Robert M. McClung (1916–2006)

This amazing story of a deer, shows how hard it is to grow up in a forest where wild cats and
hunters are. Spike, a young deer, makes friends with a boy who helps him survive the winter.
Robert M. McClung does a very good job on this dangerous, exciting and sweet story.

Slightly out of date, it's still a good look at the large animals either extinct or threatened with extinction. I would recommend this to an advanced middle school reader who is interested in biology.

“Shag: Last of the Plains Buffalo” by Robert M. McClung (1960) 96 pages. A recommended 5-star read by Goodread’s reader, Dan Porter, a favorite childhood book he first read around age 9-11 years.

Available to read FREE at Internet Archive:

https://archive.org/details/shag00mccl

You won’t find this great little classic for sale anywhere because it is out of print and out of circulation. It’s not even at my local library. Abebooks.com online had only “1” copy for sale at $700.00. show more So, consider yourself lucky if you still own your copy, and you better hang on to it.

The is a great little historical account centered on the plight of the buffalo in northwest Wyoming territory, from 1869-1884 (the end of large buffalo herds), told through the life of Shag for young kids.

True story! We were so blessed to see a large herd during one of our moves and travels while in the U.S. Coast Guard. In June 1993, we were driving through the Badlands, near Buffalo Gap, South Dakota, when we were stopped by a huge male leader buffalo. He walked into the center of the road and stopped, turning his head towards us. He stayed right there as a long line of buffalos crossed the road in single file. After the last one passed, he then fell in line behind the last buffalo and went on his way. Now, how awesome is that?

We had three little kids at the time, but can you believe they all three had just fallen asleep AND I didn’t even think to take pictures? show less

An excellent non-fiction book, well written and well illustrated.