Customer Reviews

My Side of the Mountain Trilogy (My Side of the Mountain / On the Far Side of the Mountain / Frightful's Mountain)

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jean Craighead George's MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN is, quite simply, a masterpiece of children's literature. Almost half a century after its original publication, it is now available in this gorgeous hardcover edition, along with its two stunning sequels, ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN and FRIGHTFUL'S MOUNTAIN. Wendell Minor, illustrator of two of Ms. George's classic JULIE OF THE WOLVES books and many splendid picture books, has done the cover, and Ms. George herself did the fine line drawings for the three books. However, the true beauty of the volume lies with the words that grace its pages. In the first book, Sam is a young teenager who is tired of living in his crowded New York City apartment and steals away to the Catskill Mountains to live in seclusion among nature. There, he burns out a tree to make it his cozy home, learns about wild foods and how to find them, and captures a young peregrine falcon, Frightful, to train to hunt for him. The first book was written in the past tense from Sam's point of view, and is filled with details and entries from Sam's journal. Ms. George manages, in her usual way, to tell about and inspire readers about nature, without sentimentalizing it, and to develop young characters without underestimating them. The journal entries are written just as a kid would write them, in simple, yet interesting text. In fact, many readers have been led to believe that a thirteen-year-old boy actually did write the book. MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN won a Newbery Honor (later Ms. George was to be awarded a Newbery Medal for her truly magnificent JULIE OF THE WOLVES). The second book, ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, is written, even more effectively, in the present tense, as Sam finds his way into more exciting adventures. He still enjoys a life in the mountains--but he is no longer alone, as his sister, Alice, has joined him. This book is written more realistically and in a more modern settting. For example, peregrine falcons are an endangered species, and Frightful must be confiscated by a conservation officer. However, Sam isn't so sure that he really is a legal government worker, and, along with his friend Bando, he takes off to find his beloved feathered friend. At about the same time, Alice disappears, and Sam must find two of the things that mean the most to him. The ending is very exciting, but the sequel never loses the charming, easygoing coziness of its predecessor. In the third book, FRIGHTFUL'S MOUNTAIN, Sam is forced to let Frightful free, as it is illegal to own an endangered species. Frightful, having lived nearly her whole life and depended almost entirely on humans for her survival, faces many challenges in her life in the wild. There are natural dangers--other birds of prey, hurricanes--but the book's basic story relies on Frightful's increasing conflicts with humans. Telephone wires cause an eletrocution threat, DDT poison weakens eggs, and Frightful faces a harrowing few days trying to raise young on a New York bridge. The result of all three books has changed my way of looking at the world. I have started a journal, I dream of living away from the strange world of humankind, I want to try dandelion salad and acorn pancakes, and I constantly watch the skies for peregrine falcons soaring above (there is only one nesting pair in Georgia this year but I am paying attention to conservation efforts to help Frightful and her kind). With this beautiful special edition of three incredible books, I look forward to sharing the story of Sam Gribley and Frightful with my own children someday.

My Side Of The Mountain is a great book for all ages. If you're thinking of running away definitely take this book with you. If you're want an adventurous book this is a book for you. This book tells you what foods to eat how to make the food and how to train wild animals. This is the kind of book that you probaly won't put down until you're finished with it. So you should read this book.

Granted, there are still some places like the one imagined by Craighead in My Side of the Mountain, and there are some boys and girls out there who still explore in the woods, some parents who allow their kids to spend the night out there, but this book, like Thoreau's, is much more important for kids (and parents) who have no real wilderness in their lives. Unlike so many young persons' books these days, which try so hard to help readers through difficult times (divorce, peer-pressure, death of loved ones) in predictable, heavy-handed ways, the premise of this book is not dramatic. The young narrator is just tired of the city (not in any committed political way), and more importantly tired of living in a large family in a small space. When he says he's going to run away to find the spot where his grandfather once had a farm in the mountains, his family ignores him--his father dares him to do it, and he takes the dare. Granted, there's a bit of drama here and there (his capture and training of the young falcon is more than improbable), but mostly the book is content to chronicle the boy's slow growth--not from some tenderfoot to a fully capable survivor (the story of "Hatchet")--but from a boy who knows something about nature from books to a boy who figures out, through his experience of nature, something new about himself and his relation to other people and the world. Here Craighead is above all PATIENT--able to chronicle the pace of a life that puts into question much of what kids and their parents might consider "normal" interests, or attachments, or social behavior. The best experience of this book won't drive kids to try their hand at survival in the woods (though that wouldn't be such a bad thing for many)--rather, it will show young boys and girls that there are other ways of seeing nature and the world than those they see on the Nature channel. The second in this series, The Other Side of the Mountain, is different--more of a detective story in the woods--but equally a good read.

These books are the best books I have ever read. They capture your imagination and intrest.
They are about Sam. He runs away from home and has to survive on his own. His sister comes and lives with him and in the third one Frightful, his perigrine falcon gets taken away and it is about her.

This trilogy is great for kids 7 and up . The first story is about how Sam Gribley an old boy,built a home in the woods and survied.the other two books just make you want to read more and more!

I found this book originally when I was about 9 years old. It immediately became my favourite book, and to this day, thirty-five years later I still think of it that way. I re-read it about four years ago, in order to make sure I remembered it properly, so that I could feel confident recommending it. I still loved it. This is a great book for young people, and hopefully one that may turn young people on to reading. I'm sorry Annabella C. did not like this book, perhaps she doesn't realize it was written for young people. Oh well. Young boys should love this book, and maybe a lot of young ladies, too. Buy it.

In My Side of the Mountain, Sam leaves the city and goes to a forest on a mountain to live off the land. My favorite thing in the book is that he gets a pet falcon named Frightful. What I don't like is that he gets found out. At the end, his family comes to live with him but they don't live in Hemlock trees, they build a house out of wood. I recommend this book highly to all my friends!
By Aidan, 8 yrs. old

As former wildlife rehabilitators of birds of prey, my wife & I now retirement age, completely enjoyed the narative and are amazed at the the accuracy and depth of JCG's facts. Truely a heart warming trilogy in todays not so warm world. JCG has been given a great gift to combine depth of knowledge and story telling. We are fans of hers and now have read many of her books.
I mentioned this book to the very best rehabber we know & she was so happy to have the title as she had forgotten it & read it when she was 11. Said today it has influenced her life ever since, a very highly educated abd sophisticated woman who lives in the woods. As a child, her father would drop them off in the Adirondack woods, with meger supplies, a section map etc, and then pick them up at a pre-arranged spot 3 or more days later. This went on till she was sixteen. Now she will purchase & pass this trilogy on to her grandson. Ractions from others to whom I have introduced this series include, from a VP of a multi billion corp. who was fascinated with it, finished it quickly and gave it to the son of his "Boss" and wants his report back. etc etc.

I have read the first book, and it's wonderful. It gives useful information as well as adventure. It's a great, although easy, read for ALL ages! READ IT!

My wife remembered the book from her childhood. We were both suprised to find out there was a Trilogy. My 12 yr. old daughter has currently conficated it, and is loving it. My 11 yr. old daughter is next in line . It triggered many happy memories for my wife, and like a true classic , it lives on, no matter what the year. Great book....
Fast delivery. The book arrived promptly and in great shape.....
Highly reccomended for kids in the 7-15 yr old age group, and adults looking for a fond memory.....