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Surviving Bear Island #1
Surviving Bear Island
This thrilling adventure begins after a sea kayaking trip takes a dangerous turn and Tom Parker is stranded on the remote, outer coast of the unpopulated Bear Island in the rough terrains of the Alaskan wilderness. With only a small survival kit in his pocket, Tom finds himself soaked and freezing, and worst of all—alone. Desperate to find his father, Tom doesn't know how long he can survive and he must put his skills to the test as he fights to reach safety. Will Tom make it through a wilderness full of bears and other dangers?
192 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2015
10 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 15, 2018
I read this when it first came out. I don't know how I missed putting it on Goodreads. An excellent Alaskan survival story along the line of Gary Paulsen and Ben Mikaelsen. The author knows his way around a kayak and Prince William Sound. The whole story rings true, and Tom's back story enhances the adventure. I highly recommend!
It's a bonus that Paul Greci is a friend and co-worker!
It's a bonus that Paul Greci is a friend and co-worker!
March 13, 2023
My 13 yo read this and said he liked it as much as Hatchet which is high praise so I read it too to connect with him. It is a good survival story set in Alaska. Great for middle school teens or even older elementary. I didn’t love it as much as he did but I think it’s a great option for that age kiddo.
January 30, 2022
Great middle school adventure book. Read it in 1 day!
March 24, 2017
Surviving Bear Island by Paul Greci was such an amazing book. It was short and sweet, it wasn't boring for one second i was on the edge of my seat the whole time sting to see what was going to happen next. This book was funny, scary, suspenseful, and even a little educational. This book shows you that anything can happen. This book chapter after chapter was a cliff hanger. My favorite types of books are suspenseful books and this was sure suspenseful. It docent matter what kind of books you like i guarantee that you will like this book. Give it a read and let me know if you guys agree with much review .
October 22, 2021
This book definitely had me completely absorbed, and the descriptions of the situations faced by the protagonist seemed extremely believable. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Hatchet or anyone looking for a survival story, especially those here in Fairbanks, since this is an Alaska based book.
June 14, 2021
Literature Circle Choice, Chapter Book, Survival
Greci, Paul. Surviving Bear Island. CT: Move Books, 2015. 185 pp. Ages 10-14.
Another survival chapter book (which I love!) about a boy dealing with the loss of his mom and him and his dad go on a kayaking trip to Bear Island where they are soon thrown into inescapable deadly waves that separate the boy and the dad. The boy, all alone on the island must figure out how to survive on Bear Island all alone.
Alaska Connection: Bears, Sea Kayaking, Prince William Sound
Related Activity: Like our other survival books, what would you have done differently on Bear Island?
Greci, Paul. Surviving Bear Island. CT: Move Books, 2015. 185 pp. Ages 10-14.
Another survival chapter book (which I love!) about a boy dealing with the loss of his mom and him and his dad go on a kayaking trip to Bear Island where they are soon thrown into inescapable deadly waves that separate the boy and the dad. The boy, all alone on the island must figure out how to survive on Bear Island all alone.
Alaska Connection: Bears, Sea Kayaking, Prince William Sound
Related Activity: Like our other survival books, what would you have done differently on Bear Island?
January 23, 2022
6 stars!! Tom and his father are on an extended kayaking trip in Alaska when disaster strikes. Both are recovering from losing Tom's mom to a hit and run driver, and Tom is hopeful that a long period of grief and loneliness is coming to an end. So he is enjoying every moment with his father until the accident that separates them and leaves Tom stranded on Bear Island. Here he must draw on his knowledge, skill, and wit to survive while he searches for his dad. Expertly written by an author who obviously knows survival in Alaska, thrilling, couldn't put it down!! Highly recommended.
October 30, 2018
OF course everyone compares books of this nature to Hatchet. It is a good story. Not as in depth as it could have been. Some times the book is almost second by second, then the next section states 4 days have gone by. It almost takes the suspense of the Dad's fate too far then ends with a foggy reveal that you have to reread to really get. Not a bad book at all and more modern day than hatchet.
November 16, 2022
*2 & a half or so
Good read, but had some trouble getting absorbed in the narrative at times. Sometimes felt like there was too much flipping between pre-accident life & Tom's determination to survive. The most captivating moments for me were when Tom had to make difficult decisions around feeding himself (the otter scene was particularly gripping). It was interesting to see how he was able to acknowledge that he was simultaneously becoming a part of cycles of growth & decay in the environment of Bear Island just as much as he was invading the land.
Good read, but had some trouble getting absorbed in the narrative at times. Sometimes felt like there was too much flipping between pre-accident life & Tom's determination to survive. The most captivating moments for me were when Tom had to make difficult decisions around feeding himself (the otter scene was particularly gripping). It was interesting to see how he was able to acknowledge that he was simultaneously becoming a part of cycles of growth & decay in the environment of Bear Island just as much as he was invading the land.
