On the Far Side of the Mountain [Paperback]

Jean Craighead George (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 170 pages
• Publisher: Puffin; Reprint edition (1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140342486
• ISBN-13: 978-0140342482
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,294,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jean Craighead George was born in a family of naturalists. Her father, mother, brothers, aunts and uncles were students of nature. On weekends they camped in the woods near their Washington, D.C. home, climbed trees to study owls, gathered edible plants and made fish hooks from twigs. Her first pet was a turkey vulture. In third grade she began writing and hasn't stopped yet. She has written over 100 books.Her book, Julie of the Wolves won the prestigious Newbery Medal, the American Library Association's award for the most distinguished contribution to literature for children, l973. My Side of the Mountain, the story of a boy and a falcon surviving on a mountain together, was a 1960 Newbery Honor Book. She has also received 20 other awards.She attended Penn State University graduating with a degree in Science and Literature. In the 1940s she was a reporter for The Washington Post and a member of the White House Press Corps. After her children were born she returned to her love of nature and brought owls, robins, mink, sea gulls, tarantulas - 173 wild animals into their home and backyard. These became characters in her books and, although always free to go, they would stay with the family until the sun changed their behavior and they migrated or went off to seek partners of their own kind.When her children, Twig, Craig and Luke, were old enough to carry their own backpacks, they all went to the animals. They climbed mountains, canoed rivers, hiked deserts. Her children learned about nature and Jean came home and to write books. Craig and Luke are now environmental scientists and Twig writes children's books, too.One summer Jean learned that the wolves were friendly, lived in a well-run society and communicated with each other in wolf talk -- sound, sight, posture, scent and coloration. Excited to learn more, she took Luke and went to the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory in Barrow, Alaska, where scientists were studying this remarkable animal. She even talked to the wolves in their own language. With that Julie of the Wolves was born. A little girl walking on the vast lonesome tundra outside Barrow, and a magnificent alpha male wolf, leader of a pack in Denali National Park were the inspiration for the characters in the book. Years later, after many requests from her readers, she wrote the sequels, Julie and Julie's Wolf Pack.She is still traveling and coming home to write. In the last decade she has added two beautiful new dimensions to her words beautiful full-color picture book art by Wendell Minor and others and - music. Jean is collaborating with award-winning composer, Chris Kubie to bring the sounds of nature to her words.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Sequel to MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, July 21, 2001

By 

Curtis J. George (Centreville, Maryland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On the Far Side of the Mountain (Mass Market Paperback)

ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN is the sequel to the Newbery Honor Book, MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. Jean Craighead George waited 30 years before writing this sequel, mostly under the pressure of her beloved readers. The sequel is just as good, if not better, then the original. It continues the story of Sam Gribley's adventure when he ran away to live off of the land in the Catskill Mountains. This is the story of both Sam and his independent younger sister, Alice, who has joined him in her own treehouse nearby. The story is based on his life after his falcon Frightful has been confiscated by a conservation officer and his sister disappears. Sam leaves his home and a searches for his sister with the help of his friend Bando.

George's children books are the best that I have read on survival and the outdoors. I have read them several times and have shared them with many of my students. Just reading them makes me want to escape on a camping trip to the mountains.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Have To Read!, February 28, 2000

By 

Josh (Michigan, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On the Far Side of the Mountain (Paperback)

On The Far Side Of The Mountain, is sequel to My Side Of The Mountain. It is about a boy who runs away into the wilderness to live on his own. I liked this book because it is very adventourous and surprising. You never know what will happen next! If you have read Hatchet or My side of the Mountain you will love this book! You will also like it if you like action!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Book, July 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: On the Far Side of the Mountain (Paperback)

I tend to like books where a teenager goes into the wilderness and has to survive on their own, so I got this book. I loved it! It was adventurous, daring, and full of drama. I recommend it to anyone who loves adventurous books!