I think the book "My Life in Dog" years by Gary Paulsen was a very good book. He used great imagery and use many thing that the reader could relate toin their life. He uses it by telling stories about dogs. Everyone, or almost everyone in their life has had a dog. In his stories about the dogs that he has owned or the ones that have just come to him for companionship. I especially like the story about Ike how he had the little twist at the end when he met the dog owner so many years later. I really like the easy reading and the length of the book, but in the short book there is just as more description and qualities in this as one that is five hundred pages. I recommend this book to anyone of all ages in was a great book.

This is the best book ever. Gary Paulsen explains his life and how much he loves dogs, also he tells how many tears and how much laughter they went though. I highly request you read this book, it is great and was always interesting.

Gary Paulsen has owned many great dogs over the years, and each dog has its own special characteristics and abilities, in their own special way. Throughout the book, different dogs help, protect, and make Paulsen laugh during his bad times. Among some of the dogs were Cookie, the sled dog who saved his life; Snowball his favorite friend that he owned as a little boy in the Philippines; Ike, his mysterious hunting dog, who would never follow Paulsen home. Instead he would wait until the next day when Paulsen went to hunt, and he would be right by his side. One of my favorite parts of the book was the little twist about where Ike was always going, and why he didn't follow Paulsen home. Dirk was Paulsens K-9 bodyguard. Although he was small, don't let him fool you, he would take on any challenge that would lye in his path. Josh is a brilliant Border collie that Paulsen still owns to this day. Josh was more human than dog. When Paulsen would talk to him, he would not only listen, but in a way he would talk back. Josh has great talent, and is always watching out for everyone. My Life in Dog Years is definitely a five-star book. Paulsen used great imagery that you can relate to in your own life experiences. It was the perfect length book, that was not to long, not too short. It was a very detailed book that made you want to keep reading until you were finished. This book will make you laugh and make you cry. My favorite dog was probably Josh because of how smart he is, and how fast that learns things. All of the dogs were great companions, and had a close relationship with Paulsen. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves dogs, or is just looking for a good read.

At the beginning of this book Francis Tucket gets captured by Pawnee Indians and thinks that he will never get see his family again. But then Mr. Grimes, a mountain man with one arm comes and helps Francis escape from the Indians. Mr. Grimes taught Francis how to live as a mountain man. I liked this book because it is the most adventurous book that I have read in a long time. I think that author was trying to that if you learn to solve your problems it will help you become a man.

In the book, Mr. Tucket, Francis Tucket is on the Oregon Trail with his friends and family. For his birthday, his dad gets him a Lancaster rifle. Later Francis stays back a bit to try it out. When he does, Pawnees capture him. When Francis arrives, he meets a mountain man named Jason Grimes who helps him escape. If you like action or adventure stories, you would like this book by Gary Paulsen.

This is an excellent book! If you like adventure books this is THE best one I have ever read. It 's about a 14 year old boy named Francis Tucket who is on the Oregon Trail and his father gives him a rifle and he doesn't notice he is being left behind. The Pawnee Indians captured him and took him into the Pawnee camp. A mountain man named Mr. Grimes tells Francis to run away at night on a horse at the creek. Is Mr. Grimes good or evil? What happens to Francis? Read the book to find out!

This book is about a blond thirteen year old named Cody that lived somewhere in the late 21st century. America has fallen to the the Germans. Tricked by their kindness for free money. People are now trapped in jails throughout the whole nation. Cody escaped the prison and meets with a secret (last defense) against the Germans...
What I like about this book is that it's very exciting and filled with adventure. It gives you the feeling for you to keep on reading.
My favorite part of the book was when Cody forced a (German) General to take off all his clothes and lock himself in a cell. It was very funny. I couldn't stop laughing. This was one of the most exciting book I have ever read in my life.

...

A fourteen-year-old boy, Cody Pierce, is living in 2057 with nothing to lose. In his time the United States has been almost completely taken over by a faction group called the CCR (Confederation of Consolidated Republics). He is had been living in an internment camp for children for 18 months and was very well trusted by his superiors. Little did the adults know that Cody was really planning to make an escape with another prisoner, which was part of the remaining American Rebels. So Cody and the other prisoner, Toni, make there way across the wasteland left of US soil toward the American Rebels base. When they arrive the leader of the Americans doesn't think Cody is ready for combat, big mistake. Cody then is captured once again only this time by a sub group of the rebels. The sub group is headed by one of Cody's old friends before the takeover, Franklin. Does Cody stop the CCR? You'll have to read it to find out!

