Tracker

by Gary Paulsen

A boy struggles with the legacy of the hunters in his family in this middle grade adventure from three-time Newbery Honor author Gary Paulsen.

For John Borne’s family, hunting has nothing to do with sport or manliness. It’s a matter of survival. Every fall John and his grandfather go off into the woods to shoot deer and put meat on the table over the long Minnesota winter.

But this year, John’s grandfather is dying, and John must hunt alone. John tracks a doe for two days, but as he closes in on his prey, he realizes he cannot shoot her. For John, the hunt is no longer about killing, but about life.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Adventure, Middle Grade, Childrens, Nature

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Gary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.

Reviews

[Julie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a lifelong fan of John Steinbeck's, and he's a “top five” writer for me. . . so I take any comparisons to his work pretty seriously.

So. . . I'm just. . . you know. . . dipping my toe where it wants to go at this moment, and in this moment that grubby little toe wants to splash a little, just thinking some thoughts about this novella, Tracker, and Steinbeck's novella, The Red Pony.

I don't know. You know. Maybe.

I've never made any comparisons between these two writers before, but they did both share a planet and a country for three decades. They were both men who thought quite a bit about what it means to be a boy, and what it means to become a man, and they were also both inclined to write about man's role in nature.

I've made a recent connection, in my mind, to Gary Paulsen and Jack London, but that's a lot easier to do, what with all of the wintry landscapes and dogs.

But, Steinbeck. . . Hmm.

In my opinion, Gary Paulsen was neither as methodical nor as classically trained as John Steinbeck, but, after reading four of Paulsen's memoirs and this, my first fictional offering of his, I've got to tell you. . . the man had some real skills, and he had a big, juicy heart, as well.

And, oh, my heart. Wow. This coming-of-age novella, centered around John Borne, an orphaned boy who was raised by his grandparents, had me bawling, by page 73. My 12-year-old felt obliged to give me the arm squeeze, and asked, “What did it, Mom?”

Well, no spoiler alerts, but let's just say that, when young John faces his grandfather's mortality, it causes him to face the deeper repercussions that are involved in hunting.

I could not help but think of The Red Pony, and, to be honest, I thought a little of Steinbeck's The Pearl, too.

Who knew that Gary Paulsen, with his John Deere baseball caps and shotguns, could write a novella in 1984 that hints as such concepts as auras and karmic debts?

Ever since I read his memoir, Winterdance, I have thought of him as a “high end human,” and he hasn't disappointed me yet.

[mairiachi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe I read this all the way to the end.


First of all, Paulsen is trying so darn hard to be poetic that it loses any powerful or beautiful wording it might have had. He's straining so hard to sound deep and meaningful that it's just stupid and I come away from it impatient and annoyed. He puts too much meaning into e v e r y t h i n g because he's trying to be insightful and profound.

Secondly, just some nit-picking here, he mentions that he knows how to survive in the woods because his grandfather taught him. Except that he also thinks that he'll freeze to death if he falls asleep in the snow. You live in Minnesota, stop acting like it's Mount Everest. I've lived in or near a city my entire life, and even I know that when you fall asleep, your core body temperature drops - which helps your body adjust to the weather. And also, "uncontrollable shivering will wake you up before you get too cold" so he has nothing to worry about. But because it wouldn't be much of a book if he fell asleep, Paulsen keeps him awake.

Third, John wastes the whole book tracking a deer. He doesn't even shoot it. He just follows it until it dies.



Disclaimer, I've never hunted. I'm not even interested in hunting. But if you're going to go out at three o'clock in the morning to bag a deer, then good grief, bag a deer. The worst of it is that he doesn't shoot the doe because when he sees her, he realizes gosh darn I love this deer. He literally falls in love with an animal. He feels bad that he has to shoot her but he puts the gun to his shoulder and then still doesn't shoot her because... he wants to touch her. Don't deer carry diseases?

So he decides to follow her so that he can touch her and, in doing so, somehow stop his grandfather from dying of cancer (not sure how the two are connected, the book doesn't bother to explain).

The thing is, he's so caught up in avoiding shooting a deer, and is so obsessive about touching her, that he doesn't realize he's actually simply killing her a different way. He sees the blood on the ground (because fsr she's bleeding. idk why, it never explains) and he's like "WOW it's so beautiful in its ugliness!" The kid is mental.

And the thing that most bothered me was just how unsorry he was - he's so fixated on how bad it is to kill stuff but then once he kills her, well it's fine because he killed her in an unusual, but still on-purpose, way so that makes it justified somehow.

