A.N. Mill's
5 great reads
for outdoor adventure lovers
If you're looking for other books set in wild places, here are five of my picks!
My boys and I loved these stories. Some are older classics, and some are newer tales, but all are threaded with the thrill of adventure in the world outdoors.
Wolf Brother, by Michelle Paver
Dark forests, ancient magic and an evil demon in the body of a blood-thirsty bear, this action-packed book had us hooked from start to finish. Set thousands of years ago in hunter-gatherer times, this is the first novel in the bestselling Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, seven-book series. We avidly followed 12-year-old Torak, and his faithful wolf companion, as they are thrust into an epic quest to defeat the all-powerful demonic forces and set the ancient world to rights.
Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen
A gripping survival tale, this book tells the story of 13-year-old Brian, the sole passenger on a tiny plane that crash lands in the middle of the Canadian wilderness. All Brian can salvage from the wreck is a hatchet, and his determination to survive. My sons and I loved this tale of one boy against the odds. We rallied for this city kid, joining him in his journey as he mustered all his strength and resourcefulness to face the challenges of finding shelter and food, combating illness and fending off the hungry predators of the wild north.
Pony, by R.J. Palacio
A very different but truly engrossing book about twelve-year-old Silas whose quiet life is turned upside down in the middle of the night by the arrival of three uninvited horsemen who steal away his beloved Pa. Left stricken and unsure of what to do, Silas’ path is suddenly made clear when a striking, bald-faced pony appears in his yard. With the mysterious pony as his guide, and his best friend at his side (who is, incidentally, a ghost), he sets out on a daring journey through eerie woods, along rocky precipices and into dark caves, to find his father. Along the way, he encounters both real and ghostly characters, faces his fears and uncovers the intricate mysteries of his past. A historical fiction set in the mid-1800s, Pony is a unique and fascinating mix of genres—western, magical realism, and coming of age—all rolled into one! Sounds bizarre but it really works!
Blueback, by Tim Winton
As a long-time fan of Tim Winton’s books, I was thrilled to discover that he also writes kid’s books! When the boys were younger, his humorous tale, The Bugalugs Bum Thief met with lots of laughs in our household. Blueback is a vastly different story to that, but no less engaging. Like many of Winton’s books, Blueback is set in a small coastal town in Western Australia, where 12-year-old Abel Jackson lives a peaceful life with his mum, emersed in nature. Abel has the sea swirling in his blood, and he spends his days diving amongst the kelp for abalone. It’s there he meets Blueback, the huge and crafty fish who becomes his greatest friend. But danger looms for Blueback. Unscrupulous fishermen and eager developers start sniffing around their precious bay, and it’s up to Abel and his mum to save the day. A book about family, belonging and respecting the environment, Blueback is one of those stories that stayed with me long after I’d finished reading.
Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell
When life feels full of busyness, it’s sometimes soothing to escape to a gentler-paced world. Reading The Island of the Blue Dolphins, we were transported back to the early 1800s, to one of the wild and beautiful Channel Islands off the Californian coast, to live alongside Karana, a young Nicoleño Native Californian girl, who finds herself unexpectedly alone. Although fiction, the book is based on the real-life legend of a woman who was isolated on San Nicolas Island for 18 years. After the death of many of her people from a tragic confrontation with otter hunters, a ship comes to take the rest of her people away to promised safety. In a twist of fate, Karana is left behind. The Island of the Blue Dolphins allows us to experience what life may have been like for her. We fish and forage alongside her, building weapons and shelter, and willing her to survive against the perils of wild dogs and weather. We see the world through her eyes, as she connects with the animals, and her wind-swept island home.