This book had a very well constructed plot personally. The way that Paulsen lets the reader get such a realistic sense is just to me well thought out. Also I think that the personality that Paulsen has created for Cody is just ingenious for this scenario. The fact that Cody is a fast learner, quick at making decisions, and someone who just wouldn't give up in any situation. For example when Toni teaches Cody how to fly the plane she says (pg. 81) " I'm impressed, Cody. You're a quick learner". This kind of personality helps the reader also to guessing what would happen if the book were to continue. I also enjoyed the suspense of Cody always mentioning that he had a serious score to settle with the CCR. The whole time I just couldn't put it down because I always wanted to know what happens next with Cody and regaining back the United States.

This was an awesome book. I think it was one of Paulsen's best because it was unlike the usual Paulsen novel (realistic, slightly boring at some parts, etc, etc, and so forth.) Don't get me wrong, because I like Paulsen's other books it's just that they don't have the same action-filled, exciting, combat and adventure scenes.
The story takes place about 50 years in the future when the CCR takes over the U.S.A. There is still a rebellion that is made up of a few small pockets of the U.S. army. Cody, a slave kid in a prison camp escapes, while rescuing a U.S. pilot, who was shot down and captured. Cody travels with the pilot back to a U.S. army base, using his expertise of survival skills (hiding, using weapons, picking locks, etc.) to get there. Once there, he finds out that the rebels are stronger than he and the CCR thought.
Cody has only been there for a few hours before he decides to return to the prison camp, rescuing the other children, and getting them safely to the base.
On the way back, he meets kind friends and terrible foes. There are terrific triumphs, but also great tragedies. I really liked the "CCR" small troops, who pretend to be with the CCR, but are really American spies. I also loved how smart and clever Cody was and how he could think up extrodinary plans against the CCR. The end is really cool too. It's also great how Cody has a small arsenal that he carries around with him (machine guns, grenades, grenade launcher, rocket launcher, a super awesome laser gun, etc.) It's really cool how one fourteen year old kid can take on three dozen CCR troops with guns, using suprise and karate.
So basically, this book is really, really awesome. I read it in two days. I wish that Gary Paulsen writes a sequel, it's that good. This is a great book, maybe one of the best I've ever read. Just read it. I guarantee that you will love it!!!!!!

...I read this book last year and it was so interesting that I still remember it today. The story was about a young boy named Carl and his cousin. They get lost in the wilderness and there is a storm moving in, along with that it is getting dark. They were getting desperate when they found a hidden shack in the woods with smoke coming out of the chimney. This story kept me guessing throughout the story. Then this young boy and his cousin went home the next morning. Then his cousin went back to see the man. I thought that was kind of dumb because how many young boys would go back in the middle of no wear and go to this house were a scary man lives.

This is the best book I have read for awhile. It tells about Carl and his cousin taking a journey through the woods. They were after a fox. They get lost on the way home and a storm is coming. They find a shack and knock on the door. The foxman answered the door and the boys seen his hideous face before he could grab his mask. The boys leave the next mourning but Carl's cousin keeps going back to find out more about the foxman. What I enjoyed most about the book was the author kept, well, when I was tired of reading I didn't want to put the book down. This is a great book. You have to read it.

A fifteen-year-old boy has been putting up with the hazards of his drunken parents for some time now. After a certain event happens as a result of them being drunk, the boy is ordered by the court to go live with his family in the cold woods of Minnesota until he can come back home.

While staying with his new family, the boy will see what it's like to do some pretty tough chores, he'll hear many unfunny war stories, and try to fit in with the people he now has to share a house with. But all of those things pale in comparison to meeting and befriending the Foxman. This 'Foxman' isn't your typical, everyday person; something bad happened to him years ago, and he doesn't choose to be anywhere near society, but there's something about the boy's company that changes him.

"The Foxman" is a GRIPPING story, to say the least! The author, Gary Paulsen has had countless experiences of what it's like to live in the north amongst the woods and wildlife, and you can definitely see it when you read many of his books. I must say, it is beyond me as to why "The Foxman" wasn't a Newbery Honor Book. It's much better than The Winter Room, which did win the great honor, and it's a downright classic in my book!

