North

Title:               North
Category:       Juvenile
Grade:            4 - 7
Author:          Donna Jo Napoli
Illustrator:      N/A
Publisher:       Greenwillow
Date:               2004
Pages:             344

Summary:     

Twelve-year-old Alvin is stifling in his mother’s overprotectiveness.  After she announces he will be walked to school daily by a nanny, Alvin takes the money he has saved for a bicycle and runs.  His plan to venture to the Arctic and meet the descendents of explorer Matthew Henson succeeds beyond his wildest dreams, but also leaves him stranded among the Inuit people for almost a year.  Through near-death adventures and the survival-focused culture of the Inuits, Alvin learns how to stay alive and matures into a young man before returning to the home he discovers he loves. 

Review:

An exciting, fast-paced adventure that lovers of Hatchet will enjoy.  One of my favorite reads from its group.