  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 02/01/2015 Gr 5–8—A fresh take on the classic theme of youngsters escaping adult strictures to strike out on their own and live off the land. Thirteen-year-old Jake Wilder and his 11-year-old brother Taylor hate and fear their mother's vicious, abusive boyfriend, Bull. Their fears are heightened when, in quick succession, they witness Bull shooting another man and their mother being taken away on a gurney after suffering a beating. The boys grab a bundle of cash Bull had hidden and set off from their home in Pennsylvania to reconnect with their father, who abandoned them years before to live off the grid in Wyoming. With their loyal dog Cody in tow, the boys hop a freight train, hitch a ride with a sympathetic trucker, stow away in the luggage compartment of a bus, and start hiking in the vicinity of the Grand Tetons, with only their father's enigmatic directions to guide them. During the course of their adventures, they rescue a rough-hewn naturalist named Skeet, who takes them in and teaches them survival skills. Though this work is chock-full of action, the style is pedestrian and the ending both abrupt and contrived. Appended is an illustrated list of "Wilderness Tips." VERDICT Despite the lackluster writing and inauthentic conclusion, this book contains enough action, adventure, and outdoor lore to appeal to middle grade fans of Wills Hobbs and Gary Paulsen.—Richard Luzer, Fair Haven Union High School, VT - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 04/15/2015 After witnessing a shooting involving their mother’s boyfriend, Bull, and finding his hidden gun and stash of cash, brothers Jake, 13, and Taylor, 11, know they are not safe around him. When Bull hurts their mother and sends her to the hospital, they decide to run away from Pittsburgh to find the father they haven’t seen in seven years. Taking Bull’s money and their dog, Cody, they embark on a dangerous journey to Wyoming with only clues from their father’s journal and letters to guide them. En route, they encounter wild animal attacks, extreme hunger, and dangerous weather conditions while constantly worried that Bull will catch up to them. The brothers’ relationship and the situations they face ring true, although some are resolved a bit too quickly and conveniently. The author’s own wilderness skills are evident, and the tips listed at the end of this debut are a nice addition. An exciting story of adventure and survival for fans of Will Hobbs and Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet (1987). - Copyright 2015 Booklist. Loading...
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