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sducharme's review
4.0
When Pa breaks his leg after a scuffle with a bear, it's up to his son and his dog to find help. The dog, Swift, knows the way and has the smarts, but will the son listen and understand his cues? There's a lot of tension and near-misses as the boy and dog travel through biting Alaska cold. The oil paint illustrations illuminate the text and radiate off the page; a highlight of this engaging story for dog lovers.
b0okcupidity's review
4.0
Firstly, the thing my son and I liked best about the book is the story telling. The first person narrative from a child doesn't feel forced or fabricated. The flow is great, and the pacing is rather exciting.
Secondly, the authors note at the end went a long way in explaining the story. At first glance, the entire thing is a bit morbid to people that live in the 'civilized' world (if you can pardon me that expression), as the story is about hunting, escaping and eventually, killing, a grizzly bear.
The Authors Note speaks about Alaskan homesteading and, briefly, what that means. Robert Blake had the opportunity to stay with some homesteaders for a period of time.
I get that people have strong feelings about hunting, and I respect that. This book was a great opportunity to open a conversation about how hunting can be done for sport, or, as in this case, for food or survival.
There just aren't many places on this planet that require hunting for survival anymore.
For this reason, this book is EXCELLENT because it provides my son(s) with a different experience. And that's a great thing.
I did read this with my mature 6 year old, and am glad that we didn't include my 3 yr old. While not terribly graphic, the subject matter is a bit too much for his age.
Secondly, the authors note at the end went a long way in explaining the story. At first glance, the entire thing is a bit morbid to people that live in the 'civilized' world (if you can pardon me that expression), as the story is about hunting, escaping and eventually, killing, a grizzly bear.
The Authors Note speaks about Alaskan homesteading and, briefly, what that means. Robert Blake had the opportunity to stay with some homesteaders for a period of time.
I get that people have strong feelings about hunting, and I respect that. This book was a great opportunity to open a conversation about how hunting can be done for sport, or, as in this case, for food or survival.
There just aren't many places on this planet that require hunting for survival anymore.
For this reason, this book is EXCELLENT because it provides my son(s) with a different experience. And that's a great thing.
I did read this with my mature 6 year old, and am glad that we didn't include my 3 yr old. While not terribly graphic, the subject matter is a bit too much for his age.
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