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136th out of 549 books
—
400 voters
My Side of the Mountain (Mountain #1)
Every kid thinks about running away at one point or another; few get farther than the end of the block. Young Sam Gribley gets to the end of the block and keeps going--all the way to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a huge hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. In a spellbindi...more
Paperback, 190 pages
Published
September 1st 1991
by Puffin
(first published 1959)
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I think the best thing a survivalism book can do is help to redefine your connection to the natural world and your reliance on the human. Unfortunately, even reading this book as a child, I found it to be too fantastical to be entirely enjoyable. Though George trades in Paulsen's vomit for pleasant fancy, this book at once made me want to go out and live such a free life and convinced me that such a thing would be impossible.
I read many such books as a child, and also experienced in television a...more
I read many such books as a child, and also experienced in television a...more
I did enjoy this book. It was a quick read. Right now my students are reading action/adventure/western literature. I joined in. With the exception of the transcendentalists, wilderness/mountain books are not my favorite. I did like some of the descriptions, but the book just seemed so improbable. Maybe I am subconsciously jealous of Sam: I always wanted to run away, but always came home for dinner.
i really enjoyed this book. this young boy goes out on his own and uses his skill to survive. what i really liked is the fact that he WANTED to, where as, most books, he would have been lost, or forgotten. and if you liked this,you should read "hatchet"
12 likes · like · see review
People, this book was written in the late 50s, and things were a bit different back then. Trying to place it in the now does not work. Yes, there are many unbelievable parts, but it is a children's fiction book, not a survival guide. This charming story brings me back to my youth and reading other George books. Escaping the hustle and bustle of everyday life is something many of us imagine for a time. I know I did, judging from journals from when I was young. Thinking it is bad or stupid because...more
This book struck me as being like a dramatization of the Boy Scout Manual. (Not that I ever read the Boy Scout Manual--I washed out after the first year of Cub Scouts.) It's the tale of young Sam Gribley, a New York City lad who runs away to his ancestral lands in the Catskill Mountains and starts to live off the land. He describes all his methods of obtaining food, shelter and clothing, equipped only with a penknife, a ball of cord, an ax, some flint and steel and $40. On one hand, all the surv...more
3 likes · like · see review
Apr 11, 2011
Ben Davis
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
third-trimester-books
My Side of the Mountain is about a boy named Sam Gribley who ran away from his home because he thought that he was kind of left out with his 8 other brothers and sisters. Also his dad told him that every boy should run away at some point. When Sam told his dad that he was going to find the Gribley farm his dad thought he would not even be able to find the land. In fact Sam did find the place he was looking for and he planned to survive there. Sam meets many people as he is surviving out in the...more
3 likes · like · see review
Jerrit Schramm
2-2-09
8-1
My Side of the Mountain
The story “My Side of the Mountain” is, of the most part, one of those classic stories about wilderness survival. The main character, Sam Gribley is your average teenage boy who has big dreams and a wild imagination.
The story starts out when a teenage boy living in New York City isn’t very happy about living in the city. He had a plan to run away to the Catskill Mountains but it never really got off the ground. But after a day gone badly, he decides...more
2-2-09
8-1
My Side of the Mountain
The story “My Side of the Mountain” is, of the most part, one of those classic stories about wilderness survival. The main character, Sam Gribley is your average teenage boy who has big dreams and a wild imagination.
The story starts out when a teenage boy living in New York City isn’t very happy about living in the city. He had a plan to run away to the Catskill Mountains but it never really got off the ground. But after a day gone badly, he decides...more
I read this book a long time ago when I was younger. I decided to read it again to refresh my memory of this story. I wanted to see if I could use it in my classroom. It is an amazing story about a young boy who runs away and makes a life on a mountain. It is impressive how smart he is and is able to use natural resources from the land to survive. It just shows how much we take for granted and what a huge importance nature is. I cannot believe that people used to live that way. It proves that we...more
5 likes · like · see review
I read this book several times in elementary school. I lived and died on the advice of the school's librarian, and she had convinced me to read every Newberry award winner in the library. I felt like I was reading something important every time I did.
