North

by Donna Jo Napoli

Tired of his mother's overprotectiveness and intrigued by the life of African American explorer Matthew Henson, twelve-year-old Alvin travels north and spends a season with a trapper near the Arctic Circle.

Genres: Adventure, Survival, Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction

354 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Donna Jo Napoli is both a linguist and a writer of children's and YA fiction. She loves to garden and bake bread, and even dreams of moving to the woods and becoming a naturalist.

At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.

She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.

Reviews

[Jaden Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This is a great story about a 12 year old boy named Alvin who is fed up with the things limiting him in his life and wants to feel free like his hero Matthew Henson, an (or should I say "the") black explorer of the Arctic. I wasn't a huge fan of the book for about the first half, but I really liked the relationships and other things that Alvin forms in the second part. One thing I do have to say is WHAT THE HECK IS THIS CLIFF HANGER?!! anyways I am going with 3.5 stars and 8/10 would recommend reading especially if you like survival-ish books.

[Gavin Griffiths]

So far the book seems fine. It starts of slow and kind of boring. It's not as bad as the last book I read. I can already tell what's gonna happen so i'm not very excited to read it. I do wonder wants going to happen to the kid. The kid is in a little bit of trouble, but I think he'll survive. I don't like that this drug dealer offered the kid a job. I don't want to spoil the ending of the book so i'm not really gonna say much else. The book gets better as time goes on. I started liking this book more the more I read it.

[Jack Stumpf · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book North, a fiction and adventure novel by Donna Jo Napoli, the main character, Alvin, struggles with having an overprotective mother. In North, Alvin researches about a hero for Black History Month, and he reads about Matthew Henson, a bold Arctic explorer. As he is tired of his mother holding him back from many things, he arrives at school, but leaves in the middle of the day, and goes to get a personal letter from a relative of Matthew Henson. Alvin, only being a twelve-year old boy, fakes being with a family when he reaches the train station. He gets on the train, hoping to go from Washington to Toronto, Canada, but at the first stop, he meets a 14-year old by the name of Hardette. Hardette is rude at first, and she talks stubbornly to Alvin, but changes her tone when Alvin says where he is going, so she agrees to take Alvin with her to Winnipeg. They eat together, talk a lot, and before they know it the train stops at the station between the United States and Canada. Alvin was writing a letter to his grandmother and mother and decides to mail it to them. Alvin mails the letter, finds the train, boards it, and takes his seat. He then puts the plan into action, and he squeezes himself and his luggage into a cargo crate. The crate is then taken into a ranger station in the Arctic, and he frees himself from the crate. Alvin has no idea what to do, but he soon meets Manitok, and they live together for a while. Alvin and Manitok hunted together, learned from each other, and experienced new things and ideas. My favorite part in the book was when Alvin disobeyed his mother's orders because it showed a brave, daring side of him. I would recommend this book to people who like adventure, as this book has a lot of traveling. I think this book should be for sixth graders and up, as it is lengthy, and uses strong, confusing words. Read the book North to find out if Alvin finds Matthew Henson.

[Linnae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alvin is the "most responisble kid he knows" and yet his overprotective mother just keeps adding more and more restrictions. He can't get a bike--even though he has earned the money, he can't go on the class field trip, and now he won't even be able to walk to school alone. He's 12, for pete's sake! He will never hear the end of it!

Inspired by his hero--explorer Matthew Hensen--he runs away from home, to Canada's Arctic. He doesn't have a clear plan of how to get there, and can't really explain why he's going, even to himself; he just knows that he needs to go north. To the far north. The farther the better.

So begins his journey, one that will bring him close to danger and adventure, and to all kinds of different people--basically, to everthing he feels he's been missing out on for the past 12 years.

Vivid descriptions. Incidentally, didn't make me miss my Alaskan home very much with all the talk about frigid temperatures. It just wasn't very believable. I really almost want to categorize it as fantasy, because that's how it felt. One 12-year-old boy actually gets to live out his fantasy of exploring in the far north.

Alvin ascribes much of his success in the journey to dumb luck, but after the 5th or 6th incident, my patience was running thin. C'mon, no-one has that much dumb luck--all in a row. I also felt like it ended too soon. After all, it's one thing to grow and change on a journey, and quite another to stay the person you have become after returning to the same old situation. There was no hint of how he would deal with his world upon returning--or how his world would deal with him.