May 25, 2023
I started this book with a few 5th grade classes, and I knew I had to finish it before summer break started.
Tom's harrowing journey on Bear Island kept me on the edge of my seat. When the bear ate his deer, I could feel his disappointment and frustration.
I can't wait to read the sequel, and I hope we find out for sure if Tom's dad survived or not...
Tom's harrowing journey on Bear Island kept me on the edge of my seat. When the bear ate his deer, I could feel his disappointment and frustration.
I can't wait to read the sequel, and I hope we find out for sure if Tom's dad survived or not...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2018
One class chose to read this book aloud this semester. Excellent choice for middle grade to 9th grade boys reading groups.
April 24, 2019
Love showing this to my students! I couldnt put this down!
September 18, 2020
It was terrible
October 6, 2020
Great book! Loved it! But, the ending wasn’t what I hoped it would be.
January 16, 2025
Excellent book for upper elementary and older. Captivating until the end!
March 19, 2025
Wow! Just wow! Captivating.
September 24, 2016
I lived Hatchet too much to rate this higher than 3 stars. Fans of Hatchet will like the book - many similarities...
April 1, 2015
A new classic better than Hatchet. Surviving Bear Island is a story you won’t want to put down. I found myself thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it, all the while wishing I was reading it – I had to know what would happen next to Tom. When 12-year-old Tom is separated from his father after a dramatic sea kayak accident, we follow his struggle to survive on Bear Island, a remote Alaskan island without civilization but with lots of bears. Armed with only a small survival kit and his will to find his father, Tom must put his wilderness survival skills to the test if he wants to live. With his mother dead and this trip a chance for Tom to re-connect with his grief-stricken father, Tom’s loss is magnified. Each day brings new challenges to find food, make fire, and avoid death by starvation, injury, hypothermia – or bear. But can he triumph?
This story is one where each step for Tom carries heartache and hope, as he is torn by guilt over the part he may have played in his mother’s death and father’s disappearance. Tom may have only himself to count on in this harsh landscape, but he is not alone. His mother’s songs and father’s words of wisdom, come to him as he faces life and death each day. We watch him go from the reluctant hero of his own adventure tale to a young man, strong of heart and spirit, who can face his own death and fears with the courage and wisdom of the greatest heroes known. This beautifully written novel of love, loss, faith, and survival will stay with you long after you’ve cherished the last word.
This story is one where each step for Tom carries heartache and hope, as he is torn by guilt over the part he may have played in his mother’s death and father’s disappearance. Tom may have only himself to count on in this harsh landscape, but he is not alone. His mother’s songs and father’s words of wisdom, come to him as he faces life and death each day. We watch him go from the reluctant hero of his own adventure tale to a young man, strong of heart and spirit, who can face his own death and fears with the courage and wisdom of the greatest heroes known. This beautifully written novel of love, loss, faith, and survival will stay with you long after you’ve cherished the last word.
April 14, 2016
While on a sea kayaking trip in Alaska with his father, an accident leaves Tom Parker stranded on an isolated island. Alone on an island populated by bears, Tom relies on a small survival kit, his wits, survival skills taught to him by his father, and a determination to be reunited with his dad. His best hope for rescue is to travel to the far side of the island. It is a journey that will take weeks, as he must travel over rough terrain, build up food stores, and avoid the ever present bears.
Surviving Bear Island is a well-crafted survival story reminiscent of Hatchet. Told in first person, the narrative builds suspense by including flashbacks from just before the accident and explains plot points through memories of life before the trip. Detailed and realistic, this compelling titles will keep readers engaged.
Surviving Bear Island is a well-crafted survival story reminiscent of Hatchet. Told in first person, the narrative builds suspense by including flashbacks from just before the accident and explains plot points through memories of life before the trip. Detailed and realistic, this compelling titles will keep readers engaged.
June 15, 2015
A very interesting survival book that takes place in Alaska.
A boy and his dad are kayaking when there is an accident in which only the boy survives. He relies on his dad's voice in his head telling him how to survive. There are lots of bears, food hardships, injuries. I kayak and lived in Alaska for 10 years and it was very realistic!
One thing I wondered is why he said that blueberries have worms in them. Yes, berries can all have worms, but do most blueberries have them? I just ate some this morning looking and thinking about it.
My sister, Kristen, says the author works at her school.
A boy and his dad are kayaking when there is an accident in which only the boy survives. He relies on his dad's voice in his head telling him how to survive. There are lots of bears, food hardships, injuries. I kayak and lived in Alaska for 10 years and it was very realistic!
One thing I wondered is why he said that blueberries have worms in them. Yes, berries can all have worms, but do most blueberries have them? I just ate some this morning looking and thinking about it.