Who doesn't want to run away sometime in their life? That's not the aspect of the book that most drew me, but what a great a way to start the story. I doubt I had many survival skills under my belt when I read the book, but heaven knows I wished I...more
Who doesn't want to run away sometime in their life? That's not the aspect of the book that most drew me, but what a great a way to start the story. I doubt I had many survival skills under my belt when I read the book, but heaven knows I wished I...more
5 likes · like · see review
I love that this book celebrates living in the natural world and surviving in nature. The kids were fascinated by the ways that Sam uses what is available to him to live in the woods. I was (at first) distracted by the fact that he is a young boy and has run away from home (telling them that he was going to these woods) and no one comes to find him for months. As a mom I kept thinking .. wouldn't his mother be worrying about him and want to come find him right away? But as the story went on .. I...more
Reading this with the kids--a runaway from the city lives in the woods and makes quite a life for himself. I loved this as a child and love it still. If you ever dreamed of escaping to the woods and making a life for yourself, this is the book for you.
1. When Sam held frightful and he listens to her little heartbeat. I like that passage because its meaningful and was special. I also like the description.
2. 1. Why did Sam runaway in the first place? 2. Why did Sam live in a tree and not a cave? 3. When Sam’s family comes to the woods why doesn’t Sam hide?
3. This book is about survival and another book I have read was warriors and that is about living out in the wild too.
4. it was amazing with the details and drawings .I liked this book bec...more
2. 1. Why did Sam runaway in the first place? 2. Why did Sam live in a tree and not a cave? 3. When Sam’s family comes to the woods why doesn’t Sam hide?
3. This book is about survival and another book I have read was warriors and that is about living out in the wild too.
4. it was amazing with the details and drawings .I liked this book bec...more
1. When Sam held frightful and he listens to her little heartbeat. I like that passage because its meaningful and was special. I also like the description.
2. 1. Why did Sam runaway in the first place? 2. Why did Sam live in a tree and not a cave? 3. When Sam’s family comes to the woods why doesn’t Sam hide?
3. This book is about survival and another book I have read was warriors and that is about living out in the wild too.
4. it was amazing with the details and drawings .I liked this book becaus...more
2. 1. Why did Sam runaway in the first place? 2. Why did Sam live in a tree and not a cave? 3. When Sam’s family comes to the woods why doesn’t Sam hide?
3. This book is about survival and another book I have read was warriors and that is about living out in the wild too.
4. it was amazing with the details and drawings .I liked this book becaus...more
1 like · like · see review
Hey Folks! This one's for kids. You were expecting Muir?
10 likes · like · see review
I didn't read this novel (it's a bit too young for me!) but my 11 year old son happened upon it at his school, and became very engrossed by it. Anyone who can get my son into reading so dedicatedly deserves a 'worthy' rating from me which is what I gave it on his recommendation when I invited him to guest blog it on my blog! Here's his brief review:
"This is a unique book. It shows in a fictional way what a teenage kid can do in the wild. Bringing only a few items, Sam Gribley lives off the land...more
"This is a unique book. It shows in a fictional way what a teenage kid can do in the wild. Bringing only a few items, Sam Gribley lives off the land...more
INCREDIBLE TALE OF SUMMER MOUNTAIN SURVIVAL
I respect Sam's ability to carve out a life for himself in the Adirondack wilderness. Sure there is natural brutality out there, but the author implies that if a teen is determined to run away, it is better to head for the country, rather than risk the dangers fo so -called cilivilzed life on the city streets.
But let's get real here: how long can Sam avoid being caught by rangers, tourists, truant officers or even his parents--naturally desperate to...more
I respect Sam's ability to carve out a life for himself in the Adirondack wilderness. Sure there is natural brutality out there, but the author implies that if a teen is determined to run away, it is better to head for the country, rather than risk the dangers fo so -called cilivilzed life on the city streets.