Gary Paulsen has a natural gift of writing in a way as to provide imagery from start to finish in his works. While you're reading "The Foxman", you will be devoured into the story and after you read so far, you'll almost feel like you're actually a part of the story. Let me give you a fair warning right now, once you begin reading THIS book, you will not want to put it down until you finish it. Another great thing about the book is that its characters are very interesting; you'll grow attached to the two main characters before you know it.

"The Foxman" is a great, adventurous book about friendship, troubles, and life in the northern woods. If you're a fan of books of those kinds, you can't afford to NOT purchase this one! I've read a bunch of Gary Paulsen's books (I just counted 16 from memory), and I'd put "The Foxman" right up there with the likes of "Hatchet", "Dogsong", and "The Island". It just might be one of the most underrated books there are.

The brightly colored photo of Gary Paulsen on this book's cover makes it an attention grabber for students in middle or high school; the text includes a generous scattering of black-and-white pictures and maps. Mr. Paulsen dedicated HATCHET, one of his three Newbery Honor Books, to the students of Hershey Middle School in Hershey, Pennsylvania, because of their enthusiastic response to his participation in the Alaskan Iditarod sled dog race, and Chapter Eight explains how this came to happen. Ms. Fine crams the book with factual information that helps readers understand how Paulsen uses his own life experiences like the race when he writes his books about survival, skillfully weaving their titles into the biography. Graphic detail, such as the stitching back of his tongue after a childhood accident in the Philippines, is minimal, just enough to tweak interest. Footnotes in a special section both satisfy curiosity and demonstrate Ms. Fine's care to clearly cite authorities, a good model for young report writers. The three-page index also helps teens, who will find many references to his book titles here.

An adequate biography on Paulsen that is age appropriate is hard to find. This one fills the bill.

This biography of Gary Paulsen belongs on the shelf of every library serving students who know and love Gary Paulsen's work. Teachers who study Gary Paulsen's work, including such favorites as HATCHET, will want a copy (or more) for their students. Edith Hope Fine balances Paulsen's background and tough life with his hard work and his work ethic. Black and white photographs are helpful to the text. Schools organizing author visits will enjoy the segment on Gary's school visit. This is a well-written, solid biography, and an enjoyable read. Public and school libraries will find this a helpful addition to their collections. If you are a fan of Paulsen's work you will enjoy reading this fine biography and learning more about him.

My 12 year old son and I have just finished reading Edith Fine's wonderful new biography on Gary Paulsen. Since Paulsen is one of our favorite authors we were thrilled to learn more about the details of his life. Being a volunteer reading teacher in the public schools and a leader of a weekend reading group of 6 adolescent boys, I know that Gary Paulsen's books are extremely popular with kids that age, and yet there has never been much written about his life. (Hopefully, libraries will order several copies each of this book.) Edith Fine does an exceptional job of writing in a way that's easily understood by both kids and adults. She takes the time to explain details such as what a "pinsetter" does. Most kids don't realize that bowling alleys haven't always been mechanized and that a real person had to actually set up the bowling pins each time a ball knocked them down. My son shares Gary Paulsen's love of dogs and Ms. Fine incorporates each family dog into the events of his life. Although Gary Paulsen's childhood and part of his adult life involve such painful subjects as alcoholism, Edith fine describes them in a matter of fact way- not skirting the issue, but also not laying out too many gory details. (important for kids) Gary Paulsen's life is a fascinating read and one that many people, kids and adults alike, can profit from- especially ones that aren't astute in reading and writing. He shows us that anyone can learn to better themselves- even if the cards seem stacked against them. This book is a must have for any Gary Paulsen fan. Kudos to Edith Fine!

I would recommend the book NightJohn to anybody who likes to read Gary Paulsen. NightJohn has a few characters in it but there are three main characters. Mammy. Sarny, and John. The book takes place in the south on a slave plantation. It talks about how life was back then. The one thing that stood out to me was that they have certain slaves that is all they do is have baby's. And the one in this book they call Mammy, she is a quiet women who is very attached to her kids. One of them that sticks out is Sarny. Sarny is a girl that is very egger to learn and sad that she does not have any education. That is when John comes in to the story. John is a man that the master just bought and added to his collection of slaves. John and Sarny start to be good friends. John is different than all of the other slaves John is educated. John can read and spell. Sarny makes a deal with John that if he teaches her to read then she will give him tobacco. John thinks that is a far trade. The cost for getting a education if you were a slave was not taken very serious.... They might have had to pay but Sarny could read and write. NightJohn is a good book to read if you want to get a taste on how life for a slave was.