My sister, Kristen, says the author works at her school.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2015
When a kayak accident separates Tom from his father, he has to do anything to survive in the Alaskan wilderness. Finding berries, spearing fish, creating fires, and avoiding bears are what’s on his mind, along with flashbacks of the accident and memories of his mother when she was alive. This novel is intense in the survival aspect and packed with emotion concerning death and grief within a family unit. You’ll find yourself flipping the pages to see if Tom makes it or not on treacherous Bear Island and if there’s a possibility he’ll be reunited with his father.
March 21, 2016
This book was very good, the way the author wrote was natural and was just flowed, plus the book almost always had something interesting going on.
This book is about a boy who goes on a kayaking trip with his dad, then some how ends up alone on a bear infested island. He has to adapt to his surroundings and learn how to use the tips his dad gave him about survival and put them into action. He comes to many realizations in the book about survival and does all that while trying to reunite with his dad.
Overall this was a great book!
This book is about a boy who goes on a kayaking trip with his dad, then some how ends up alone on a bear infested island. He has to adapt to his surroundings and learn how to use the tips his dad gave him about survival and put them into action. He comes to many realizations in the book about survival and does all that while trying to reunite with his dad.
Overall this was a great book!
October 1, 2015
Wanted to read this because of my trip to Alaska this past summer. Made it through but this could have used a good editor. If Tom got hurt one more time by stepping backward and falling I would have felt entitled to give the author a good push. Surely with the abundance of wilderness there were more creative ways to be injured. Save your time and read Hatchet by Gary Paulson instead.
November 28, 2015
Suspenseful adventure tale. I was looking over MY shoulders for bears by the end of the book! After the kayak he and his father are on capsizes, Tom Parker must survive on Bear Island by himself and come to terms with guilt and loss. This is a book for upper elem and middle school students. - Stephanie E. Burns
March 8, 2022
It was a very good book. I'm very glad that he was able to get through the wilderness and survive. I am surprised that he made it. I bet he was glad to have the survival bars. They tasted bad but it let hiim beat the wilderness. I could have nevever been able to do what he did especially after losing his dad the only one with expeirence in the wild but he still did, it was pretty amazing.
July 20, 2015
Overall a very well written book. Kept me guessing at every turn. However I have to say the ending still left a lot of unanswered questions and could of carried on a little further after surviving bear island.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2015
good book
April 29, 2025
J FIC GRECI, P.
January 6, 2023
it was for school, but it was ok ig
Read
April 26, 2018Cameron Carr
Ms. Buckler
Period B
4/25/18
In the story Surviving Bear Island by Paul Greci, the main character, Tom has a difficult task ahead of him. Tom had a mother and father, and they loved to go outside and explore. One day Tom’s mother was out on her daily routine on her bike trail, and she was hit by a car. She bleed out due to the rocks slicing her open on her fall. Tom and his dad are in mental shock state and they are both sad. Tom’s father got over the fact that his wife died, and he wanted to go on a kayaking trip that they did year round, except this time it was without mother. While on their trip in the freezing waters Tom and his father are mocked of their kayaks by a wave into the freezing cold water. They get split up and Tom uses the tactics that his father gave him to survive. After some time Tom has been pushing towards the far civilization. Tom wake up one night and sees 2 men walking toward him, and that when he knew he survived Bear Island.
Tom change significantly during the Tory because he learns to mature, because he’s in great danger. Tom uses a survival pack and tips from his father to survive. The author did well in including the tips that he was hearing in his head from his father. The author should have took more time in explaining the detail because the storyline went by fast. I would recommend this book to anyone who read the hatchet by Gary Paulson because the book has the same storyline, but different context.
Ms. Buckler
Period B
4/25/18
In the story Surviving Bear Island by Paul Greci, the main character, Tom has a difficult task ahead of him. Tom had a mother and father, and they loved to go outside and explore. One day Tom’s mother was out on her daily routine on her bike trail, and she was hit by a car. She bleed out due to the rocks slicing her open on her fall. Tom and his dad are in mental shock state and they are both sad. Tom’s father got over the fact that his wife died, and he wanted to go on a kayaking trip that they did year round, except this time it was without mother. While on their trip in the freezing waters Tom and his father are mocked of their kayaks by a wave into the freezing cold water. They get split up and Tom uses the tactics that his father gave him to survive. After some time Tom has been pushing towards the far civilization. Tom wake up one night and sees 2 men walking toward him, and that when he knew he survived Bear Island.
Tom change significantly during the Tory because he learns to mature, because he’s in great danger. Tom uses a survival pack and tips from his father to survive. The author did well in including the tips that he was hearing in his head from his father. The author should have took more time in explaining the detail because the storyline went by fast. I would recommend this book to anyone who read the hatchet by Gary Paulson because the book has the same storyline, but different context.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews