Hilary's latest post had me mentally sifting through well-loved stories searching for the villains I love to hate. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres, and I like a good hand-clasping, character-torturing, mwa-ha-ha-laughing villain as much as the rest of you. Yet I remember when I was a young reader, some of the books that really gripped me were the man-against-nature ones. Hatchet. Julie of the Wolves. The Island of Blue Dolphins. The Sign of the Beaver. The Incredible Journey.
These were stories that captured my imagination in a way that wouldn't let go. The kind of tale that I would reread right away, even if I had just finished the book a few days before. As an adult, I wonder if some of the magic of these stories grew from the way my worldview was developing. Perhaps the new realization that the world was so much bigger than me provoked a fascinated respect for characters who could make it "out there" on their own.
What do you think? In past posts, we've identified that a distinctive of middle-grade stories is characters discovering their place within familial relationships, or, in the case of often-absent parents, learning identity in alternate forms of community, like a close-knit boarding school, grandparent figures, or the most loyal of friendships. But what about these survival books, where a character must make it on his own in a life-or-death scenario? Why do you think these stories appeal so much to middle-grade readers?
And, because seeing some of these covers again makes me want to go on a survival-story binge (that was the same image on my worn-out copy of The Sign of the Beaver), what are some of your favorites?
I think they appeal because what kid (and a lot of adults) can't picture themselves as the hero, surviving in a hostile landscape? We all like to think we'd step up to the plate if push comes to shove :-)
ReplyDeleteJust reading this post - books about the determination to survive in the wilds - has reactivated my sense of adventure.
ReplyDeleteI've got a tent, what more do I need ;)
Oh man, I LOVE these kinds of books! Island of the Blue Dolphins and Hatchet were two of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI also loved Jack London when I was young, and Call of the Wild was a great nature survival story. I seem to remember The Red Badge of Courage having some survival elements to it as well, but I think I might be wrong about that. I'll have to look it up.
My two favorites were My Side of the Mountain and Two Little Savages. I especially loved Two Little Savages because the margins were filled with how-to illustrations: how to track, how to make a bow. I spent hours in the woods trying to make my own bow.
ReplyDeleteI loved My Side of the Mountain and Julie of the Wolves, and really all the ones you mentioned :) I think part of it is that I learned along with the main characters how to do all their survival skills, and by the end of the book I felt like I could survive on my own too. Thankfully I never put it to the test, but maybe the books imparted a sense of confidence and adventure :)
ReplyDeleteI loved Island of the Blue Dolphins! That story stuck with me for a long time. One historical that is a favorite with my son is Cabin on Trouble Creek. I enjoyed Roland Smith's Cryptid Hunters and he has more with outdoor survival type settings.
ReplyDeleteM.G Harris has two books out that are on my TBR list, part of a series called the Joshua Files. The first is Invisible City, mystery/adventure set in Mexico.
And can I put in a plug for my own two outdoor adventures, Wildfire Run and Wolf Storm? I grew up playing in the woods with my cousins and we were always trying to build log cabins, trap fish in the creek, make pottery from the clay on the banks of the stream, things like that. It really influenced me when I decided to write my own stories.
Marissa, you've named most of my favorite classic MG survival stories! :-) One more that comes to mind is Far North by Will Hobbs.
ReplyDeleteI loved Lord of the Flies. Is that considered survival? Or how NOT to survive?? ;) I'm with Matt on the Call of the Wild. LOVED that book!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot too, but one that is probably more obscure and needs some pub would be COLD RIVER by William Judson. Check it out. Another is DEATHWATCH, by Robb White.
ReplyDeleteGreat recommendations, guys! I can't wait to pick some of these up. Not sure I'm ready to bust out the tent and practice my own survival skills, Elaine - haha!, but I'm ready to get busy reading. ;)
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