Woods Runner

This historical fiction novel is a perfect selection for 5th grade boys. The mixed fiction and nonfiction format moves readers along quickly. It is a riveting story interspersed with background knowledge about the Revolutionary War period.

Samuel lives on the new frontier far away from the settlements in Pennsylvania. He has heard about the war that the colonists were fighting against the British, but he really doesn't feel that it will affect him. Sadly, one day as he is out hunting for a deer, his family's farm is set on fire and his parents are taken captive by the British and the Iroquois. Now, much to his surprise, he is he is involved. His quest begins to find and rescue his parents.

This book a is well written and accurate account about the American Revolutionary War. It is informative the way that Paulsen begins each chapter with an historical commentary telling more about the war. This adds another dimension to his historical fiction, providing more detail and explanation, while making his fictional account seem more real. As always, Paulsen's main male character is admirable and a great role model for a young boy. However, I would not think that a child younger than ten or eleven should read this, as it contains violent details about the war. Written for young adults, this is a book that can be enjoyed by young and old alike.

Paulsen writes to make the point that the American Revolution was not a "good war" in which everyone was led by the highest ideals or behaved as gentlemen - and this often overlooked.
However the book seems to dwell on atrocities to the detriment of the overall story.
He also places Hessian troops in frontier Pennsylvania prior to their landing in New York in 1776. The Hessians crossed New Jersey in the fall and winter of 1776 and were famously stopped at Trenton on Christmas of that year. The British and Hessian army only reaches Pennsylvania with the 1777 invasion that leads to the capture of Philadelphia.

Summary: Samuel is 13 and lives with his parents peacefully on the frontier in America. They live in a small settlement in a dirt floored cabin that backed up to the forest. Samuel loved the forest, he'd become the sole provider of food for the settlement and he enjoyed every minute he spent in the forest. They lived far from any town so that it took sometimes months before any news got to their ears, including the beginning of the war. It was not long after they'd heard about the war against the British that Samuel was out in the woods searching for deer that he noticed smoke coming from where his settlement was- way too much smoke. When he arrived he found destruction and death. All the cabins in his settlement were burnt down and bodies were everywhere; however, it seemed his parents were taken captive. It is now Samuel's only mission in life to track down and save his parents. On this adventure, he learns more about more about the horror of the war that America is now in.

What I Think: I love historical fiction! Well, good historical fiction and Woods Runner is good historical fiction. After first I was feeling so-so about the book, but then on page 20 the book becomes such a page turner. This book is only my 5 historical fiction book about the Revolutionary war, but it is the first that shows what happened from an American that live on the frontier. This book also showed me some of the side work the British army and its allies did. Being in war with someone and fighting them is one thing, but the British along with Iroquois Indians as well as the Hessians, the German fighters for Britain, were ruthless and often committed war crimes. This book is built to not only entertain you, but to teach you. Gary Paulsen puts snippets of historical information between chapters to help the reader understand more specifically what is going on in the book- I loved learning that little bit more!

Next to how much I loved the historical element of this novel, Gary Paulsen also crafts such an amazing survival adventure with a protagonist that anyone will root for.

My daughter is going into 4th grade and she wants to participate in Battle of the Books. I read the book first and had concerns about how graphic it is, but I let her read it anyway. I was right in my concern. She had a very hard time processing the graphic explanations of what was done to those killed. I am all for helping children understand war is horrible, but this book should be for slightly older readers. It is well written and keeps you wanting to read more, but the details are just too harsh for most children under 13. I strongly advise parents to read this book first. In other reviews I keep seeing YA which I assume is Young Adult, so I have to wonder why it is labeled as YA and it is being recommended for elementary students.

Gary Paulsen includes short informational snippets throughout the book that helps the reader understand the story line. This made the intense historical fiction story line easier to understand and connect to.

My students have LOVED this book. My boys, that hardly ever read, have devoured this book. Many of them checked the book out so they could read it at home! Now that they have mostly finished it, I told them that the author has written several other books with male protagonist and they immediately wanted to go see what else they could find. This doesn't happen on a daily basis with most fifth grade boys. This was a great read!