But let's get real here: how long can Sam avoid being caught by rangers, tourists, truant officers or even his parents--naturally desperate to...more
Book: My Side of the Mountain
Author: Jean Craighead George
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Length: 177 pages
Date Finished: 4/3/13
My Side of the Mountain tells a story about a boy named Sam Gribley. Sam gets tired of living in the city, so he so he goes out to live on his great-grandfather’s land in the Catskill Mountains. At first, Sam needed help living by himself in the wild. He asked a person living nearby and goes to a nearby library to get help. He learned a lot of things while living in the wild....more
Author: Jean Craighead George
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Length: 177 pages
Date Finished: 4/3/13
My Side of the Mountain tells a story about a boy named Sam Gribley. Sam gets tired of living in the city, so he so he goes out to live on his great-grandfather’s land in the Catskill Mountains. At first, Sam needed help living by himself in the wild. He asked a person living nearby and goes to a nearby library to get help. He learned a lot of things while living in the wild....more
Mar 26, 2013
Corinne Wilson
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-i-read-as-a-grad-student,
children-s-lit
Though the protagonist in this book is 15, I would say Sam Gribely's adventures appeal more to the 10-13 year old. The main themes are courage and independence, as this is the story of a boy who, like most of us when we were kids, decides he's going to run away. Sam hitches a ride from New York City, where he's always lived with his large but happy family, to strike out on his own on his grandfather's land in the catskill mountains. As a kid, I would have loved reading about how he lived in a co...more
well,If I had to read this book again, my reaction would have been like,'uh...ewww"Personally,I didn't really like this book.I started this book because my cousin recommend it to me, but... hmm it wasn't my favorite book.First of all, the setting in the book takes place in the states(USA)The protagonist in the book is a guy name,Sam who lives in the crowed place: New York. It's just a book mainly about a young guy living in the woods(Catskills Mountain) and realizing the importance of nature and...more
The book My Side of the Mountain takes place in the Catskill Mountains. The book is about a boy named Sam Gribley who runs away from home because he thinks that the house is too crowded because he has eight siblings. He fells like his parents do not pay any attention to him. When the book begins Sam runs away and trys to find the Gribley Farm. His dad told him about the family farm and said it was torn down and he should try to rebuild one day so the whole family can live there. To get to the fa...more
Excellent escapist fantasy for kids and teens. I suspect that I read this when I was that age because I have dim memories of awe and envy of the indomitable Sam, who runs away from the city to live on his own in the Catskills... and makes it work. The story unfolds with colorful scenery and lots of great episodes, peppered with useful tidbits of forest lore, especially with regards to what you can eat.
That said, the writing is definitely aimed at younger folk, with very simple sentence structure...more
That said, the writing is definitely aimed at younger folk, with very simple sentence structure...more
My Side of the Mountain, written by Jean Craighead George, is the tale of Sam Gribley, who runs away from New York City to the Catskill Mountains. There he lives for a year, alone in the wilderness. This book is an adventure novel that tells Sam’s story of survival. My Side of the Mountain is the 1st of three books in the trilogy. This is an amazing book, full of convincing, intriguing detail and written in a first person voice. Craighead George based some of the story on her own childhood spent...more
Grade/interest level: 4th-7th
Reading level: 810L
Genre: Realistic fiction
Main characters: Sam Gribley
Setting: Catskill Mountains
POV: Sam's
Summary:
This book is about a fifteen year old boy named Sam Gribley. He runs away from his crowded city apartment to the Catskill Mountains to find the land that his family acquired generations prior. When Sam finds the land that belongs to his family he works to create a life and at first, struggle to survive. He eventually learns to live off the land. He make...more
Reading level: 810L
Genre: Realistic fiction
Main characters: Sam Gribley
Setting: Catskill Mountains
POV: Sam's
Summary:
This book is about a fifteen year old boy named Sam Gribley. He runs away from his crowded city apartment to the Catskill Mountains to find the land that his family acquired generations prior. When Sam finds the land that belongs to his family he works to create a life and at first, struggle to survive. He eventually learns to live off the land. He make...more
Positive Points
I learned a lot about survival in the wilderness by reading this book. The story is packed with actual information, such as how to make a fishing hook out of wood, how to train a baby falcon, and how to cook food on a campfire.
