Solved: Kid on a raft in the wilderness not The River by Paulson [s]

[Shanna_redwind]

I read this book when I was a kid, so it was sometime in the '80s

What I remember is that this boy was fooling around in a small lake by his house, which must have been near or in the wilderness. He fell asleep on a raft in the lake and was swept down a river.

He must have gone pretty far because I think it took a long time for him to walk back. He was by himself, but he may or may not have met up with his dog (or made friends with a wolf puppy or something). I'm not sure if that was in the book or I'm mixing it up with another story.

Thanks

[Shanna_redwind]

Though I read it in the '80's it could have been written earlier. I got it out of the library and read it in hardcover. It would be a children's novel and I think it was somewhat thick, but certainly not huge.

The only other clear(ish) memory I have of this book is of him eating some berries that make him sick (Though don't they all in these survival stories)

I think he either watched the birds and then ate the berries that made him sick or ate berries and then after getting sick he watched the birds and only ate the berries that they ate.

It's not too much to go on, but I hope someone recognizes it.

[Erika]

Sounds a bit like Carolina hurricane, but it wasn't a very long book and I can't remember any berries being involved. Good luck!

[Shanna_redwind]

Thanks for the try, but I'm pretty sure there was no hurricane involved.

I'm almost positive that the raft he was on was one that he built himself to play in the lake near his house.

I think it's set in the modern era in case that helps out.

[M—]

That reminds me of Trouble River, but that didn't have a contemporary setting.

The boy made his own raft to play on the river with, but before he can even test it out he has to use it to escape with his dog (Charlie, I think) and his grandmother.

[Shanna_redwind]

I'm sure there was no grandmother travelling with him, and I don't remember him fleeing from other people, but thanks for the try.

[Tanya]

The berry and raft parts seem like Hatchet.
Hatchet
But he gets lost in a plane crash and I don't think there is a dog.

[Shanna_redwind]

Definately not Hatchet. (I just read Hatchet and The River this year) But thanks for the try.

The main character is travelling in the one I'm trying to think of. In Hatchet he's stationary and in The River he gets out of trouble on the raft and in mine he gets into trouble and has to walk back out of trouble.

[Shanna_redwind]

I'll bump this up again.

[Pogue]

This site has helped me find a lot of books that I read in the 1980's. The one you are looking for might be on here. http://cliqueypizza3.wordpress.com/

[Lisa]

Not quite right but how about Lost in the Desert by Marian Rumsey?
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookD...

[Shanna_redwind]

It's not that one Lisa, but thanks for trying.

Thanks Stephanie, I went to the site and used some of the suggestions for searching and I think I may have found it.

I came across someone looking for a book with a description that was almost the same as mine (raft, possibly sleeping, swept away, and maybe a dog) and the suggestion there was White Water, Still Water.

I'm sure that this is the book. The title seems to be ringing some old and creaky bells in my head.

Thanks for everyone's help.