My Side of the Mountain

Written by Jean Craighead George

Book #1 in the My Side of the Mountain series

A boy escapes city life for mountain solitude, discovering hidden strengths.

5.3/7 Bookroo experts·4.1/5 Goodreads · 87,569 ratings

177 pages· 39,679 words· Est. 5.5 hour read

$9.99Save 4%

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Bookroo's summary

Sam Gribley flees his cramped New York City apartment for the wild mountains, seeking solitude but finding unexpected challenges. As he navigates the dangers of nature, Sam uncovers a resilience he never knew he possessed. Will he thrive in the wilderness or be forced to return to the life he left behind?

From the publisher

Terribly unhappy in his family’s crowded New York City apartment, Sam Gribley runs away to the solitude-and danger-of the mountains, where he finds a side of himself he never knew.

Awards

Newbery Honor (1960)

At a glance

Format
Pages: 177
Words: 39,679
Reading age: 8–12
Audience: Middle Grade
Lexile: 810L

Themes & topics

Books about self-reliance Books about runaways Books about mountains Books about survival stories Books about New York

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.3

out of 7

4.5

“I'm not a camper--I'm more what you'd call "indoorsy:--but when I read this book in fourth grade, it made me want to run away and live in a tree. It was a fun story, and sparked a lot of imaginative daydreams about living in the wild. I think it's perfect for older elementary school or middle school readers.”

Lauren Hancock

Trusted reviewer

6.0

“Such an enjoyable wilderness survival story, similar to Hatchet but without the intensity. This is more like the invented memoir of a young boy who tries his hand living alone in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York.”

The Goodfather

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one