That’s so cool. I would love to get a signed copy of something of his for my collection. I was pretty bummed when he passed away, but given his heart issues, it’s impressive he made it to 82.
My kid is a few chapters in to Hatchet now and I'm re-reading it too so we can discuss it. So far it holds up OK, but it dwells on the divorce of the parents more than I remembered.
My Side of the Mountain is still fantastic. I pretend the sequels and movie don't exist though, or even the end of the original book.
As a child of parents who were happily married, I didn’t really resonate with the divorce part of the plot and I forgot it happened until I recently reread it. I was more interested in the wilderness survival.
Well then it has to be a good book because we're the Red Fern grows isn't a great story just because of the story anybody could write the story about that but it's the way that he wrote it
Never read the book, but saw the movie 100 times growing up.
Yeah, I don’t think they would make that movie today, about a 12 year old that runs away, and two adults who know he’s living in the woods but don’t report him to the police.
This is the first book I can remember finishing on my own when I was a kid. I think 3rd grade I read it. Loved the book. Avalanche was another one. Amazing how long books stick with you.
I remember this was one of the least traumatic reads of late elementary school. I read it either the same year or pretty close to when I read "Flowers for Algernon" and "Where the Red Fern Grows". Both of those were pretty sad, but Algernon was a existential gut punch I didn't get over for a while. Never understood why they taught that so young, was it because it had a cute mouse in it?
We read Red Fern in 5th grade. It was fine. Sad sure but if 11 year olds can’t talk about a pet dying, which happened to a lot of kids already in the class, no wonder everyone complains about kids these days not being able to face the real world.
I read flowers for Algernon as an adult just for kicks and cried so hard. Later ended up teaching an abridged version as a middle school teacher and made it such a great unit, my students loved it!
I think I was also taught the abridged version, or the teacher skipped some chapters. I don't remember us going through the whole section where he goes around having sex and doing drugs or whatever he gets into in the city.
Loved this when I was a kid. My grandmother and other family lived outside Oneonta I never put it together that this was at just over the Mountain from there. Ended up going to college at SUNY Delhi and now live on the other side of the Catskills
Oh wow. I was browsing at a Half-Price Books one day and one of the workers started chatting with me about what we enjoyed reading. I suggested my favorite dead author, Robert Aspirin, and she suggested Jean Craighead George, this actual book even. It was out of range of what I normally enjoy, but I really got into it. Just seeing that cover again brought back memories of things that happened in the story as it was so wonderfully written it stuck with me.
"Goodnight, Mr. Tom" is another great book for young adults. I taught it in my Jr. High classes and my students universally liked it. I think PBS had it as a movie too.
I might have this book pop into my head more than anything else I’ve read. Anytime I touch fire or something that could produce carbon dioxide, I think about carving a chimney in my tree house..
Ah this movie. Our teacher first read the book to us, grade 4. We really loved it. He then found the movie and the class was so excited. Up until the part where the falcon gets shot dead. That did not happen in the book. The teacher had to stop the movie and apologized profusely. There was a lot of crying going on. He let us take a democratic vote whether to finish the movie or not and we chose to, but man the room was dead silent for the rest. RIP Flightful or whatever.
I still recall remembering this book in my 20’s and going to the children’s section at the library and asking for it. Of course the librarian knew immediately what book it was. I now have my own copy on my bookshelf. I’m 59 now. Loved it as a kid and each time that I’ve read it since.
Whenever my parents were mean to me, I’d always start looking for wide tree trunks in the backyard to start my life in the wilderness.
I still sometimes look for wide trees.
Just need a good deer hide to keep the wind out
Me too, in tight leggings.
Fr same bro, nothing like pretending to escape when reality hits different
i found one once and was planning my new fort then realized i was standing on a dried out furry carcass of some sort. that was the end of that game.
This is a great book! I just finished going through the audio book for the second time. My boys are planning to read this next, after "Hatchet".
Throw Brian's Winter in there too.
I loved Gary Paulson's books as a kid. My high school librarian gave me a signed copy of Dogsong as a graduation gift.
That’s so cool. I would love to get a signed copy of something of his for my collection. I was pretty bummed when he passed away, but given his heart issues, it’s impressive he made it to 82.
I recall reading both multiple times and liking Brian’s Winter even more than Hatchet.
Brian's Winter is arguably the strongest book in the series. It was the one I never wanted to end as a kid
Hatchet was sooo gooood. Does anyone know if it holds up to read as an adult lol
My kid is a few chapters in to Hatchet now and I'm re-reading it too so we can discuss it. So far it holds up OK, but it dwells on the divorce of the parents more than I remembered.
My Side of the Mountain is still fantastic. I pretend the sequels and movie don't exist though, or even the end of the original book.
As a child of parents who were happily married, I didn’t really resonate with the divorce part of the plot and I forgot it happened until I recently reread it. I was more interested in the wilderness survival.
I haven't read "Hatchet" yet. Actually, I hadn't heard of it, but my wife loved it and recommended it to me. I'm looking forward to it.
This along with
Hatchet
Where the Red Fern Grows
And
The Hardy Boys
Summer of the monkeys is also great
I don't know if I ever read that one. But I might go check it out
It’s by the same author as where the red fern grows.
Well then it has to be a good book because we're the Red Fern grows isn't a great story just because of the story anybody could write the story about that but it's the way that he wrote it
We read that in 5th grade I think. The only parts I remember is when the monkeys get drunk and then they get the kid drunk.
Where the Red Fern grows still gets me choked up. 😢😭
Oh my goodness! I literally remember crying as I was reading the end of the book. It was very well written
That's why I like his work so much because as I was turning the pages I was creeping into what I knew was coming up and it all welled up in me.