All in all, not one of my favorites of hers. Although this one is not as survival-oriented, it may be a good pick for tweens and teens who have already read "Hatchet" and "My Side of the Mountain."

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alvin, almost 12, is a good student, studies hard, wants to please. His mother doesn't recognize what a great kid she has... and babies him. She doesn't let him go on sleepovers, has an adult walk him to school every day, and won't allow him to get a mountain bike that he's saved money for. The kids call him 'mama's boy'.

His teacher, Ms. Artiga, assigns a huge project for Black History Month. They have to pick a black hero, do both primary and secondary research, and finally report to the class in April. Alvin knows exactly who he will pick as his hero...Matthew Henson. Matthew Henson, the bold, brave African American who explored the Polar Region.

Alvin's distraught about his mother's rules and rigidity. A plan starts brewing in Alvin's head. He'll take the money he saved for a mountain bike and follow in Henson's footsteps as he adventures North in his path. Using a combination of street smarts and common sense, and a lot of luck thrown in for good measure, Alvin crosses the border into Canada and braves the weather and the perils of this fierce beauty. He spends a season with a wizened, crusty trapper who teaches him more about tradition, survival, and respect for the earth than he would have ever gotten out of textbooks. Alvin grows both in strength and wisdom, yet misses his family month after month. His adventure takes us, the readers, on his harrowing trek through the most brutal of conditions, yet we see the maturity and personal growth that his experience gives him.

Used for Hiawatha School Book Talk: March, 2011.

[K Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. I love the research and believable story that becomes incredible. As I child I often thought of running away, this character runs to become something more by following in his heroes path. A wonderful tale that includes modern life, Inuit ways and long forgotten ways of living. Very well done.

[Noah Chmielewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I started reading this and couldn’t put it down! It kept me wanting to read more and more of it. I would recommend this book to people who like the outdoors. This book is good for young adults and I would highly recommend it.

[Joyce Yattoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is grouped with our survival stories. I was looking for a book for dormant readers. This is a bit on the long side at 354 pages. However, I did enjoy traveling to the arctic circle via 🇨🇦 and visiting the intuit people and learning a bit of their culture. Fascinating that people do so much without what we consider the comforts of home, such as TV, internet, email, cell phones, texting, ready made foods. During this book journey I visited Bylot Island, Baffin Island, Pangnirtung, and Churchill all in Canada north of the US eastern border. It was Alvin’s desire to get to Grise Ford where his African American idol once explored while searching for the North Pole. His name was Matthew Henson. I really did enjoy the places I was reading about, but it was difficult to suspend belief that this 12 year old just ran away from his home in Washington DC to follow his dream of getting to the North Pole with 400.00 in his pocket. Then, spending the winter on Bylot Island with an Intuit native without any contact with his mother or grandmother for six months.

[Tom Manto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally the best YA book. Such a great read, love love love. I remembered it from when I was a kid and went back to revisit it. It's not easy to find unfortunately! I want this book to be as ubiquitous as My Side of the Mountain. It's a more thoughtful read within the "survival tween boy" genre, with more honesty in terms of all the help he gets. I like when he relies on other people, and the way that forming connections becomes his main tool for survival. Not the individualist fantasy, more like the friendship fantasy. The way that his experience as a young black man is woven into the narrative is masterful and one of the aspects that I recalled from reading it as a kid. I remembered the scene where he 'joins a family' at the train station so that the ticketers will assume he is traveling with an adult. The end was really touching. I read on the jacket that Napoli is a lit professor. She is such a strong writer I will read her other books too!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I review by listing some favourite bits:

‘You might try to have an experience that person had - so you can feel it for yourself. ‘

‘To me the trail is calling’

“Plain food is good for the soul,” said Grandma. “It makes you grateful for holiday food when it comes round again”

‘Oh, Henson didn’t have a perfect life. But he never let anything or anyone hold him back. He did things. He went places.’

“Depends on the weather. If it is too cold, you can lose your breath and die.”

‘Alvin stopped walking and turned in a circle slowly. This great wonder wouldn’t be his day after day - it would disappear. He vowed to give it his full attention every single time it happened from now on...’

‘He was sad. But it was time.’

‘Every time Idlouk used that rifle, Alvin would be helping to protect him even if he wasn’t there.’

‘He’d keep his promise to Hardette. Maybe they’d even start writing.’

