Jean Craighead George (1919–2012)

Sam Gribley runs away from his family in New York City to live in the wilderness. He is well versed in how to manage survival in the woods, and with very few errors succeeds quite well, living over a year completely on his own. Apart from this, there is not much of a plot. Sam explains how he survives. In spite of the fact that not much happens, George's writing is engaging enough that book is never boring.
That said, I was quite bothered that he is running away form a seemingly loving family, with no reason other than a desire to survive on his own. Sam says nothing throughout the entire book to either suggest a reason he wanted to leave his family, or to hint that he is missing them at all. The last chapter touches on this a little, but this complete lack of expression of love for his family or his family's love for him pulls this down to a three-star rating for me.… (meer)