The Boxcar Kids too
I was the youngest child in my family and we lived out in country and we'd always pretend we were the boxcar children when we play and I was Benny
I’d skip the hardy boys and go with the Three Investigators
I wanted a secret junkyard hideout SO bad.
I loved the Three Investigators! Last year I started buying the books and rereading them. I have the first ten or so now.
I started many years ago and got all the “keyhole” paperback editions and read them to my daughter when she was younger. So much fun!
Island of the Blue Dolphins too!
Never read the book, but saw the movie 100 times growing up.
Yeah, I don’t think they would make that movie today, about a 12 year old that runs away, and two adults who know he’s living in the woods but don’t report him to the police.
Yeah didn't his dad come visit him in the sequel?
Like, hey son, I guess you belong out here after all...welp, back to the city I go, I'll tell your mom you're still alive.
They go see him in the book if memory serves. Whole family comes and hangs out.
I dreamed of living in a tree with a fireplace with my animal friends ,with no mortgage or bills or work or….
Read this as a kid and it inspired a life long love of adventure
This is the first book I can remember finishing on my own when I was a kid. I think 3rd grade I read it. Loved the book. Avalanche was another one. Amazing how long books stick with you.
I remember this was one of the least traumatic reads of late elementary school. I read it either the same year or pretty close to when I read "Flowers for Algernon" and "Where the Red Fern Grows". Both of those were pretty sad, but Algernon was a existential gut punch I didn't get over for a while. Never understood why they taught that so young, was it because it had a cute mouse in it?
Good grief, neither of those should be Elementary School books. I'm surprised she didn't throw in Watership Down.
We read Red Fern in 5th grade. It was fine. Sad sure but if 11 year olds can’t talk about a pet dying, which happened to a lot of kids already in the class, no wonder everyone complains about kids these days not being able to face the real world.
I read flowers for Algernon as an adult just for kicks and cried so hard. Later ended up teaching an abridged version as a middle school teacher and made it such a great unit, my students loved it!
I believe the short story came out first, then the author wrote it as a full novel.
I think I was also taught the abridged version, or the teacher skipped some chapters. I don't remember us going through the whole section where he goes around having sex and doing drugs or whatever he gets into in the city.
Loved this when I was a kid. My grandmother and other family lived outside Oneonta I never put it together that this was at just over the Mountain from there. Ended up going to college at SUNY Delhi and now live on the other side of the Catskills
My favorite book as a child.
Love this book. Recently reread it as a 40yr old man and still enjoyed it!
Shout out to Mrs. Callahan, 4th grade. I loved reading this and the sequel in her class.
Timeless book. Didn't realize how old it is until I saw the trailer for the movie.
I had to read this book in high school. Also, had to read Hatchet, which was similar.
I bought a copy of this last year to have, I loved this book growing up.
It was my favorite book. My old memory says I was in sixth grade but I’m not sure. I also remember seeing the movie a couple times.
Oh wow. I was browsing at a Half-Price Books one day and one of the workers started chatting with me about what we enjoyed reading. I suggested my favorite dead author, Robert Aspirin, and she suggested Jean Craighead George, this actual book even. It was out of range of what I normally enjoy, but I really got into it. Just seeing that cover again brought back memories of things that happened in the story as it was so wonderfully written it stuck with me.
"Goodnight, Mr. Tom" is another great book for young adults. I taught it in my Jr. High classes and my students universally liked it. I think PBS had it as a movie too.
My forth grade teacher read this to my class. This and Summer of the Monkeys are two of my favorite stories.
I read this one over and over growing up... I was obsessed with it.
I just got the audiobook of this when it randomly popped up. One of my favorite books from early grade school
So who dies in this book?
I'm pretty sure I see "Newbery" in the silver sticker on the cover.
I used to love this book.
Is this the book with the brothers?
Kid is kind of over living in the city with his family, runs away to live off the land in the Catskills.
This book helped make me who I am at age 57. I'm a hiker, backpacker, a biologist, an ecologist, and still a lover of nature.
Probably the last book I read front to back
This is why we are a generation of homesteaders.
I might have this book pop into my head more than anything else I’ve read. Anytime I touch fire or something that could produce carbon dioxide, I think about carving a chimney in my tree house..
Me too! This meant so much to me as a kid. The snowed in scene is a core memory.
One of my favorites still
I LOVED that book as a kid.
Ah this movie. Our teacher first read the book to us, grade 4. We really loved it. He then found the movie and the class was so excited. Up until the part where the falcon gets shot dead. That did not happen in the book. The teacher had to stop the movie and apologized profusely. There was a lot of crying going on. He let us take a democratic vote whether to finish the movie or not and we chose to, but man the room was dead silent for the rest. RIP Flightful or whatever.
Frightful!
That brings back memories!
I had this exact same book. It was boring to read at first, but I liked it so much that I read the other two mountain books
I still recall remembering this book in my 20’s and going to the children’s section at the library and asking for it. Of course the librarian knew immediately what book it was. I now have my own copy on my bookshelf. I’m 59 now. Loved it as a kid and each time that I’ve read it since.
The Legend of Jimmy Spoon was my favorite "kinda run away from home" book as a kid.
This book and the boxcar children have been living in my brain since childhood.
God I loved that book. I sometimes just find myself wistfully daydreaming of living in a huge tree trunk.
An introduction to brokeback mountain?
Anytime I see that sticker on the book cover automatically repelled me from it. It was like kryptonite, give me R.L. Stine instead.
Witch Mountain