Many books have one or two animals as characters, but this book has many types of real-life animals in it - Frightful the falcon, Baron the weasel, ... In fact, most characters are animals, and they communicate in their own ways. There are a few random human...more
I learned a lot about survival in the wilderness by reading this book. The story is packed with actual information, such as how to make a fishing hook out of wood, how to train a baby falcon, and how to cook food on a campfire.
Many books have one or two animals as characters, but this book has many types of real-life animals in it - Frightful the falcon, Baron the weasel, ... In fact, most characters are animals, and they communicate in their own ways. There are a few random human...more
MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, a 1960 Newbery Honor book, is the first book by Jean Craighead George about Sam Gribley. Sam, with the blessing of his father, leaves New York City and a large family with 8 children, in late spring for the abandoned ancestral family property in the Catskill mountains where he is determined to live for at least a year close to nature. He doesn't come with fancy camping gear: he has forty dollars, a knife, a ball of cord, an ax, and some flint and steel to help him make...more
I'm re-reading this fantastic book from my youth. I grew up with the Catskill Mountains looming deep purple in my backyard. I wished to be Sam Gribley setting off for them alone to live off the land. What an entertaining, rich coming-of-age tale for all.
Written in 1959 but there are still lessons to be learned today of achieving independence, making your dream a reality, finding your own way, and solving problems. Most of all it shines a light on how we can still appreciate the grand beauty of...more
Written in 1959 but there are still lessons to be learned today of achieving independence, making your dream a reality, finding your own way, and solving problems. Most of all it shines a light on how we can still appreciate the grand beauty of...more
1 like · like · see review
I was forced to read this book in school at some point long ago, back when I was still under the power of such things, and I hated it. My Side Of The Mountain is an excruciatingly boring and backwoods-y "American" story of a boy who goes off into the hills and decides to live in the wilderness with only his wits and standard Boy Scout-ish set of tools to aid him. I cannot for the life of me remember why he does this, as I do recall his father coming to visit him at some point and it didn't seem...more
I read this book in 6th grade and decided to read it again when I heard that Jean Craighead George had passed away. It's been 44 years since I've read this book and I loved it just as much this time as I did the last time. Sure, you have to suspend belief for this story to work (I mean really, a boy, Sam Gribley. just coming into his teens knows how to survive in the wild and can create interesting meals out of what he finds in the forest and can make his own clothes?) but it's such an engrossin...more
I read this one a few winters ago, and I absolutely loved it! This book is my ultimate fantasy. I think it would be awesome living alone in the mountains, relying on your courage and ingenuity to survive--though I think it would be a lot more difficult to do it in real life than it apparently was for Sam. Though the book explains how Sam did a lot of research from books to learn his outdoor skills (again, a kid after my own heart), I think it would probably take a long time to practically master...more
My side of the mountain is a pretty good book. The story in about a boy named Sam Gribley who is one of 9 children who live in a small New York City apartment. Sam becomes unhappy with his current city life and wishes to live out in the mountains by himself. The main reasons he is up set with his city life are that he does not like all of the overly crowded areas which New York is full of. The Second reason is that he enjoys the quiet peace and tranquility that he gets from spending his time by...more
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Jean Craighead George wrote over eighty popular books for young adults, including the Newbery Medal-winning Julie of the Wolves and the Newbery Honor book My Side of the Mountain. Most of her books deal with topics related to the environment and the natural world. While she mostly wrote children's fiction, she also wrote at least two guides to cooking with wild foods, and an autobiography, Journey...more
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“Be you writer or reader, it is very pleasant to run away in a book.”
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Yeah, but he didn't have to work very hard at it, he...more
Feb 10, 2013 02:13pm
Feb 10, 2013 06:46pm