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10th out of 10 books
—
7 voters
The Trap
A gripping wilderness adventure and survival story
It was getting colder. Johnny pulled the fur-lined hood of his parka over his head and walked towards his own cabin with the sound of snow crunching beneath his boots.
"He should be back tomorrow," he thought, as a star raced across the sky just below the North Star.
"He should be back tomorrow for sure."
Seventeen-year-old J...more
It was getting colder. Johnny pulled the fur-lined hood of his parka over his head and walked towards his own cabin with the sound of snow crunching beneath his boots.
"He should be back tomorrow," he thought, as a star raced across the sky just below the North Star.
"He should be back tomorrow for sure."
Seventeen-year-old J...more
Hardcover, 176 pages
Published
September 19th 2006
by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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When I heard that John Smelcer was the last speaking member of his nation, the Ahtna First Nation, I just had to read this book. The story follows seventeen-year-old Johnny Least-Weasel as he worries about his grandfather, Albert, who does not return from his trap line when a storm rolls through Alaska. This novel is epic in theme and an unforgettable read. Completely heartbreaking. I wrote to Mr. Smelcer, to see if it was true that he was the last speaking member of his Nation and to praise him...more
I randomly pulled this off the YA shelf in the library to entertain myself while my son was playing in the children's area, and I ended up taking it home with me to finish. (Sidenote: It was fun to choose a book this way -- I don't often do it any more. I'd never heard of it, but liked the title, the cover, the premise, and there was a nice blurb from Bradbury on the front.)
Initially, it felt like something we might have been assigned to read in about sixth grade. Simple language, beautiful desc...more
Initially, it felt like something we might have been assigned to read in about sixth grade. Simple language, beautiful desc...more
I think this is more of a class novel or literature circle book than an independent reading book for kids. It's good, but I think it might go over the head of a lot of middle school readers without some structure for figuring it out.
It's the story of John Least-Weasel and his grandfather. Johnny's grandfather is caught in a trap while working on his trapline in Alaska. They're Indians, so Grandfather is very capable of survival in the wilderness, but when he's trapped in his own trap even a few...more
It's the story of John Least-Weasel and his grandfather. Johnny's grandfather is caught in a trap while working on his trapline in Alaska. They're Indians, so Grandfather is very capable of survival in the wilderness, but when he's trapped in his own trap even a few...more
Dec 28, 2009
Jessica
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Kristen and anyone who lives or has lived in Alaska.
Shelves:
children-young-adult
A very powerful book that makes you think about life. The imagery was so powerful I had to mark sections to re-read. I went to the authors website and found out more about him. I'll bet my brother-in-law knows him or of him. Our paths may have crossed since he went to UAF. He has done so much with his life and has really lived his life. He has also helped many people preserve their culture. I also found that he writes from personal experience of his own or of his relatives
In brief: A grandfather...more
In brief: A grandfather...more
This book will appeal to many teens. The main reason may be in the way it is written from the views of two different characters. One whom is worried about his grandfather, and one who is trapped. The writing style was fun to read. To go with this, there is the element of survival. Many teens enjoy being taken out to the wilderness when they read, far away from their normal city or suburb life. Hopefully teens will also remember how education is shown to be important. Finally, learning about Nati...more
"The Trap" is about seventeen year old Johnny Least-Weasel and his pursuit to save his grandfather from "the trap" itself. It switches narrative from Johnny to Albert (his grandfther) and tells a story of fast-paced action and the survival skills neccesary to survive in below freezing temperatures.
I would NOT reccomend this book to younger children, although the length of the book might make it seem that it is meant for that age group. Some parts of the book were pretty gruesome, escpecially tow...more
I would NOT reccomend this book to younger children, although the length of the book might make it seem that it is meant for that age group. Some parts of the book were pretty gruesome, escpecially tow...more
Apr 27, 2012
Charlotte Jones
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mtrc-april-name-challenge
This novel is about an old man who is on his way home from a hunting trip and accidentally gets his leg caught in one of this own traps. It accounts his struggle to survive and his grandson's journey to rescue his grandfather. This story is set in an Alaskan winter, adding to the threat of the grandfather's life and also the worry of Johnny back at the village.