He completely misses the fact that following her is making her scared and she's running away from him. He's too busy thinking thoughts such as, "a piece of me is in her, and a piece of her is in me."

When she falls and doesn't get up, he drags his sorry butt over to her (because by this time he's tired, too) and touches her. He watches as she dies and is all "ah my life is full of peace and harmony and potential" so he gets up and...

Goes home. Without the deer.

Hey genius, your grandparents are counting on the deer meat for their food - you said so yourself. Does he not care that he's leaving behind perfectly good meat, essentially making the grandparents' situation more desperate (according to the granddad, it's been slim pickings for deer-hunting this year), while being incredibly wasteful as well?

When he reaches the farmhouse he's like I found a deer but I uh...I just followed it. And touched it. And all is right with the world (minus the fact that you're going to starve through the winter now but that's inconsequential).

"A thing changed. A thing changed in hunting, in everything, and I walked after her but didn't shoot her. [...] And I walked for two days and then I touched her. Actually two days, and a night. And when I touched her everything changed - everything about the way we are and what's happening."



and the grandfather's response is: I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, GRANDSON.

I'm not even kidding.

He's actually, genuinely, proud of his grandson for touching a disease-carrying animal, killing it through cruel and unusual punishment, and then coming home without it and wasting two days, a night, and an entire animal.



Could someone please shoot this kid. And then the grandfather.

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like several other books from Gary Paulsen's early career, Tracker traces an adolescent's journey to understand his modern life better by getting to know nature in an intimate way. The spiritual connections may not be obvious to all, but the character understands the lesson, and it's clear that the process does good for his soul.

Thirteen-year-old John Borne, an orphan who has lived with his grandfather (Clay) and grandmother since age four, is usually excited when deer hunting season arrives. Learning to stalk and shoot a deer in the wild was a rite of passage John takes pride in having learned from his grandfather, but this year the old man won't be accompanying him. Clay Borne's cancer has taken a terminal turn, and he's sending John to hunt alone. The boy needs to know how, for when his grandfather is gone. John yearns to spend one final deer season with Clay, to ignore the fact that his grandfather is dying, but he knows better than to question Clay. The old man is counting on John to return with deer meat, and the young teen won't let him down.

In almost religious fashion, John follows the trail of a strong doe, gun poised for the kill shot. Yet when he traps her, he can't pull the trigger. He wants more from the doe than meat, something no animal can give: a reversal of the reality that John's grandfather—a good, wise, self-sufficient man—is doomed. John is in no hurry to end the hunt, and doesn't plan on firing his gun. Will tracking this deer in the ancient way grant John peace about his grandfather? What lessons does nature have to teach him out in the lonesome wilderness during a bitterly cold Minnesota winter?

"The best joy and beauty are the kinds that are unplanned, and the same is true of painting or poetry. Don't chew at it too much. It's beautiful, and it makes you remember a beautiful part of your life and that's enough."

—Clay, Tracker, P. 26

Gary Paulsen's spiritual novels sometimes work and sometimes don't. When they don't, it's not because the mood isn't right or the language isn't lovely, but because the connection between the story and the reader is vague. That's the case in Tracker. I'd rate it one and a half stars; I nearly rounded down, but the story's emotion won't let me. If you like the author's Canyons or The Night the White Deer Died, give this book a try, though I think those two are better. Gary Paulsen's writing is always enjoyable.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do you like to read horrible, boring books. The book Tracker is about a kid named John Borne. His dad gets sick, so he has to go hunting by himself this season. I did not like this book because there is no action or feeling. I can not relate to the character, so I really do not like that. The last reason why I do not like this book is because it transfers from being funny to really serious. I recommend that you do not read this book.

[Christopher Jos. Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant, charming, sad, and contemplative.

It reminded me strongly of my Grandfather, life on the dairy farm growing-up, how the little things are so important, and the farming life in general that we have sadly lost.

This is a Middle Teen novella.

[Katherine Sander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book! would recommend.

[Jane Eckstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a pretty short book only 100 pages long. But it was good, while I was reading I could tell the Theme. And traits of the characters. But over all it was a good book.

[Bonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thoughts about Tracker might be influenced by the fact that Gary Paulsen died a few days ago and my youngest son who was an avid reader of Paulsen's books is an avid deer hunter. His father taught him that hunting is much more than the pursuit of an animal, and it was interesting to read about the emotions that surround hunting expressed so eloquently. Thirteen-year-old John Borne has always hunted with his grandfather on their Minnesota farm as a means of putting meat on the table. This year his grandfather is dying of cancer and John has to hunt alone, along with the larger task of facing death in all its forms. Recommended for reluctant adolescent readers and adults who have a soft spot for Gary Paulsen.

