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AIBU?

To ask for ideas for children's literature about living in the wilderness

114 replies

Ohyesiam · 14/11/2017 20:04

It's all my 10 yo ds talks about.
Living in a log cabin, hunting animals, gathering plants, using roots to dye cloth.

He's into books, and has no idea what he wants for Christmas, so I'm wanting to source a books about his passion.
Novels and non fiction, but he has the SAS survival guide.

I will get him the Little House series( Laura Ingles), but I'd like to find something with a male protagonist too.

TIA

OP posts:
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FreeButtonBee · 14/11/2017 20:12

The far side of the mountain!!! Loved this book as a child.

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OwlKiss · 14/11/2017 20:14

A Rutgers Van der Loeff: "Children of the Oregon Trail"
and also "Avalanche" by the same author he might like.

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OwlKiss · 14/11/2017 20:17

My 10 year old also loves the Willard Price adventure books. They are a little outdated now tbh, but exciting, and maybe along the right lines for your DS.

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TooGood2BeFalse · 14/11/2017 20:19

Children Of The New Forest

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Acopyofacopy · 14/11/2017 20:19

Into that Forest by Louis Nowra

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Noofly · 14/11/2017 20:20

My Side of the Mountain (not sure if that’s what the PP meant or if there is another similar)! Best book ever. As a child, I used to go into the woods next to our house and pretend I lived in a tree trunk as well. Grin

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temporaryname99 · 14/11/2017 20:27

Wildwood by Colin Meloy. He's in the Decemberists! But good book, says DD.
And The Wolf Wilder, can't remember author.

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Lucked · 14/11/2017 20:27

Oh my god Children of The Oregon Trail was one of my favourites but s bit harrowing.

Bear Grylls has kids books but they might be too young.

I found this list

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ILoveDolly · 14/11/2017 20:29

There's a book by Astrid Lundgrun called Ronja the Robbers Daughter. In the book the female protagonist and her best mate (who is also the son of the rival robber Baron) run away to live in a cave. It's a bit medieval with mythical creatures but very much about living in the wilderness.

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SometimesMaybe · 14/11/2017 20:31

Walkabout? He might be a bit young but it’s an amazing book about the Outback.

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Silvertap · 14/11/2017 20:31

Children of the new forest

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HarrietVane99 · 14/11/2017 20:38

Not quite wilderness, but what about Arthur Ransome? There's a lot of camping, and they are quite self sufficient. And the locations are (mostly) real, so he can look them up on Google Earth.

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mstrotwood · 14/11/2017 20:40

Call of the Wild by Jack London.

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moggle · 14/11/2017 20:41

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Never really seen it here although it's on Amazon. I read it when I was an older kid (10-12) living in the USA where it was on all the recommended reading lists. Just be warned the kid ends up in the wilderness due to a plane crash, I know that might upset some children.

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Skatingmama · 14/11/2017 20:41

My side of the mountain - amazing
Children of the new Forrest
Arthur Ransom

Think these have all been mentioned but y y

Hobbit - has a lot of living on the road from your wits

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Skatingmama · 14/11/2017 20:42

Yy to call if the wild too

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lolfun · 14/11/2017 20:42

Kensuke'a Kingdom is good. It's about a boy getting shipwrecked and surviving on an island.

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tinytemper66 · 14/11/2017 20:43

I was about to say Hatchet. I taught it once and I loved it. Sadly no other school I have worked in had any copies.

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Tinuviel · 14/11/2017 20:43

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare - set in Maine 12 year old Matt must survive on his own in their cabin until his father returns. (He's gone to collect his wife and new baby.)

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell - 12 year old Karana escapes death at the hands of treacherous hunters only to find herself alone on a harsh and desolate island.

I hope they are more cheerful than they sound!! DS1 read them and enjoyed them.

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BikeRunSki · 14/11/2017 20:44

Lord of the Flies 😉

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ShinyMe · 14/11/2017 20:47

I came in to say the Little House ones. It is a girl protagonist, but Laura (especially in the early books) is very funny and there's lots about her helping Pa build stables and watching him butchering pigs or the time the bear tried to eat the horse, or about the wolves surrounding the house. Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie are the most 'wild' - after that they get a bit more settled. OOOH though, I just remembered! you need Laura Ingalls' book Farmer Boy, which is about her husband Almanzo's childhood. Lots of stories of naughty little boys getting lost in the forest, being scared of owls, taming wild horses, accidentally catching a pig on their sledge, that kind of thing.

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AuntieBeast · 14/11/2017 20:48

The book "Farmer Boy" in the Laura Ingalls series has a male protagonist.

Classic suggestion would be "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George. I believe there's a sequel as well.

"Hatchet" by Paulsen is an outdoor survival story.

When my son was a little older, he loved "Kon-Tiki."

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bridgetreilly · 14/11/2017 20:49

Robinson Crusoe!

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Dragonglass · 14/11/2017 20:52

Another suggestion for the Willard Price adventure books. I loved them as a child and my sons emjoyed them too.

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Stompythedinosaur · 14/11/2017 20:56

I came on to recommend My Side of the Mountain and Ronia the Robbers Daughter, but I see other people have got there first! Fab books!

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