The Trail by Meika Hashimoto

The Trail by Meika Hashimoto is another RICBA Nominee for 2019. It is about a boy named Toby who is attempting to hike a section of the Appalachian Trail.... alone. He has run away from his grandmother and he knows she will be worried about him. He's frightened a lot of the time. There are bears in the woods and he feels bad luck seems to follow him wherever he goes. But, he is one determined boy. Can he succeed in accomplishing the goal he set with his best friend Lucas? Lucas, who should be hiking right along with him, but is not.

I love hiking and have traveled most of the trails in Rhode Island, so this book appealed to me. I like how Toby faces his fears when he is feeling completely overwhelmed, always trying to remember the rules of survival he learned from Lucas's father. I also enjoyed the characters Toby meets along the way, the other hikers, and a very hungry dog who needs a friend just as much as Toby does.

Review by Mrs. Castro

Dark Wing by Kenneth Oppel

Dusk and Carnassial are both main characters and bats in the book Dark Wing by Kenneth Oppel, which takes place in the time of the dinosaurs.  Dusk is the only one in his colony that can fly and the rest can’t. Carnassial is a traitor of the law and a traitor to peace among others, and a traitor to his colony. He massacred Dusk’s colony. Dusk’s mother did not survive the massacre, but his father survived with a broken wing.  They will have to leave the island and find a new home, but how will they do it?  The book is about an adventure and survival.  I would recommend this book.

Reviewed by FamilyGuyFan

The River by Gary Paulsen

Well, to make it short, we want you to do it again.”  These were the words spoken by Derek, a survival psychologist, to Brian Robeson.  When Derek says that, he means he wants Brian to go and survive in the woods again.  Anyone who loves survival shows and books should definitely read The River by Gary Paulsen, which is the sequel to Hatchet. The problem occurs when Brian tries to demonstrate his brave survival skills to Derek by going in the woods again.  After about a week of being there, Derek gets struck by lightning and is in a coma.  Also, the radio transmitter got struck!  Brian knows he can’t leave Derek to die so he comes up with a plan to go down the river on a raft to a trading post.  Will they make it to the trading post alive?

Reviewed by gymnast0421