[Tad Kinnunen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that the book was great but when the dear left I was sad because he had touched it I wish that he would have kept her.

[Teague Hannes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good beginning, and middle, the ending was not so good;.

[Orry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that “Tracker” was a good book to read, because it taught me that death is a scary thing to have happen in your life. Especially if it is a family member or close friend that is about to or already died. It also taught me that if you are strong enough you can keep on doing what you have been doing your whole life so far.

PLOT:
“Tracker” is about a thirteen year old boy, John Borne, who lives with his grandparents. His grandpa is about to die from cancer but he does not seem like he is dying. Everyday John goes out and does chores and his grandpa comes out later when he finishes his coffee. Then deer season comes around and John decides to do the morning chores then hit the woods after when his grandpa comes out. John knows a few different ways to hunt for deer. He tries to sit and wait for a deer and after that he walks through the woods to track down a deer. John finally tracked a deer down and it turned out to be a doe. the doe saw him and ran away so he had to track it down again. Once he tracked the deer down again he trips on a root of a tree and the doe stands up and stares at him ready to die but he can not pull the trigger. The deer is standing there waiting on John to shoot but then John sneezed and the deer ran off again and John decides to track it again.

CHARACTERIZATION:
John is a farm boy, who lives on his grandparent’s farm. Clay Borne, John’s grandpa, has ruddy cheeks, a head of white hair, clear eyes, and steady hands. They are both main characters. John’s grandma is not talked about a whole lot so she is not a main character.

SETTING:
“Tracker” has no specific town, city or state but takes place on a farm and in the woods. “Tracker” also has no specific time period but it is probably during the 1950’s because on the farm there were tractors but not very big ones.

Theme:
The author’s message I think was death is scary to give or take in your life. You can still live your life to the fullest after a family member or close friend dies.

I would recommend “Tracker” to seventh grade and above because some of the events that take place in the book are mature. Both males and females would enjoy this book even though its about farming and hunting.

[Amanda Childs · Rating 3 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK CATEGORY
GARY PAULSEN CATEGORY
John's grandfather is dying. But John cannot accept that reality, and finds it hard to understand how cancer can take life away so slowly that he cannot even notice the death until it finally comes. Every year, John and his grandfather hunt deer to make meat for the winter, and John usually looks forward to hunting with his grandfather. But this year, John's grandfather sends John out to the woods to hunt alone. By himself, John encounters a deer, but finds he cannot shoot it. Instead, he walks the deer down, tracking it for two days and a night, until both he and the deer are so spent physically and emotionally that they collapse, at which point John touches the deer, feeling he has cheated death and therefore saved the spirit of his grandfather. Returning, John makes peace with death and his grandfather's illness, and brings satisfaction and peace to his grandfather with the story of having walked down the deer.

In some ways, this novel feels like a short story. The action takes place over the course of a few days, and is mainly centered around the actions of tracking in the woods. While there is character growth and beautiful, poetic writing, the story seems almost sped up, as though a vignette taken from a larger coming of age story, than an actual coming of age story. This said, I think the book might really interest a certain demographic of teenage boy, especially the hunting/fishing/outdoorsy/farm teen, that may have a hard time getting through longer books.

In the audiobook format, this novel seems even more poetic to me, and has almost a soothing quality to it, like something you might use to wind down in the evening before bed. I especially appreciated Paulsen's skill at describing the nature and John's interaction with the other animals he encounters, not just the deer.

[Jade Nichole · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book “Tracker” was written by Gary Paulsen. It's about a boy that goes on his own hunting trip to find food for his grandparents and finds a unique connection with a doe. In his head and heart, he feels as if he needs to let the doe live for his grandfather. When he comes home from the trip he finds his grandfather dead and he realizes that the connection between him and the doe did not mean anything at all and he becomes very upset because of his grandfather's death. He then tries to heal from sorrow.
The characters of this book include John which is a 13 year old boy that lives with his grandparents since his parents died in a plane crash.John is very close with his grandfather, he does everything with him and the hunting season before winter, his grandfather is diagnosed with cancer and he can not go hunting this time.
This book takes place on a farm in Minnesota. This is where John's grandparents live and he hunts on the land around it. The story setting switches from the farm to the woods.
The book then describes the internal struggle in John’s head. The themes of this book I would say are the connection of nature and humans.
I would recommend this book to any young male that enjoys the outdoors. I enjoyed it as well though, because of my passion for the outdoors.