I enjoyed this short novel by Gary Paulsen. Reminds me a bit of The FIghting Ground by Avi. However, this book is fairly graphic in its portrayal of war (of course there is violence in war), and for that reason, adults may wish to preview the book to see if it is appropriate for their elementary aged students. I think 7th grade and up is fine, and I think many 5th & 6th graders would be okay with this, but Paulsen pulls no punches, especially early on. Great themes of perseverance, dedication, loyalty, friendship, and maturation. Also, I enjoyed the short non-fiction asides between chapters that helped explain what life was like during the Revolution. I did not feel this detracted from the story in any way--it merely added background knowledge. I rather like this technique!

In this exciting and fascinating story set during the Revolutionary War, we meet 13-year-old Samuel, whose love for the forest surrounding his family's farm combined with his talent for shooting game make him the major source of meat for his family and others in the small settlement in which he resides. Samuel's parents are not truly wilderness people even though they live in it. They have fled the city to live a quiet life on the farm, where they can work hard, contemplate big ideas, play music and read.

When the story begins, Samuel is tracking a deer deep in the quiet green forest. While following his prey, he remembers reading the paper a neighbor brought over the night before, giving the news of a battle in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, against British soldiers. That war seems far distant from Samuel's life on the rugged frontier, but it won't feel that way for long. By the time Samuel has traveled eight or so miles through the forest, he begins to have a feeling that something is wrong. That inkling is intensified when he sees smoke rising in the direction of his settlement. He must get home, but with nightfall coming on within an hour, he will have to race through the forest. The entire time he's running, Samuel dreads what he will find. Were his parents attacked while he wasn't around to protect them?

Samuel approaches his settlement with caution, worried that he might run into the attackers. But there is no one there...at least no one left alive. His heart breaks as he finds the bodies of his neighbors, brought low by tomahawks or clubs, amongst the ashes of what were once homes. He buries his friends as night falls over the ruins of the settlement. In the morning, he puts his tracking skills to use, which tell him that his parents and others have been kidnapped, dragged away by their assailants. He can tell that some of the attackers wore shoes, others had on moccasins, and two or three horses were with the attackers.

Samuel puzzles over the mystery of why his parents' lives were spared. But one thing he knows for sure: He must rescue his mother and father somehow. As he travels through the countryside, tracking their captors, Samuel sees sights that are devastating to him. Along the way, his talents are tried, he meets deadly enemies face to face, acquires a traveling companion and discovers unlikely friends. He must struggle against hunger, despair and hopelessness as he endures hardships during his quest.

The fictional story alternates with nonfiction pieces giving fascinating information about life in 1776, the Revolutionary War, common weapons used on the frontier and by soldiers of the day, how communication was carried across the frontier, and much more, allowing us a more substantial understanding of Samuel's world. The Revolutionary War, as author Gary Paulsen points out, is often regarded as dramatic, heroic and patriotic. While all these adjectives are accurate, it's easy to forget that, as in any other war, combat was horrible. During the eight years of the war, thousands of young soldiers were killed in battle while dozens of thousands died because of disease and infections. WOODS RUNNER, as an exciting adventure story coupled with enlightening historical facts, makes for a terrific read.

The year is 1776 and thirteen-year-old Samuel lives on the edge of the Pennsylvania woods with his Ma and Pa. They are living the simple life of farming settlers and while his Ma and Pa are not comfortable in the wilds of the woods they also do not enjoy the hustle and bustle of city life, so living on the edge of the woods suits them and allows Samuel the freedom and opportunity to delve into the woods, hunting and enjoying the embrace of nature. Samuel is a "Woods Runner" and is wholly and completely at home there. As Samuel hunts the woods for game one day, the Revolutionary War comes to his doorstep. Those living near his cabin are slaughtered and his parents are taken captive. Samuel buries and grieves for the dead but then uses his tracking skills to follow his parents' captors. Along the way, Samuel witnesses the brutality and devastation of war and meets several "heroes" who spend their time aiding the helpless victims of the war and who also help Samuel try to locate his parents. Told in Paulsen's sparse but powerful voice, peppered with facts about the Revolutionary War that add depth, Samuel's story is one of heartbreak and triumph. An excellent choice for middle school readers grades 6 to 8 and those interested in historic fiction.

