A story about Megan, an 11 year old New York City girl who is having a miserable summer in Vermont with her art teacher parents and teenaged sister. After some family conflicts, Megan gets lost on the Appalachian Trail, and ends up hiking alone and having some Big Life Lessons Learned (in relation to her family and to her best friend, with whom she's had a rocky past year). It's not an entirely realistic book, but I really appreciated reading this book as a read aloud right now. It's about a deeply flawed character--Megan is unbearably whingy and self-centered in the opening--who manages to change. I think the 4th star is really because a book about such a character came in handy this season. This is a wonderful little book about challenges and overcoming them. Megan Knoll is the main character, the story is written from her point of view. She is spending the summer in Vermont with her parents and older, horrible sister Ginia. Her best friend Lucy was supposed to come and spend the summer with her in Vermont, however, Lucy's mother Alison is very sick with cancer so Lucy is spending the summer with her mother and grandmother at her grandmothers place near Mount Greylock. Megan is devastated and shows this quiet well, she makes a scene any time she cans and revolts against Art time in the morning stating that she cannot do art; her parents and sister are very talented artists, Megan is not. One morning Megan's parents state they are going to town to get the car fixed, take in a movie and visit some friends, the girls are supposed to hike with Sam, Ginia's boyfriend, and then to spend the night at his parents cider house. Megan, not too happy about this, goes because she is forced to not because she wants to. Soon Megan becomes lost in the Woods as Ginia and Sam have taken off and she cannot find them. Megan and the family dog Arp set off in an adventure to get to Mount Greylock to spend the rest of the summer with Lucy, however, little do they realize just how far away Mount Greylock is now how much they will both go through on their journey. Megan meets many people and creatures along the way, suffers through aches and sores, lack of food and water and a rescue team out to find her, but through it all she reaches her goal with a new found freedom and respect for herself and others, even life in general. She didn't think anyone would care about her if she left, she also wanted to make each member of her family pay for being so mean to her, but along the way things start to become clearer as to why they happen and why she is treated as such. Not to mention she starts to understand how hard things must be for Lucy dealing with her mothers cancer. She finishes her journey and apologizes to everyone, who also do the same in return. A new chapter in everyone's lives has started. This year will be better and Megan knows it.Very cute and comical book, but also very deep as well. I enjoyed reading Megan grow throughout her journey through the Woods. She really came into her own and realized many things about not only herself but others around her as well. This is a great story for anyone to read to be honest. I felt a certain connection with the story. Having just gone through my mum having cancer again I can understand how Megan would think her friend is being selfish, but in reality she is not trying to be. Lucy is just trying to do for her mom and to be there fore her above anything else. I was this way this time around with my mum, though I never told anyone she was going through it till she was deemed cancer free recently, so for 6 months I was selfish and kept it all to myself being there for my mum though no one knew why I was being selfish. Once I said what had happened people started to understand and realize why I was the way I was for the last 6 months. Cancer in general is hard on anyone, but not having is close to you or understand what is going on with the situation can make it hard on anyone. Great book of self journey and self realization. I would read this again.
What do You think about Nature Girl (2010)?
This was a great book! It was very funny. I recommend it to anyone who likes adventure and humor.
—Kristen
I have read this book its ok not the best i give it a 4 but read it if your intrested in hiking
—Wanda
Great book! Quick read, adventure and suspense. Should be a hit with grade4-6 girls.
—Ingrid001
I just got this book Wednesday and I am sone with it today ohhh yea
—ann
A great summer read! Modern day "My Side of the Mountain"
—SANJEEV
