Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Schultz
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gripping, inspiring wilderness-survival adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
Based on 20 kid reviews
Kids say that this book elicits mixed feelings, with some finding it boring and repetitive, while others praise it as a classic filled with adventure and survival skills. Many appreciate the protagonist's journey into nature and the lessons learned through his experiences, making it a beloved read for various ages.
- adventure
- mixed reviews
- survival skills
- nostalgic classic
- strong protagonist
- engaging story
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Teen Sam Gribley dislikes living in his large family's overcrowded New York apartment, so he decides to leave town and live on the land his grandfather used to farm in the Catskills. Once he's arrived at the wilderness that used to be Gribley's Farm, Sam applies all of his powers of memory and observation -- and everything he can learn in the nearby Delhi public library -- to survive on his own. Sam learns how to hollow out a tree for shelter, build a fire, and forage, fish, and set traps for food. He even trains a falcon, which he names Frightful, to hunt for him. However, after some months, many suspenseful and amusing adventures, and a few visits from passersby, word gets out about the \"wild boy\" living in the Catskill Mountains, and Sam begins to wonder if he can keep civilization at bay.
Is It Any Good?
Since it was first published in 1959, the award-winning MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN has inspired scores of kids to want to test their own survival skills. Sam's adventures are timelessly exciting, and the details of his wilderness life are truly fascinating; readers can't help but admire his independence and wonder what his life would be like. In addition, descriptions of the foods Sam eats (cattails taste like potato if you chew them long enough), the suit of clothes he makes from animal skins (even underwear), and the antics of animals he befriends provide loads of amusement to today's readers. In some ways, this novel is both simple and strange, but the premise is a winner and Sam's adventures continue to entertain readers year after year.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the notion of spending a year living alone in the wilderness. Would you like to do it? Why, or why not?
Try keeping a journal like Sam, and write down the things you learn.
Learn more about Sam's survival skills by reading Jean Craighead George's spinoff book Pocket Guide to the Outdoors: Based on My Side of the Mountain.
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , STEM
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Puffin Books
- Publication date : January 1, 1959
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
- Number of pages : 192
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Awards : ALA Best and Notable Books , Newbery Medal and Honors
- Last updated : December 4, 2025
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