Author and Illustrator: Jean Craighead George
Puffin Books, 1991 (originally E.P. Dutton, 1950)
Softcover, 177 Page Chapter Book Grades 4-8
Fed up with living in New York City, young Sam Gribley arms himself with a pocketknife, an ax, some cord, and a few other necessities and sets out to live off the land. He’s had enough of being cramped into a small apartment with his large family, so he travels up to his great-grandfather’s long-abandoned farm. And there the adventure starts.
A children’s classic that has inspired many with a love of the outdoors.
Although Sam has read up on the subject of outdoor survival in the New York Public Library, he soon finds that being entirely self-sufficient is harder – and more rewarding – than he realizes. Sam fulfills many a child’s dream by living in his own treehouse, but how long can he avoid the rush of the modern world? And what will winter bring?
I first read this book when I was around ten years old – about the same age as Sam when he runs away. Growing up in the midwest meant that the flora and fauna of the Catskill Mountains (where Sam lived in the book) weren’t very different from my backyard. And did I try to copy the book? You bet, although I never got much further than attempting to whittle my own Bow.
As an adult, a lot of this story still holds up. I’m not an expert, but it feels quite factual in its description of plants, animals, and outdoor life. Jean Craighead George clearly knows the natural world inside and out, and she sparks wonder and interest in her readers. But as a grown woman, I kept wondering ‘Who in their right mind would let a 10- or 12-year-old boy live alone on a mountain for months?’ Yes, Sam is a mature, sensible, and level-headed kid. But he’s still a kid.
I’m not the only person who had this reservation; the foreword to this edition explains how the original publisher hesitated to print the book because he was worried it would cause kids to run away. Well, I never ran away and I don’t think many kids would. But the theme of running away is integral to the book, so some parents might find that problematic.
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George gets 4.5 stars from this reviewer.