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My Side of the Mountain  By  cover art

My Side of the Mountain

By: Jean Craighead George
Narrated by: Michael Crouch
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Publisher's summary

Sam Gribley is terribly unhappy living in New York City with his family, so he runs away to the Catskill Mountains to live in the woods - all by himself. With only a penknife, a ball of cord, 40 dollars, and some flint and steel, he intends to survive on his own. Sam learns about courage, danger, and independence during his year in the wilderness, a year that changes his life forever.

©2017 Jean Craighead George (P)2017 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"How wonderful that this 1959 classic is now an audiobook. Narrator Michael Crouch introduces...New York City resident Sam Gribley as he relocates to the Catskill Mountains with only a pocketknife, a rope, $40, and a fire starter. Crouch deftly embraces the speech patterns and vocabulary of the day, and warmly describes the atmospheric setting. Since Sam is usually alone, there's little dialogue, but his thoughts and endearing conversations with the wildlife he meets sound genuine. Listeners will particularly enjoy sharing time with Frightful, the young peregrine falcon Sam adopts and trains to retrieve food. It's inspiring to hear how Sam adapts to nature and uses it to clothe, warm, and feed himself and his menagerie. Vivid descriptions of the seasons, storms, and animals offer a constant 'you are there' feel." (AudioFile magazine)

"Should appeal to all rugged individualists who dream of escape to the forest." (The New York Times Book Review

"An extraordinary book.... It will be read year after year." (The Horn Book

What listeners love about My Side of the Mountain

Average customer ratings
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    5 out of 5 stars
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my favorite book as a kid

this book brought back a lot of great memories from when I was a kid

14 people found this helpful

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Amazing

The preformance of this book is fantastic, it really feels like Sam is real and really telling you his story. This book was one of the highlights of the things I read in my childhood; I didn't think that there could be a version any better than my memory. I was pleasantly mistaken!

14 people found this helpful

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Great overall

This book was great overall. The narrator was calm and relaxing to listen too and the story was exciting and compelling. The only thing I wish was a bit better was the ending. It was kind of abrupt in my opinion. Overall great book that I would definitely recommend.

11 people found this helpful

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loved it!

perfect for a 6-15 year old. my 11 and 7 year old love it. they want to live in the woods now.

9 people found this helpful

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Blast from the past

My mother gave me this book when I was young, maybe about the same age as the head character. I gave the same book to my son at the same age... It is a wonderful book and well worth giving (as a real book or audio) for any of your outdoors loving kids, friends or loved ones! Highly recommended by me!

8 people found this helpful

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My side of the mountain review.

I enjoyed my side of the mountain because, many times I have want to run away from home and live like Sam did.
This is been the second time that I read this book. Every time it gets better and better.
I love nature and I love reading.

8 people found this helpful

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Still read this again 45 years later!

Young or old, if you like the outdoors and adventure this is a great book. I still like hearing it again when I'm not getting enough hiking time in, every kids adventure (at least from my point of view).

4 people found this helpful

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buy this story it's amazing

this a good 12 and up story it's amazing and cool and adventurous and survivalist story

4 people found this helpful

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The classic, beautifully read.

As great as you remember, and wonderfully read. It's also a tragedy, which I'd forgotten.

4 people found this helpful

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Beautiful!

This is a gorgeous book that will inspire you to the point that you too will feel like running out into the wild and living in a tree. I have read it twice now and each time I have asked my friends to comes make gourmet mushroom and berry dinners with me.

3 people found this helpful

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  • J
  • 10-02-19

Amazing book

Wonderful absolutely wonderful this is a must read a amazing must read book you need to read

2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • D. Duggan
  • 05-22-23

Great taste.

I like the texture of the book it swirls around in my mouth.
The pages taste like edible gold.
The cover is a little bit chewy but other than that the book is very delicious!

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 12-01-22

Really good

A m a z I n g r e a l l y g o o d b o o k

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  • Catherine Byron
  • 08-07-21

I enjoyed the story.

I enjoyed the story, but was a bit dissappointed by the ending.
I would have given it 5 stars but the ending lots that one star for me.
greatbfor all ages that enjoy adventure stories.

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 07-15-23

Beautiful kids adventure

Loved this runaway story as a young boy and such a joy to listen to as an adult.

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  • Kaelem
  • 09-04-22

A good story for young and old alike.

The thing I liked most is the finding of freedom and close observation of nature. Despite the fact it is about running away from home to find adventure there is a strong emphasis on learning through both reading and observation.

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  • Jersey Girl
  • 10-26-20

great listen

I was looking for something different to listen to and I found it in this book. An underage boy leaves home to go live in the forest on his family's abandoned property. He makes a home in a tree and learns to live on the land. He also befriends a falcon who helps him hunt for food. I'm a vegetarian and thought I would be too opposed to the hunting for food aspect, but it was okay. I kept wanting to listen and find out what would happen next. It was very well written and the narrator did a good job also.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • naomi white
  • 08-30-20

Just listened to this with my kids. we LOVED it!

Beautiful book! originally read this 30 years ago and now listening to it with my kids!