Arthur Roth (1926–1993)

[Avalanche] is a survival story aimed at children in about the 10 to 12 age range with a 14 year old hero. Chris has a day off from school and goes cross-country skiing taking his twenty-two along. After bagging some grouse, Chris to decides to go further from home than usual and try to make Hidden Lake further up in the mountains before heading back. On the way he spots a coyote and decides to try for it but this time the crack of the rifle sets off an avalanche burying Chris. The story is show more about how Chris survived for a week trapped in the snow and it is also about the thinking he did during that time about his relationships with the members of his family.

At the time I was reading this story it rang true and I didn't really notice that it was a bit dated (It was published in 1979.) until I had finished. Some children might take issue with the lack of cell phones, etc. but many would appreciate the old fashioned adventure story and cheer Chris on as he survives another day. show less

[Avalanche] is a survival story aimed at children in about the 10 to 12 age range with a 14 year old hero. Chris has a day off from school and goes cross-country skiing taking his twenty-two along. After bagging some grouse, Chris to decides to go further from home than usual and try to make Hidden Lake further up in the mountains before heading back. On the way he spots a coyote and decides to try for it but this time the crack of the rifle sets off an avalanche burying Chris. The story is show more about how Chris survived for a week trapped in the snow and it is also about the thinking he did during that time about his relationships with the members of his family.

At the time I was reading this story it rang true and I didn't really notice that it was a bit dated (It was published in 1979.) until I had finished. Some children might take issue with the lack of cell phones, etc. but many would appreciate the old fashioned adventure story and cheer Chris on as he survives another day.

Tricia show less

Based on a true incident, this is a fine adventure story describing survival against all odds, the growth of a young man into adulthood, and the friendship of a tame polar bear. In 1757, Allan Gordon was a young sailor on the whaleship the Anne Forbes. When it struck an iceberg in the Arctic and overturned, Allan was the only survivor. He faced freezing temperatures, injuries, starvation and overwhelming loneliness. Allan almost lost his will to continue struggling to live. But then he show more adopted an orphaned polar bear cub (having killed its mother for meat) and caring for it gave him a feeling of purpose and companionship. Allan shouldered aside his fears and found ways to survive on his floating iceberg prison. Seven years after disappearance of the Anne Forbes, Allan Gordon finally returned to Aberdeen. Hardly anyone believed his story. Many of the details Allan gave of his experience contradicted popular beliefs of the time about the Arctic. Yet as the author points out in his final chapter, when more was learned about those regions, a lot of the things Allan described were later proven to be quite possibly true.


from The Dog Ear Diary show less

It's been too long since I've read this to remember many details, but I remember finding it fascinating and interesting. The pacing was decent and the atmosphere strong. Liked the main character.