Gone from These Woods [Hardcover]

Donny Bailey Seagraves (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

I didn't want to go hunting with Uncle Clay that morning. Now I have to live with what happened for the rest of my life. It was just an accident. The rabbit ran away. Clay fell.

Nothing has been the same for Daniel since that morning in the woods when Uncle Clay went down. Mom tries to hold the family together. Mrs. Hardy, Daniel’s guidance counselor, tries to help Daniel after he loses his role model and best friend. Daniel’s alcoholic father just makes the situation worse. The memory of that cold morning will stay with Daniel forever. But somehow, he must find a way to go on . . . for Uncle Clay . . . and most of all, for himself.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–6—Daniel's nickname, D-Man, came from his Uncle Clay, who has been more of a father to him than the boy's mean, beer-drinking, cigarette-smoking dad. One fall morning, Clay gives his nephew his Granddaddy's shotgun and they go out to bag a few rabbits. Daniel's queasiness about hunting is embarrassing, so he tries to mask his qualms, and, concentrating only on his relief at escaping detection, inadvertently shoots Clay. The 11-year-old's first-person narrative of the ensuing trauma describes a community doing its best to understand the accident and support the boy, except for his abusive father. Even as his mother, teacher, neighbor, school counselor, and friends attempt to help Daniel return to normal, guilt overwhelms him. Metaphors and similes abound, in fitting with the folksy rural Georgia setting but never outstripping the logical vocabulary of a kid, and giving the narrative a somewhat ordinary flavor despite the horrific events. Understanding or coping with an accidental death is seldom so directly connected to real responsibility or the need to make peace with such a mistake. Seagraves shows the best way for support to be given as well as how hard it is to forgive. These are tough topics to read about, but the book will bring up many discussions. An appendix provides statistics on gun violence and a list of sources to contact for more information.—Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO END

Review

Seagraves shows the best way for support to be given as well as how hard it is to forgive. These are tough topics to read about, but the book will bring up many discussions.-Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO
--School Library Journal

There is a lot of complexity in this short, quiet coming-of-age novel. Sensitive younger readers will be drawn in by Daniel's story, which can be likened to a more emotional twin of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet . --Booklist

The dynamics of the Sartain family are well-developed and genuine as a result of Daniel's authentic first-person narration. Seagraves's debut should leave readers weighing death, guilt and forgiveness.
--Publisher's Weekly

This satisfactory debut novel depicts a realistic portrayal of grief from a youth's perspective. Middle-grade boys will take interest in Danny's internal superhero-vs.-villain battle. --Kirkus

It's a dramatic story, and Seagraves sets it up effectively: Daniel's reluctance to hunt in the first place merely adds to his guilt. --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition (August 25, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385736290
• ISBN-13: 978-0385736299
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.8 x 8.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,775,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Donny Bailey Seagraves is a native of Athens, Georgia and is a longtime resident of the nearby small town, Winterville. She studied journalism at the University of Georgia, was a newspaper columnist and freelance writer for many years, and owned and operated a used and rare book business, Junebug Books for ten years. Gone From These Woods, published by Random House/Delacorte Press, is Seagraves' debut novel.

For more information, visit donnyseagraves.com or her blog, wintervillewriter.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Readers will find much heartfelt wisdom in these pages, August 28, 2009

By 

J. Seagraves "lover of literature" (Duluth, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gone from These Woods (Hardcover)

Readers (9-12 and beyond) can find a way to relate to this story even if you are not a hunter, avid comic book reader or an 11 year old boy. Most of us will have to endure losing close loved ones within our lifetimes and this book teaches you how to keep going and rise up out of grief and despair when faced with that situation. In Daniel's case it happens to him at a very young age and as a tragic accident involving himself, a .410 shotgun, his favorite person in the world, Uncle Clay and a rabbit rather than with the usual progression of time. Donny Bailey Seagraves has mastered character development - there are moments in the book where I am very worried for Daniel and on the edge of my seat wanting to tell him to never point that gun at himself. There are also moments where the sadness of the accident and his family situation bring me to tears. I'm relieved to know that he has such a wonderful, supportive mom that is his guardian who will stop at nothing to make sure her child finds a way to make it through this tough time. I am also very impressed with how the school guidance counselor interacts with Daniel to help him work through the stages of grief. Even at Daniel's young age, he is wise enough to make the choice to be like his role model, Uncle Clay rather than his mean alcoholic father, Ray.

The North Georgia woods where the accident happens and also where Daniel escapes from his abusive dad while fighting off villainous despair are a character too. I hear, smell and see them all at once throughout the story.

Honestly, it's really hard to put this one down once you begin reading. I urge you to begin and see what bits of powerful wisdom you can take away from this worthwhile read.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How does a child find the courage to live through the worst that can happen?, August 26, 2009

By 

Gail Langer Karwoski "children's book author" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gone from These Woods (Hardcover)

This is a story that will remain in your head and heart, after you turn the last page: How does a child find the courage to live through the worst that can happen?
In her gripping debut novel, author Donny Bailey Seagraves introduces Daniel Sartain, a good-natured fifth-grader living in the rural South. Daniel reluctantly agrees to learn to hunt because he wants to be a "real" Sartain man to please his fun-loving uncle, Clay. But when Daniel finds a small rabbit in the family forest, he cannot force himself to pull the trigger, even though he knows he's disappointing his uncle. For a deadly second, Daniel forgets the rules of safe hunting that Clay taught him, and he staggers to his feet with the loaded shotgun in his arms. The gun discharges, and a pellet penetrates Clay's heart, instantly killing him.
Awash in grief and guilt, Daniel tries to process this terrible event, with the support of his loving mom and an understanding school counselor. But his alcoholic father - miserable and mean because of his own guilty feelings about a deadly car accident - taunts the boy until Daniel decides to commit suicide rather than risk becoming an abusive, hateful man like his dad.
In the end, Daniel is rescued by the strength that he finds in his own heart. This is a thoughtful story that will leave the reader with a deeper understanding of life's painful moments and how a person summons the wisdom to handle them. Quake!: Disaster in San Francisco, 1906 [QUAKE]

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully done!, September 22, 2009

By 

Reader of Books "TiddlyBits" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gone from These Woods (Hardcover)

An excellent read! A hard subject handled wonderfully . . . i like that the author doesn't shy away from the topic of Daniel's depression and his thoughts of suicide . . . A great read and an important read for young adults. Teacher should embrace this book, the teaching/school community is wonderfully portrayed, very supportive of what Daniel is going through. You can tell that Ms Seagraves is from the Young Adult Education world. Highly recommended!!!