Samuel lives on the frontier of the American colonies with his parents, but he much more prefers running and hunting in the woods than being even in the slightest form of civilization. One day, while hunting, British and Hessian soldiers attack his family and town, killing almost everyone and taking his parents hostage. Samuel tracks after them, witnessing the horrors of the Revolutionary War as other towns and people fall victim to the British. Paulsen, as always, is an engaging, exciting read (particularly for the difficult young male adolescent audience). His blend of history, survival, the horrors of war, the wilderness and civilization, and character makes this novel unique and powerful. As always, though, I do wish that there was more (more length and a bit more substance). The novel (and historical notes) create a new take on history, one that comes alive for students. Grade: A-

The author of the book Woods Runner, is Gary Paulsen. In this story 12 year old Samuel fought through lots of pain, being struck in the head by a Tomahawk, being crushed by a tree branch, and the pain of hunger all while trying to find his parents. Samuel and his parents live in Pennsylvania far away from the city. The British are invading his area and is always on alert with a .40-caliber Pennsylvania flintlock rifle that he carries around. His parents were captured by the British when he was away from his house and now he has to try and find his parents, which is like finding a needle in a haystack in his area of Pennsylvania.
Gary Paulsen wrote this book in a first person view of Samuel. This was very interesting because you would know all of the feelings that Samuel was experiencing in the book. The book would also have history facts after every chapter about the American Revolution which was the war that was going on during the timeframe. Samuel’s actions in this book were not very realistic. Samuel continued to make several sacrifices even when he was in severe pain. Samuel was also only twelve years old, therefore making it unrealistic to be hit in the head with a tomahawk and walk away from the event.
The readers who read this book will enjoy this book if they are interested in a survival story and history. This book will teach you a lot about what is happening in the American Revolution War and some of the difficult tasks families had to deal with. In conclusion of this book, it is a very action packed survival story and always leaves the reader on the edge of his seat after every single chapter.

Woods Runner, Gary Paulsen's latest novel, has what readers love about the famed author: the adventure, nature, and fast-paced narrative. This one has something more - the grittiness of the Revolutionary War - as seen through the eyes of 12-year-old Samuel, along with a unique style of presentation.

The story begins as most classic Paulsen's do, in the woods, and quickly segues into the encroaching war. In an effort to set the historical context, Paulsen augments the third-person omniscient chapters with short notes (one to two page) to help the reader understand the historical context of the story.

Paulsen's arrangement of alternating fiction and non-fiction is like having a friendly history teacher giving you short bursts of pertinent information while you are reading. The inclusion of the historical context is why this book is perfect for literature circles or a class read-aloud. At only 161 pages, the book is written for ages twelve and up. The depiction of war and how impacts both soldiers and local families is realistic and somewhat graphic, so squeamish people might squirm. The descriptions are not gratuitous or over-the-top, however, and add to the authenticity of Paulsen's writing.

In New York State, 7th grade students study American history, so WOODS RUNNER would be a great offering for students who like action and read at a normal reading level. It also could be supplemental reading for an older student who has a lower reading level. If you are a teacher or librarian, make sure you add this one to your mix! Parents, if your child loves this popular author or gritty historical fiction, make sure to add it to your gift list. As an added bonus, an author study kit will be available through the publisher Wendy Lamb Books, a division of Random House.

Samuel, a thirteen year old boy, lives on the frontier of
Pennsylvania with his parents. One day, Samuel was out
hunting and he saw smoke above the trees about where his
village was located. He thought it was his neighbor, but he
thought wrong. It was a group of attackers. They had burned
down every cabin in his settlement plus more. They had
killed everyone, except a few prisoners, including his
parents. Samuel is terrified as he tries to find his
parents. Once he catches up to them, a very small war
starts and it is right in between him and his parents. He
was hit in the head by a tomahawk, a small axe, and fell
suddenly to the ground. Six to seven days later, he wakes
up with a group of Indians. They said they would take him
to New York to find his parents. When he grows stronger,
the Indians are too slow for him, so he tells Coop, the
Indian that saved his life, that he was going ahead of them
by himself. As he travels, he meets Annie and her family.
He goes through many adventures on his way to save his
parents. Will he be able to save his them in time? Read
Woods Runner to find out.