As far as a survival story goes, this novel wasn't very captivating. Although the level of danger to the grandfather, Arthur, was quite h...more
As far as a survival story goes, this novel wasn't very captivating. Although the level of danger to the grandfather, Arthur, was quite h...more
This story takes place in northern Alaska, where in the winter the temperature can drop to 65 degrees below zero. The author tells the story of Johnny Least-Weasel and his grandfather and the dangers of living in such a frozen world. This is a place where food is flown in on a bush plane or you hunt for it. Johnny's grandfather likes to hunt, but when his grandfather does not come home when expected, he begin to worry that something is wrong. Johnny does not know whether to trust his grandfather...more
A quick 3 hour read. I hate unhappy endings.....I know, I am a sucker....but I want to know that everything ends happily ever after. Still, you need to read this. I am sure Smelcer did not do his research....we do not call snowmobiles snowmobiles...every time he referenced this I cringed (which is a lot)...sorry...I can't give it more than a 2.5 at most. Nevermind that I hate unhappy endings. Dang it! I did picture my friends in the village of Hughes...a river that is a lifeline, remote from eve...more
Don't read this book if you are cold already. This is definitely NOT light reading. Think The Old Man and the Sea.
Wasn't terribly impressed by this one. The characters, with the exception of the grandpa, were a little flat. The author's writing was also odd at times, referring to the main character, Johnny, as "the young indian" when "Johnny" would have sufficed. Obviously, race plays a part in this book, but I have yet to see a white author say, "the young white boy" in reference to his characters. I won't select this for my teen book club. It was a mediocre read with a few interesting parts. Going to try...more
Do you like hunting and trapping animals, because if you do than this is the book for you! It starts out in a peaceful place called the Valley of White Kings. It was about mid winter and it has been snowing for several days. And Albert least-weasel is stuck in his own trap. So he has weak supplies and and a spear. With wolves surrounding him he has to find a way home. Again his son is trying to find him out in the dark with wolves and bear out there! So if you like hunting and trapping this woul...more
I rated this 5/5 because after I read the book, my heart fell into pieces and I held the book like it was some kind of stuff toy on my chest, as I cry myself to ease the pain away.
I thought it was another one of them unrecognized books that would bore me as because I got this at a thrift bookstore and I just bought it because of the nice plot it got on the paper cover, but to my surprise.. I love it. Some elements of my book tastes were there. Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Beast, Man to Son relations...more
I thought it was another one of them unrecognized books that would bore me as because I got this at a thrift bookstore and I just bought it because of the nice plot it got on the paper cover, but to my surprise.. I love it. Some elements of my book tastes were there. Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Beast, Man to Son relations...more
More like 3.5 or 3.8 stars.
Told from alternating points of view - Albert Least-Weasel, an elderly Native American who has been caught by one of his own traps out in the polar wilderness and Johnny Least-Weasel, Albert's grandson who is worried when his grandfather doesn't return as expected. The juxtapostion of past and present is very evident in this story - as he waits for rescue, Albert remembers his life living the traditional ways, and as Johnny decides whether or not a rescue party is nece...more
Told from alternating points of view - Albert Least-Weasel, an elderly Native American who has been caught by one of his own traps out in the polar wilderness and Johnny Least-Weasel, Albert's grandson who is worried when his grandfather doesn't return as expected. The juxtapostion of past and present is very evident in this story - as he waits for rescue, Albert remembers his life living the traditional ways, and as Johnny decides whether or not a rescue party is nece...more
I added this to my to-read shelf because both my brother Richard and my friend Jean had read it and it looked interesting. It is cold (colder actually), stark, haunting. I thought of The Old Man and the Sea when I read it. I came to write this review and first read Jean's review and found that our thoughts had run alike. Now that I have finished it, I am going to read it aloud with Davy or with Dave and Davy on the road in a couple of weeks. Later: Just finished reading it to Davy - he found it...more
Spare, lyrical writing (a discussion group described it as "man pretty"). An old Indian man is trapped in his own bear trap in winter in a harsh northern land, and his 19-year-old grandson eventually searches for him. I liked it, and some teens might enjoy it, but I don't think it's truly a teen novel (whatever that is). Chalk another one up to publishers trying to cash in on the only growing segment of the industry.
