample action to satisfy readers. Upstream is an superb choice for the middle to high school level home sch0ol or public school libraries, home library shelf as well as gift book selection for readers ages 13 and up who possess good reading skills and have an enjoymentfor a gripping tale well told.Oblique references to teenaged sexual activity will served to preclude some readers from enjoying the book.

Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend.

I received a hard back edition for review.

Reviewed by: molly martin
http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mollymartin
http://www.AuthorsDen.com/mjhollingshead
20+ years California classroom teacher

Genre: YA fiction
Author: Melissa Lion
Line/Publisher Wendy Lamb Books/Random House
Random House, 1745 Broadway Avenue of Americas NYC, NY
ISBN: 0 385 74643
Available : $15.95Amazon
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Product Description
This digital document is an article from Endangered Species Update, published by University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources on November 1, 2002. The length of the article is 531 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Arizona tribal partnerships for wildlife. (Partners for Fish and Wildlife).
Author: Marty Jakle
Publication: Endangered Species Update (Newsletter)
Date: November 1, 2002
Publisher: University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources
Volume: 19Issue: 6Page: 30(2)

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Product Description
Subtitle:Alaskan Pioneer Teacher, Missionary, Leader.Book portrays life in early Southeast Alaska as revealed in the work of George James Beck, who taught at the Sitka Training School from l895 to l912 and, after ordination, served until l936 as Presbyterian minister in Kake, Klukwan, Hoonah, and Ketchikan. At the school he harnessed energy first to mechanize wood sawing and later to bring electric lighting to school. In villages he organized governing bodies; tended the sick and dying under freezing conditions during l9l9 influenza epidemic; built hydro- electric dam, churches, and manses; manned the mission boat to carry his mission to isolated settlements, and served in as civilian chaplain in both World Wars.No wonder they called him ka.gun.da, Tlingit for "torch." ... Read more