[Trevor Bosse · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Tracker is a very good book. Right now I'm reading a lot of Gary Paulsen books and this one is right at the top as far as I'm concerned. John is definitely my favorite character. John has been through so much considering both his parents died in a plane crash and now his grandfathers cancer crisis. The fact that him and his grandfather went hunting every year together and John had to do it by himself this time is crazy. I give this a rate of 4 stars.

[Dan Tews · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Tracker" is a great book for people that like an outdoors setting book. A boy named John in this book goes out hunting for the first time on his own and tries to get meat for his grandparents. He sets out on a adventure of a lifetime and finds a special deer that drives him to get the deer. It would be a great read for a small book for class or if you are bored on the weekend. I recommend this book to everyone. This book is a very easy read; there are no big words and it is an easy book to follow and understand. It would make a great book for kids, or even teens. If you could get your hands on this book, do it soon because it is a great read for this weekend.

[Lillian_E2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel Tracker written by Gary Paulsen is about 13 years old John that lives with his grandparents after his parents died in a plane crash. John is very close to his grandfather; he does everything with him. But this winter, his grandfather is diagnosed with cancer and he can't go hunting with him. John went on his own hunting trip to find food for his grandparents and finds a unique connection with a doe. After the trip, he found his grandfather died and tried to cope with the loss.

The book's lesson is to value your time with your loved ones. Personally, this book reminded me of my grandfather. :) I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys nature and realistic fiction.

[Luke Radtke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book had a good story line because there is a lot of things people can relate to in the "Tracker". The boys family gets torn apart due to the death of the boys grandpa which this book would help people to find the values in life even after the death of a family member. The "Tracker" was a big eye opener that bad things can happen to good people and it could happen to you at any point in your life. The "Tracker" helped to teach me the values of family and life over all. I would recommend this book to all ages from 10-65, boys or girls, and people that value life in the world.

[Sher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most of Gary Paulsen's books, this is directed towards young boys. I read a lot of Paulsen's books when I was teaching literature at a junior high school several years ago. I find them fun to read. Recently I bought a bunch of them for my grandson and decided to read them along with him. If you have young boys, probably about 11 to 16, who need good books that will hold their interest, I recommend this author.

[John Hubbard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautiful description of hunting. The other parts of the story are weaker.

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like several other books from Gary Paulsen's early career, Tracker traces an adolescent's journey to understand his modern life better by getting to know nature in an intimate way. The spiritual connections may not be obvious to all, but the character understands the lesson, and it's clear the process does good for his soul.

Thirteen-year-old John Borne, an orphan who has lived with his grandfather (Clay) and grandmother since age four, is usually excited when deer hunting season arrives. Learning to stalk and shoot a deer in the wild was a rite of passage John takes pride in having learned from his grandfather, but this year the old man won't be accompanying him. Clay Borne's cancer has taken a terminal turn, and he's sending John to hunt alone. The boy needs to know how, for when his grandfather is gone. John yearns to spend one final deer season with Clay, to ignore the fact that his grandfather is dying, but he knows better than to question Clay. The old man is counting on John to return with deer meat, and the young teen won't let him down.

In almost religious fashion, John follows the trail of a strong doe, gun poised for the kill shot. Yet when he traps her, he can't pull the trigger. He wants more from the doe than meat, something no animal can give: a reversal of the reality that John's grandfather—a good, wise, self-sufficient man—is doomed. John is in no hurry to end the hunt, and doesn't plan on firing his gun. Will tracking this deer in the ancient way grant John peace about his grandfather? What lessons does nature have to teach him out in the lonesome wilderness during a bitterly cold Minnesota winter?

"The best joy and beauty are the kinds that are unplanned, and the same is true of painting or poetry. Don't chew at it too much. It's beautiful, and it makes you remember a beautiful part of your life and that's enough."

—Clay, Tracker, P. 26

Gary Paulsen's spiritual novels sometimes work and sometimes don't. When they don't, it's not because the mood isn't right or the language isn't lovely, but because the connection between the story and the reader is vague. That's the case in Tracker. I'd rate it one and a half stars, but the story's emotion won't let me. If you like the author's Canyons or The Night the White Deer Died, give this book a try, though I think those two are better. Gary Paulsen's writing is always enjoyable.

