Walk the Wild Road is an adventure story with a heart. Leo always wants to do the right thing, but hunger and exposure sometimes compel him to steal food and sneak lodging. He meets people who are kind beyond his expectations, and others who are cruel without reason. He learns that hardship is easier to face in the company of a friend, and he never gives up hope for a better future. Hinton does a nice job transferring this story from family lore to a tale that will resonate with teen boys and girls.

Walk the Wild Road is a middle grade historical adventure set in 1870 Prussia (now Poland) during the on set of war with France and follows one young boy's incredible quest to reach America. While a work of fiction, the novel was inspired by how the author's own grandfather made his way to the United States.

Leo is a very shy, yet caring and courageous young character who has to rely heavily on his likability and sweet face to get food and shelter as he travels across Prussia. The things he has to endure while traveling are truly heart-breaking, from being beaten, to illness and almost death. It's hard for me to even imagine any 12 year old boy from today surviving what Leo goes through. His most remarkable trait is that despite everything he goes through, Leo holds on to the hope of a better life for himself and the family he had to leave behind.

I found the pacing of the novel to be quite slow. This made the beginning a real struggle for me to get through. However, once Leo meets Tomasz I felt the story really picked up. I thought the very short chapters helped keep a rhythm, fluidity and real sense of tension to the story that might have gotten lost with longer ones.

I really enjoyed the friendship between Leo and Tomasz because they helped keep each others spirits up and balance each other out. Tomasz is a very upbeat and outgoing character which helps to bring Leo out of his shell. He's also a fast talker, weaving elaborate stories very easily, in the hopes of finding him and Leo jobs, food and places to stay. While each boy's life is vastly different from the young boys of today, I still think they're easy to relate to. Neither one is perfect and both make bad decision but they're dreams of a better life are real and encouraging.

The historical backdrop of the oncoming war was quite fascinating and added a deeper sense of danger. Also great detail is given to the poverty, religious tension and desperation of the citizens of Prussia during the late 1800's making you fully understand why Leo and Tomasz would seek to leave it behind and travel to America. Although the novel doesn't have a perfect ending, its still a very good one and fits very well into the overall theme of hope which runs throughout the story.

While the slower pace of the novel was a struggle for me at times, I still really enjoyed the characters and historical aspects of the book. I think Walk the Wild Road would be a perfect fit for boys who enjoy reading middle grade adventure or historical fiction books. As well as for adults who like those same genres. ( )