One of those books that feels like an old, true childhood friend. The story of a boy who decides to run away from home and lives on the side of a mountain for a year, all alone except for a falcon. He lives off the land, and the book is filled with sketches, notes, and detailed descriptions of his ingenious survival stratagies. Authored by one of the best survival and wildlife writers, Jean Craighead George, this book gave me the dream of 'running away' and living all alone in the wilderness, which I have never fulfilled but still aspire to do someday. This is a wonderful story for boys and adventurous, outdoor-loving girls, and an excellent way to learn survival skills. Be prepared to go camping after giving this book to your children!
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Suggested ages: 7-18
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Timeless stories of a little boy and his stuffed animals, full of imagination and vivid descriptions of the lovely forest where they all live together. These books are wrote in a style not quite like anything else I have seen and are absolutely entertaining to read aloud. The illustrations are winsome and simple, setting off the story perfectly. Each chapter tells a different adventure, and they are all full of well-cloaked life lessons that your children will understand easily, in the best way possible- through the art of storytelling. This is my all-time favorite book, and we read it aloud several times a year. Be sure to get the original, unabridged books with Ernest Shepard's illustrations.