My Side of the Mountain

I’ve been wanting to read this children’s book by Jean Craighead George for years and years. It’s a classic American novel about a boy who runs away from home and goes to live in the woods – in a tree, to be exact. He learns how to live off the land, tames a falcon and makes friends with other creatures. It’s very detailed in what he eats and how he takes care of himself.

It was written forty years ago, and you can tell – no child nowadays would be let alone the way this boy is. He gets help from the local librarian and other wanderers, who accept his life choices and agree that his lifestyle beats theirs. He’s considered capable and to have the ability, and the right, to make decisions for himself. It’s definitely a fantasy novel, but it’s a good one. I’d love an Australian version of this with bush tucker and kangaroos, though.