This book was very well written. Once I got into a good
part, I simply couldn't put it down. I loved this book, but
there was one thing I didn't like about it and that was
there is always someone dying. Other than that, this book
was amazing. I like the action and how there was never a
time when there wasn't action going on in it.

Reviewed by a young adult student reviewer
Flamingnet Book Reviews
[...]

Gold Star Award Winner!

In WOODS RUNNER, Gary Paulsen takes readers inside the American Revolution. It is not the history book version, but instead, the story of one young boy's fight to survive and save his parents.

Thirteen-year-old Samuel loves the woods. He spends his time exploring the forest and hunting for game to feed his family. One day while in the woods, Samuel sees black smoke in the distance. The longer he watches the smoke, the more uncomfortable he feels.

He heads for home, but when he arrives, he discovers his house and all of the other buildings in his small settlement burned to the ground. As he searches for survivors, he finds casualties, but his parents are not among them. He stays long enough to bury those who were killed, and then he heads off in search of his parents.

Samuel travels cautiously. He keeps to the brush and ducks for cover whenever he hears a noise. As he follows the trail of the Redcoats, he hears news about how they are traveling toward New York, where most prisoners are being held. His goal is to get there, too, and rescue his mother and father.

Along the way, Samuel witnesses horrible scenes of death and destruction. He is badly injured in one attack, but thanks to the help of strangers, he recovers enough to continue his journey. Other strangers also step in and lend a helping hand as Samuel heads east.

Gary Paulsen not only tells Samuel's adventurous tale, but he also inserts factual information telling about the British, the Colonists, and others involved in this tumultuous time in history. WOODS RUNNER is definitely not your typical, boring historical recap. There is action, suspense, and touching moments about what it was like to live and die during the American Revolution.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

Gary Paulsen's novel, Woods Runner, is an exciting, fast-paced novel based on the tragedy of the Revolutionary War. It takes you deep into the woods of western Pennsylvania. It shows you how the life of a typical 12 year old boy quickly went from digging in the dirt one day, to dealing with the horrible reality of war the next day.
When Samuel Smith was 12 years old, his family moved to the wilderness to live a simple life. He learned about self-preservation in order to survive in the forest. He learned to be very skilled with his .40-calliber rifle and hunting knife and was the sole provider of food for his family and neighbors. One evening when Samuel was 13 and out in the woods hunting, he smelled smoke. He ran home to find his house burnt, his neighbors killed, and his parents taken captive by the English and their Indian allies. He uses his wilderness skills and sets off on a journey, showing extreme courage and many sacrifices endangering his own life, against the most powerful military in the world to find his parents.
This novel is thrilling, shocking, informative, and hopeful at the same time. Paulsen alternates back and forth from fiction to non-fiction using essays to give facts about life during the Revolutionary War. He addresses the issues of disease and sanitation, showing how war is not clean, how it killed a huge number of our nation's young men, as did Vietnam and World War I. He showed how the Independence War was hard won, paid for with the blood of innocent and very young people, and how too many lives were lost or destroyed during these battles.
Paulsen also uses sight, sound, and scent that bring anticipation of action to the reader. On Samuel's journey, he encountered some Indian and British soldiers who hit him on the head with a tomahawk and left him for dead. A man named Coup, who escaped the Indians and Redcoats, attended to Samuel. After recovering, Samuel set out again to search for his parents. He came upon another family who was destroyed by the enemy except for an 8 year old girl, named Annie, that Samuel took under his wing. During their journey, Paulsen dives into the gritty horror of wars when Samuel runs from body to body, horribly mutilated adults and children, failing to find what he was dreading, his parents. Along their way, they finally met a patriot named Abner, who was pretending to be a vendor with a wagon full of goods. Abner had contacts whom informed Samuel that the prisoners were being held by the British headquarters in New York City. With Abner's help, Samuel and Annie were able to rescue his mother and father. Samuel's parents accepted Annie as their own, and they eventually managed to get back to Pennsylvania to get back to the life they desired.
Woods Runner not only excites and entertains, but it makes the readers pause and think about the price of war. Paulsen wrote this novel to show how the Revolutionary War was to be seen in its reality. There are some touching moments about what it was like to live and die during the American Revolution. Although some parts can be realistic and somewhat graphic, this novel is a must read!