[Staci · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is decent, but not one of her best. Still, for an avid Donna Jo Napoli reader, it's a must. You must finish out reading all of her books. I will say that by reading this book, I learned a lot about the great white north and the ways of the Inuit people.

[Tally Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it has been years since I've read this book, I am giving it five stars. I read this book as a child and nearly 20 years later, the feeling I got from reading it has stuck with me. Will be adding it to the shelf for my kids.

[Cal-pal · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read this book as a young man in 6th grade, it instilled in me a sense of adventure and desire to explore. It has absolutely changed the way I look at the world. I could not recommend this book enough to young men (and women) aspiring to be something more.

[Bonus · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, it was boring but later on, in the book it starts to get better. I'm a bit sad because it left us hanging on the last page and I want to know what happens next!

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little far-fetched, but an intriguing and enjoyable story!

[Amy Webster-Bo · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting book, like the main character and his quest to prove himself

[Sarah Hillmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest I went into this book not expecting much at all. I just had it sitting on my shelves and I didn’t have anything else to read at the time. At the beginning, it felt like a very classic middle school book. However, as soon as the boy ran away the story took a complete turn. Each connection or conversation the boy made felt real and powerful. As well, once he made it up to the North I felt the isolation of the two characters as they worked for survival. I was learning about the native people and culture without realizing it. Everything about the expedition made me want to travel up North. If you want a quick read that is informative without being dry or boring, I would definitely recommend this book.

[Aravis Wheaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

North is one of my all time favorite books for youth. Even though Alvin, the main character, takes an unlikely journey, this is a fascinating story of a young boy who finds the resolve to head north into the unknown and have his life changed. The emphasis on the outdoors is appealing as well as survival skills learned. This would be a mentor text for attention to details and I would use this in a science class much like the teacher in the book. First we would read part of the book and I would pick science or history related figures that students may see as heroes. Each child would be assigned (with some choice in the matter) one of these people to research and present on.
Writing traits: word choice

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In class we recently read the novel North. We were asked to imagine turning it into a major motion picture. I created a interview with a friend and was to fun it. CAUTION SPOILERS AHEAD.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-KXn...

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

North is the story of Alvin, a boy with dreams of being an explorer. He pictures himself going to Africa, Asia, the Amazon... Unfortunately, his mother is so overprotective that she won't even let him buy a bicycle with his own money. When Mamma finds out that a drug dealer approached Alvin on his way home from school, she insists on having an elderly neighbor walk him to school every morning. For Alvin, it's the last straw. He's been studying the polar explorer Matthew Henson in school and he decides to follow the footsteps of his hero. He'll travel to the North Pole and see with his own eyes what Henson described as "fierce beauty". So he sets off. He's got a backpack full of clothes, a sleeping bag, and $439.00. First stop, New York City. From there all he's got to do is keep traveling north, right?

What I really liked about North is that I found it remarkably believable. Alvin's journey isn't easy and he makes plenty of mistakes. Certainly he makes friends and gets lots of help along the way, but never to a ridiculous point. This was a fast-paced adventure story that I couldn't put down. (And don't take my word for it... check out another review at a wrung sponge.)

My one complaint is, of course, the lack of an author's note... I would have loved to see what inspired Napoli to write this book, where she turned for research, and if she traveled to the Arctic... but then, I am a big author's note geek. We know this.

[Max Ostrovsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting much from this young adult book. Inner city black kid wants to go as far north as possible. I figured it would address racial issues and Jack London-esque cliches.
I was only slightly right. There were racial issues addressed. However, they weren't slap in the face, learn a lesson, target audience has to be African American to enjoy.
It was simply part of the story and while issues were brought up, I wouldn't say this book is targeted. Anyone can read and enjoy this story. The main character just happens to be black and while it adds to the story in a layered aspect, the book doesn't harp or preach.
As far as London-esque cliches, they are only cliches because there are only so many ways to write about wild animals in a snowy landscape. The same could be said for the Liam Neeson wolf movie.
And yet, the book goes beyond that. There is a true sense of what living in the North is like (without some of the bathroom differences). And as the main character travels further north, it becomes more and more distinct, showing geographically and culturally imposed traditions, history, and life.
I even learned new things from this young adult book. It was a relief.

