Swift [Hardcover]

Robert J. Blake (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 2007 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

For as long as he could remember, Johnnie has longed to go off hunting with Pa and their dog, Swift. Now the much-anticipated day has arrived, but Johnnie’s first hunt comes to an abrupt end when a grizzly bear attacks Pa, leaving him wounded and unable to walk. “Listen to the dog,” his father urges him as the boy starts out into the treacherous forest, led by the knowledgeable Swift, on a daring rescue mission to save his father.

More than a book about an Alaskan boy and his dog, Swift is a story of trust and courage, a perfect companion to Togo and Akiak.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2–4—Johnnie tells of his first bear-hunting expedition in the Alaskan Wilderness with his dad and their "knowledgeable" dog, Swift. On the third day of their trip, a grizzly crashes out of the woods and attacks them. When Johnnie's father shoots and misses the bear and instead breaks his leg, he tells his son to take the dog and go for help. The dramatic oil paintings are a blend of realistic and impressionistic style created with a thickly layered palette whose texture helps convey the haunting grandeur and loneliness of various landscapes of forest, tundra, mountains, and river; the cold is palpable. The compressed text describes in staccato style some exciting events; but it lacks character development and context. Some of the elements are not fully credible. At one point, Johnnie falls into an "icy" beaver pond, and later, he cannot make a fire because his matches are wet; it seems somewhat unbelievable that he can survive the cold and snow despite his frozen feet and frozen clothing. An endpaper map suggests an immensity of space but does not convey a realistic sense of either the distance or the amount of time that the boy travels. Still, the art is spectacular, and worth sharing with children.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

A riveting adventure story and a fine read-aloud choice, for older children, too. -- Booklist, starred review

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (September 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399233830
• ISBN-13: 978-0399233838
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,123,301 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent dog/hunting story, January 4, 2010

By 

B. K. Schache (Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Swift (Hardcover)

This hardback book is like others by the same author -- excellent writing in a high-quality book. The author does extensive research before writing, and it is clear when reading Blake's books and looking at the amazing illustrations. My five-year-old son is completely engaged by this author's stories and learns from them. We recommend the other books by him as well. It tells the story of a boy, his father and their dog on a hunting trip. Something goes wrong, and the dog plays a major role in helping the boy to rescue his father.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This amazing tale of survival in the wilds of Alaska is thrilling and the tension mounted with each turn of a page!, June 20, 2009

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Swift (Hardcover)

Ever since the boy was born his Ma said that he had wanted to go hunting with Pa and Swift. No doubt about it, he was born with hunting in his blood. As soon as he passed the gun course his Pa said to him, "Johnnie, get the dog. We're goin' huntin'." Swift wouldn't play any games that day because he was working and didn't have the time nor inclination to stray from his job. It was Alaska and bears seemed to be few and far between, but they needed one so they would have enough meat to last the winter.

The quiet was shattered when a grizzly unexpectedly "ran out of the brush. Pa pushed Johnnie down and yelled at him. "Tuck your head!" In the wild melee that followed his father was injured and unbeknownst to the boy so was Swift. His father's leg was badly broken, but now, if ever, was the time for the boy to become a man. Pa gave him a series of directions he had to follow carefully, then he sternly said, "Keep your wits about you and, Johnnie, Swift knows this route. Listen to the dog." He rushed and almost fell off a cliff. Frightened, Johnnie plodded his way through the forest. He took shelter under a tree, but he heard something coming through the trees. It was a bear . . . it was moving toward him. "I couldn't fire the gun . . . "

This amazing tale of survival in the wilds of Alaska is thrilling and the tension mounted with each turn of a page. The stunning art work brings the story to life in a unique and thrilling way. On the end pages is a map of the initial route of the hunt and Johnnie and Swift's long route back to get help. This heartwarming tale is one that you'll want to read time and time again if you dream of wilderness adventures in the wild of Alaska!

5.0 out of 5 stars life and death adventure in Alaska, April 25, 2011

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Swift (Hardcover)

This boy-and-dog story of heroic courage is well written and well illustrated. It's a race against time to save the boy's father. The big, textured paintings make the book exciting to look at, as well as to read. I read it out loud to my family of boys - they were spellbound.

Your son will love it.