81 pages • 2 hours read
Jean Craighead GeorgeMy Side of the Mountain
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1959A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George follows Sam Gribley, a boy who leaves his crowded New York apartment to live off the land in the Catskill Mountains. Narrated through Sam's journal, the book details his challenges and triumphs in nature, including building a tree house, training a falcon named Frightful, befriending animals, and learning self-sufficiency.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Jean Craighead George’s My Side of the Mountain is praised for its engaging portrayal of wilderness survival and coming-of-age themes. Readers appreciate the vivid descriptions and resourceful protagonist. However, some find the plot slow-moving and the depiction of survival somewhat idealized. Overall, it’s valued for its immersive, nature-centric story.
Who Should Read My Side of the Mountain?
Readers who enjoy My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George typically relish nature, adventure, and self-sufficiency. Fans of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen or Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell will appreciate its themes of wilderness survival and coming-of-age. Suitable for middle-grade to young adult readers, it captivates outdoor enthusiasts and independents alike.
RecommendedReading Age
8-12yearsLexile Level
810L