[West Region,]

North, by Donna Jo Napoli

Twelve-year-old Alvin has been given an assignment: choose a famous African-American to study. Alvin selects Matthew Henson, who in 1909 reached the North Pole.

Inspired by Henson and feeling trapped by his overly protective mother, Alvin decides to leave his home in Washington DC and head “North”. With help, he makes it close to the Arctic Circle, and experiences cold like he has never felt it before. Juice is frozen solid in its can, and sandwiches are “harder than any dog biscuit”. He spends time with a trapper and learns how to use a dog sled, cope with sunless days, and prepare and eat lemming and walrus stew. Yum!

Through it all, Alvin learns much about Henson, the Inuit culture, and himself. To go on an adventure with Alvin, read North.

Grades 5 – 8, Adventure Fiction, AGL-5788
Submitted by Lucretia Watkins, April 7, 2008

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

North took a long time to take hold of my emotions. The story is almost completely irrelevant to me and my life. Not until Alvin met Idlouk did I really care about what was happening. I understand that the perils and hardships of such a long journey take up a lot of pages, but there was too much time spent on nonsense. The book's true heart was not revealed until the last quarter, and it could have been introduced much earlier, had Alvin discovered it himself. Discovery is the theme of the book, and it does leave the reader satisfied in the end. The cover is misleading however: this is no White Fang. All in all, I enjoyed my experience reading this story, but three stars is very generous.

[Daniel E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked about this book was Alvin's mom didn't want him to ride a bike because he might fall off or something might happen and when Alvin was in the one home with no privty how the kids would just fart with a vister there and when alvin was trying to leave his home on what he packed was kind of funny because his family doesn't really like oreo's

what I didn't like about the book was that some of the sentances weren't really complete and how if you didn't read one page you wouldn't know what was going on and how they didn't really give description about the main character and how they ended the book wasn't really that great because they ended it by saying Alvin went home on a boat and he went the rest of the way home on a train

[Sarahk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a boy named Alvin who gets tired of his mother, and how she has been overprotective of him his whole life. When his teacher gives him a book project about African Americans from history, he learns about Matthew Henson. He was a traveler who traveled the Arctic at a very young age. Alvin decided that he wanted to be just like Matthew Henson, so he just packed up his stuff and left. Alvin could not have met better people along his journey, and they did very much for him when he was just a boy who they have never met before. This is a fun, adventurous book that was very exciting.

[Eric Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the book North by Donna Jo Napoli because it was an adventure book that took place in two different countries and the atmosphere and the way you read the book changes with the locations.The main character Alvin is feeling like he is babied all of the time by his mother and is grandma.Him and his mother argue about how Alvin thinks he is old enough for certain things so Alvin gets mad he decides hes going to go out into the world and show his mom that he can make without out her and he doesn't need her protection and her guiding him all of the time.I recommend this book to others who like adventure books with a good plot and choice of context.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another really good book by Napoli. The narrator had a very believable voice. His experience showcased many cultural norms which Napoli described well while avoiding becoming pedantic. Napoli crafts a compelling, engaging narrative that at times had me feeling like I did not want to put the book down. Napoli also stretches the suspension of disbelief about as much as it can go with Alvin's reactions to the seemingly insurmountable challenges placed in his way. His growth as a character is phenomenal. Like many of Napoli's other books, I wished the ended had been a little clearer and a little more conclusive.
I would definitely recommend this book.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book was entertaining, it was just O.K. Basically, this little kid wants to prove himself to everyone else that thinks he can't take care of himself. So he runs away and goes way up North into Northern Canada (I don't remember if he made it to the North Pole or not). The other reason that he did this was because of his favorite man in history that was like the first black to reach the North Pole.

[Terry Heming · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good but not great. North starts off in the world of a school bound boy learning of a project to investigate a famous African-American. He immediately chooses a explorer that he loves. After a run-in with a drug dealer, which has really nothing to do with the story, he is off on his journey to the North Pole. Once meeting a friend that could be his sister, he rides on up to Canada. Little did he know that this was just the beginning of his journey.

[Drew8cn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming novel about a boy named alvin who escapes his boring life at home in order to follow in his hero's path by going to the north pole. Alvin is threatened by many things, including people trying to send him home, wild animals, and most importantly, the biting frost of the winter in northern Canada. However, with the help of some friends along the way, he makes his journey and learns a more traditional way of life. I would reccomend this book to anyone.