A note on the cover for this edition of the book. Sammy Yuen Jr.'s cover art always blends well with Gary Paulsen's narrative style, and the black silhouette of the doe captures the feelings of Tracker. I think I prefer Jon Weiman's cover published many years earlier, but both do the job.

[Oliver Livingston · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, but strange book. I can't imagine reading this as a 5th or 6th grade student and fully grasping it. It has some very deep themes, and also a strange concept that left me with a puzzled/skeptical look on my face towards the end.

[Maximilian Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was really good because it teaches you not to kill (or poach). I also tells you the importance of food. This book was about a boy whose grandfather was dying so he has to hunt alone. He tracks a doe for two days but does not kill it.

[scarlett victoria]

read with eighth graders. extremely boring, weird drawn out attempts at philosophy combined with deer torture?

[Kevin Hodgson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s in the internal voice of the main character tracking a deer that the raw beauty emerges in this short novel.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a book similar to an adventure novel.When this book start, the Protagonist's grandfather will be die. but hunt is not a activity, is how to keep survive.Every years before, he hunt with he's grandfather, but this year, grandfather will going to died, he want to survive, can only go out hunting alone. Along the way, he encountered a lot of things that made him at a loss, but he successfully thought of a very thrilling escape from Method Bin.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very moving writing--gotta reread these!

[Marisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

What the what even is this book? Spoiler alert pro tip - when he becomes obsessed with touching the deer, replace "touch" with "boop." It will make it more enjoyable.

[ET]

it was so bad i thought it was good

[Louis Knecht · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that “Tracker” was an okay book. Overall, it was a good book. It just had parts that did not make much sense to me.

In the plot there were a lot of interesting things that happened to the main character, John. John’s parents died when he was a baby, and he lived with his grandparents. John’s grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and was going to die. John could not understand how that could happen to someone as kind and caring as his grandpa. In John’s family they were all big hunters. When deer hunting season came along, John’s grandpa told John he had to hunt by himself. John was okay with that, but one night he was doing his farm chores and saw a doe. This doe was different than others in the sense that it didn't run away right away. It just stared at John, and John stared back. The next morning John woke up very early to go deer hunting. When he got out to his land he started to walk and he heard a noise. It was a deer that jumped up when he walked by. It was winter at the time, so it was easy to track. John tracked it until he finally saw it, but it ran away before he could get a shot. He could tell it was the same doe he saw the other night. John continued to track it until he saw it again. That time the deer was surprised, so John could have shot it. But, he just couldn't kill it. He continued to track it, but he left his gun in a tree because he knew he couldn't kill it. He tracked it for two and a half days strait because he wanted to touch it. He felt that if he touched it he would cheat death, and his grandpa wouldn't die. He finally caught up to it. He touched it because it was so tired, and so was he from running two and a half days strait. Then he went back to his farm and told his grandpa the story. His grandpa was very proud of him for touching a live deer. He said that was something he would take with him.

I would recommend this book to middle and high school age males that like hunting. I would recommend it to them because the main character is a male who hunts, but shows that hunting is about more than just killing.

[Sheriden Haase · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plot: This book is about John working of the family farm, milking cows. John lives with his grandparents because John’s parents were killed when he was a young boy. John finds out that his grandfather is dying. This hurts John very deeply and his grandfather doesn't want to do a family tradition, which is deer hunting on opening day. John wanders out looking for his first victim. Little did he know, he wasn't coming back for three days. Instead John tracked a doe for miles through the thick snow, trying to actually touch her.

Characterization: The main character is John. John is about 17 years old. He does not go to school because he needs to tend the family farm and help his grandfather. John is very outgoing, he loves to deer hunt, and he cares about his family more than anything.

Setting: The story is mainly about John chasing a doe for miles and miles through brittle cold temperatures all because he thinks if he places his hand on the deer, his grandfather will get healthier and live longer than two months. John at the end does touch the deer, the doe and John are so tired that they both fall down heaving and don't move. The story takes place on a small farm in the middle of nowhere. The specific location is not worded.

Thematic Connection: I believe the theme is to never give up on what you believe in. I think also helping others out when they need help, it may be financially or physically in life. He was very determined to do it pet the deer and he does it. I know I can connect with this. I wanted a job and I worked hard to get it and proved by working hard it happens in life and I never give up on anything that I do.

Recommendation: I recommend this book to freshmen and up. The reason for that is because I feel that it is a good book to learn good morals from. I think both girls and boy would enjoy it. I liked this book, it is pretty easy to follow along. I believe that Gary Paulsen know how to make a book easily readable. I give it a five star rating.