Gone to the Woods

 

I know it's sacrilege but I have never really been a Gary Paulsen fan.  I am a good librarian - I suggest the books to tons to students and have done book groups with Hatchet, discussed the movie, etc.  But my personal taste...  

So... probably not a surprise that I didn't like this.  The section about him living with his aunt and uncle and what he learned from them was great but then it meandered on and I wanted more - what ever happened to them?  Then the section about the librarian was great - but I wanted more.  Did he ever reconnect with her?  And the last half of the book just flew through time and skipped so much in between that I just didn't feel the message or connection of how his early experiences in the woods helped him survive.

365 Days to Alaska

 

Rigel has been living with her family in the bush of Alaska but now that her parents are getting divorced she is moving to Connecticut with her mom and sisters.  Before she leaves her dad, Bear, promises she can come back in a year.  365 days to tolerate Connecticut.

But as time passes Rigel starts making friends, starts taking care of a crow, and finds that things aren't so bad after all.  Will she ever get back to Alaska?

Solid middle grade fiction.  I liked the references to Alaska that my husband, who grew up there, could relate to and even a shout out to Kennebunk, ME where we live now.

Halfway to Harmony

 

It's almost Walter's birthday and it will be the first one without his brother who went overseas to war and never came back.  Walter's is lonely and sad.  Then Posey moves in next door with her dog and the adventures begin...especially when they discover a dead body.

Ok... he wasn't really dead but Banjo did fall out of a hot air balloon that is now missing.  Together Walter, Posey, and Banjo search for the balloon and become friends in the process.

Solid middle grade fiction - pretty tame really but sweet.  There was, I feel, a timing issue near that end of the book but nothing major.