Cricket Readers Recommend

My Side of the Mountain

by Jean Craighead George

My Side of the Mountain is a fabulous book of survival. Thinking that his family doesn't appreciate him, young Sam Gribbly goes of into the Catskill Mountains to try living on his own. He catches fish, make a house, and tames a falcon, which he names Frightful. His family believes he will only be gone a day, but he proves them wrong. Then rumors start wafting through the town about a wild boy in the mountains. Will he be able to survive and still keep his secret safe?

4.38889
Average: 4.4 (18 votes)
submitted by Anna M., age 11
(July 30, 2008 - 12:27 pm)

This is a great read!

submitted by Iris H., age 11, Mt. Vernon, WA
(July 30, 2008 - 11:00 pm)

This book is good. I also liked On the Far Side of the Mountain, and Frighful's Mountain.

submitted by Blair, age 10, Oregon
(August 5, 2008 - 7:18 pm)

I like this book, too.

submitted by Emily L., age 13, WA
(October 4, 2008 - 4:32 pm)

Sounds interesting.

submitted by BellaTrix
(December 13, 2008 - 11:22 pm)

It's really interesting and really good.

submitted by Ima Bookworm
(April 13, 2009 - 2:36 pm)

I think this book was really intresting. My Dad read it to me once when I was about five, and another time when I was about eleven. I tried once with my Dad's help to make a wooden fish hook like Sam, but it didn't work out too well. I recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about adventure and surviving in the wild.

submitted by Hannah P., age 13, America
(April 19, 2009 - 11:57 am)

After reading Hatchet and the books that follow it, I found My Side of the Mountain rather dissapointing. A friend recommended it to me, and I ended up returning it to the library without even getting halfway through the book. It seemed to me that Sam's life in the mountains was way too perfect. He just happened to find everything he needed to survive, train a falcon even though he's probably never done so in his life, make a sturdy home, etc. He never even missed his family at all - how realistic is that? I think that Hatchet provided a much more realistic survival story.

submitted by Allison P., age 12
(April 22, 2009 - 9:55 am)

 I agree with you mostly. I didn't read the rest of the book, as you can see in my comment, but I absolutely hated Hatchet. The segment we read was just about making a fire. My friends and I agreed that having to read a story about making a fire, then being tested on it is not worth it. I just cannot say it was enjoyable. But My Side of the Mountain was, like you said, way too perfect. I mean really, he just happens to find a tree that is exactly like a small cottage. And he can survive off of berries, nuts, and fish after living in New York and probably having three meals a day. I mean, I love fiction, don't get me wrong, but if you write about something that could happen, but every little detail is very unlikely to happen, the story just collapses. Besides, the story does not revolve around a main problem, from reading the summary, and the segment in class.  

submitted by Sarah W., age 10, Baltimore, MD
(December 31, 2010 - 12:58 pm)

I thought it was just OK. Sorta boring, but OK.

submitted by Lena G, age 11
(April 22, 2009 - 3:31 pm)

I haven't read it, but my mom and my brother did and I knew what it was about.

submitted by Maggie , age 13, St. Paul, MN :D
(April 26, 2009 - 2:33 pm)

It is okay, but I agree with you, Hatchet isn't planned and more realistic. Still, My Side of the Mountain is more poetic and personal.

submitted by Lauren B, age 11 yrs, Richmond, BC.
(March 1, 2010 - 10:26 pm)

I love this book. It is so cool. I like it when he trains his bird.

submitted by Acelin E., age 11, Missouri
(May 12, 2010 - 6:21 pm)

the sequels are great. on the far side of the mountain and frightfuls mountain are a fun read but my side of the mountain is the best

submitted by Acelin E., age 11, Missouri
(June 5, 2010 - 9:05 am)

I LOVE this book so much! I think it's one of the best books I've ever read.Laughing

submitted by Cady J., age 10, Utah
(July 11, 2010 - 3:36 pm)

I like the first book best.

 

submitted by Clair, age 13, Here
(November 14, 2010 - 8:42 pm)