Reviewed by: Chase Bardes

A quick read that will appeal to reluctant readers, historical buffs, fans of war and suspense novels, and fans of Gary Paulsen's other books.

The year is 1776, in west Pennsylvania, Samuel is 13, but already providing for his family through his hunting skills. British troops attack his town, and kidnap his parents, and Samuel is determined to fin them. Paulsen gives us short historical asides between chapters which help flesh out the context for the reader. It's a harsh war book, more about a family caught in middle of a conflict than about the high ideals of the revolution.

The Woods Runner is a beautifully written novel about a 13 year old boy named Samuel who lives in a village (In New England, America) with his family during the American Revolution. One day when he is out in the woods his family gets captured and sent to New York by the British Soldiers. On his quest to find his family, he makes a lot of friends who help him track and rescue his family. I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure types of books. Another great feature this book has is that it explains the tactics, weapons, and types of soldiers used in the Revolution at the end of every chapter. I definitely loved this book and even if you are not an "adventure book" type of person you should still try this book out!
Bardia 2016, Ms.Gorlin D block.

The story was good and the plot moves along sharply. However, the story could have been fleshed out a little more. The story moves along a little too quickly at the expense of a more detailed and nuanced story. What could have been a great book ended up as merely a good book.

Outstanding! A very different account of the Revolutionary War where the narrative is interspersed with factual information - much of which was new to me! My sixth grade students insisted that I read it, and I'm so glad they did! Great for reluctant readers, YA survivalist novel fans or American Revolution buffs.

After spending the past 30 years researching, writing and doing school presentations on the Revolutionary War, I always have mixed feelings when I learn about a newly published YA novel on this subject - I look forward to reading it, but am apprehensive it will be full of historical inaccuracies. I am also hard to please. I consider Johnny Tremain too slow, April Morning too philosophical, My Brother Sam is Dead too depressing, and Octavian Nothing much, much too difficult for young readers.
I recommend L.M. Elliott's Give Me Liberty for how it shows how political events on the eve of the war impact ordinary Virginians. Also, Ann Rinaldi's The Fifth of March for her excellent portrayal of life in 1770 British army occupied Boston, with a nice love story thrown in. As for stories showing how inexperienced teenage soldiers cope with their first battle, I have yet to see any book as good as my own two, Patriots and Gone to Meet the British.
Now I'm adding WOODS RUNNER to this short "recommended" list. It has all the elements I consider essential to a good children's novel: a main character the reader can identify with, and it's exciting, suspenseful, fast paced and easy to read. Gary Paulsen's description of how Samuel uses his woods skills is right on, as well as the boy's feelings and thoughts. The story is believable, and I read it straight through to see how the conflict was resolved.
However, nearly every chapter had an extra page or two after it where Paulsen provided historical context info that took me out of the moment; those pages would have been better placed in a lengthy Afterword. I suspect this book will be around for a few decades.
If Mr. Paulsen is reading this, please consider these corrections before the next edition: On page 26, the bayonet should be 16" not 3'. Page 91 refers to New York City, but it was just called New York in 1776. Page 122 refers to the Hudson River, which was called the North River then. Perhaps mention both names? Page 127 refers to British soldiers carrying bayonetted rifles; no such thing, they were muskets. And, on page 127, the boy "worked his way up to Boston and joined Morgan's Rifles." Daniel Morgan was not in Boston in 1776, nor in 1777. In 1777, he was released from captivity in Quebec & rejoined Washington's army in Philadelphia. - Gregory Edgar, Somers, CT

This book is very detailed and well written so it puts a picture in your mind about what you read. But I think it can be a little more dialogue and figurative language. Also the ending could have been stronger. All in all it was a very good book.

I chose this rating because Samuel was being selfless by helping to find his parents in war as prisoners of the British. I have already read this book at school but I love it so much I wanted to read it again. Thank You Gary Paulson! If you can, can you make a movie about this?