My+Side+of+the+Mountain



"An Exciting, Self-discovering Adventure!"
 ** Jean Craighead George  Publisher: Scholastic Year Published: 1959 Genre: Realistic Fiction ** **# of Pages: 177 **

**Have you ever tried to run away from home? This is what Sam Gribley did when he felt that his apartment was too crowded. Now he lives on the side of a mountain and must rely on his own wits to survive.

Sam was terribly upset with living in a packed New York apartment with several siblings. So, one day, he left his house and traveled to “the old Gribley place” on the side of a mountain, where he meets many new friends – both animal and human. He trains falcon, Frightful, and befriends raccoons, birds, and weasels. At the same time, he keeps in touch society and often meets hikers.

About a year into his stay at the mountains, Sam discovers a problem. He has become lonely for another human being, not just an occasional visit from his friend, Bando. The love of the woods and the animals keeps Sam in the forest. Meanwhile, the press has found information on a “wild boy” living in the mountains. Sam has to make a decision – whether to stay away from civilization like his previous year or to give way to his heart and be discovered by many people, including his family.

I would recommend this book to readers who like animals, adventure, and personal discovery. I think people should read it so that they can discover what it is like to run away – whether in imagination or reality.**

**Reviewed by: Olivia**