On the Far Side of the Mountain
by Jean Craighead George
In her sequel to My Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George opens with 16 year old Sam Gribley’s falcon, Frightful, being confiscated by a conservation officer. On top of that, his 14 year old sister, Alice, who joined him in his wilderness home has disappeared. Sam must leave his home in order to find Alice, and in the process, discovers a dark secret in the Catskill mountains he calls home.
Alice is a budding engineer, and has built herself a tree house home in the fashion of the local native tribes. She built a plumping mill to smash acorns, and has plans to bring electricity to their homes with a water mill. After she disappears, Sam finds his first clue as to her whereabouts in a compass she made from a stick and two rocks. The siblings also create their own barometer using a rubber glove and a jar, a trick I’m planning on bringing to my classroom when we study weather.
I love strong, smart female characters in books I recommend to my students, and Alice certainly is a strong, smart female. She makes a plan, researches in the library, and then puts her plans into action. This book would be a wonderful addition to any STEM based classroom and library.
I would recommend this book to upper elementary readers, and middle school readers. The Lexile level is 760 and the F&P Guided Reading level is V.
Mrs. Hudson Reads 