Man versus nature as Johnny's grandfather gets trapped in his own trap and must survive against the cold, animals and himself.
"Go away!" he shouted to the darkness. "Tonight is not my time to die."
"Heroism is the task of the young," he thought. Life is precious, but wolf or man, young or old, everything that breaths must finally accept the end.
"Go away!" he shouted to the darkness. "Tonight is not my time to die."
"Heroism is the task of the young," he thought. Life is precious, but wolf or man, young or old, everything that breaths must finally accept the end.
Surprisingly lyrical depiction of a the dangers of native life in Alaska. Some nice subtexts about the loss of culture lurk beneath the rather straightforward, but nicely described, tale of a young man and his grandfather. The narrative mode of alternating from the perspective of the old man to the youth allows for a deepening of the theme.
Dec 17, 2010
Jt Finley
added it
the trap was a good book and very exciting. its about a boy whos grandpa was a trapper. they live up north and are native indians. his grandpa was expected to return and didnt. johnny, his grandson goes out looking for him, fallow him on his exciting adventure with wolves and icy lakes in the book
Short, wonderfully haunting and descriptive book that really conveys the stark and barren subject matter of the Alaskan north well. While the book itself is short, it's not light reading in the least (IMO), but is a fantastically written book that will really stick with you. I'm glad I picked this up.
i really enjoyed this book - except for the moose noses soup! i like how they talk about some of the teaching of the northwest indians and descriptions of nature and how their life is. i definitely want to encourage some of my struggling readers to try this one.
I am fine with depressing books, but this book is not only depressing but tedious and boring. The characters were dull and uninteresting and the constantly falling temperatures just wasn't enough to make this book suspenseful and gripping.
John Smelcer tells an incredible story of survival and family ties among the Indian community in the Arctic Circle. Along the lines of Gary Paulson books, this is a great boy book/reluctant reader book with adventure and cultural angst.
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I didn't like this book because it talked about animal cruelty for bunnies and deer. I couldn't even read to half the book because I can't read that kind of things
Feb 09, 2012
Mickell
marked it as abondoned-books
I read about half way thorough this book an dit was nothing everyone told me it was. It wasnt exciting or thrilling. I just really didnt get into it. It was kinda funny but still not what i waqs expecting
Short book told in the alternating voices of 80-year-old Albert Least-Weasel, who has caught his foot in one of his own hunting traps, and the grandson who is his only hope of survival. Which will be his undoing, the bitter Alaskan cold, or the pack of circling wolves? This is a gritty, tough depiction of living in Alaska with a fair amount of information about Inuit customs and culture thrown in, making this a bit of a tough sell to middle school boys, its true target audience. Smelcer would ha...more
This book was extremly slow pace and did not keep me wanting to read.This book is for adults.
And by "gripping," the summary apparently means "desperately slow and too simply written."
It was ok, kind of sad that the grandfather died in the end anyway and right as he got there, too!
~J
~J
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T.Burchett | 2 | 4 | Apr 26, 2012 10:09am |
John E. Smelcer is a prolific writer and poet whose many works focus primarily on subjects related to his Native American heritage. An Ahtna Athabaskan Indian, he also serves as executive director of the Ahtna tribe's Heritage Foundation. He is, noted a biographer on the Center for the Art of Translation Web site, the only surviving reader, speaker, and writer of the native Ahtna language. A membe...more
More about John E. Smelcer...
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Feb 28, 2008 07:23am