This is my fourth year to teach the book, Nightjohn, in my sixth-grade classroom. Nightjohn is set in the 1800's on a plantation. Sarny, a slave girl the age of most of my sixth graders, is the narrator. As the book unfolds, we get to experience the life of a slave during this period of time in America's history. It has thirteen curse words in it, and I had to black them out before letting my students have a copy. I did that job during the summer so my students could have the privilege of reading this one-of-a-kind book. Only by looking at the past can we possibily hope to make the present better. Nightjohn will evoke laughter, sadness, and despair as you read. As I teach children everyday how to read, it breaks my heart to realize that slave children were deprived of this great gift. I recommend this book highly. It has an extraordinary message that everyone needs to remember!

Have you ever wondered what it must have been like to have been a slave on a Southern Plantation? If so, you must read the Historical Fiction book, Nightjohn, by Gary Paulsen. This book will have you so involved with the character, Nightjohn, and his twelve year old friend, Sarny, that you cannot put down this book. Nightjohn comes to live on the plantation that Sarny lives on and teaches her to read and write. He feels all slaves needed to be literate so they could understand what was happening around them and to keep account of their own lives. The struggles and hardships he goes through is unbelievable . This story is heartbreaking yet informative to readers about the true accounts of slave life in America. This book will certainly open your eyes about our country's past and how people were treated in this "free" land.

Ever been attacked by a deer, or a moose? Well, Gary Paulsen has, and in Guts, Gary Paulsen talks about how he got the idea for Hatchet and the Brian Books. He tells about how he has spent a good portion of his life roughing it out in the woods and in the snow-covered regions of Alaska.
Also in guts, there are many violent or not so violent scenarios that the author has experienced that played a role in the books. For example, one of them might be moose attacks.
I though Gary Paulsen's experiences in the book were very interesting, how it inspired a major part of the story and all. I enjoyed reading this book; the stories in it were very interesting. The areas of the stories were mostly in woods, parks, or lowly populated areas.
One story in guts tells how Gary Paulsen witnessed a child being killed by a deer. A 4-year-old child was giving a deer a piece of candy. His mother asked him to hold the candy away from the dear for a minute to get a good picture. This angered the deer, and he stomped his hoofs into the boy's chest. The impact of the attack was great; the child was killed in an instant. Everyone around looked at the deer, now in an angry rage. Not too far away, there was a sign that said do not feed the deer.
I highly recommend this book for people 10 and up, who are interested in stories involving the woods, attacks, and even cooking methods.
I rate this book a 9 out of 10. It has interesting stories, and he explains why these helped him in the making of the Brian books.
Other books Gary Paulson has written include Alida's Song, the beet fields, and the boy who owned the school, the foxman, dogsong, and many others.

A wonderful book I recommend to you is Guts, a book by Gary Paulsen, a book of his childhood and what inspired him to write his many other books. It is full of adventures Gary had throughout his life. One thing is how he survives growing up in rural areas. Guts tells stories of Gary hunting for food with his homemade bow that he wrote about in one of his best known books; Hatchet. He was only able to kill small game such as rabbits and squirrels but he and Brian are both alive. The book also tells about an elk attack Gary encountered while hunting that he wrote happened to Brian in Hatchet. The final reason is it gives you more information about who is writing you and your friends favorite books. Guts tells of his home life, childhood, and recent carriers. Did you know that Gary used to mush dogs in Alaska? I recommend this book to you because I know you will like it because he uses that special technique of writing that won't let you put the book down.

In the autobiography Guts by Gary Paulsen, he explains what life life was like for him growing up in the wild. He explains some of the things that he had done when he was hunting for small game in the woods or something that happened when he he was in the Iditarod in Alaska or when he was being pummled by a moose in the middle of a river heading down stream to set the fall traps. This book is like a autobiograph of ten different people and their childhoods all packed into one person. He has seen things that only some people could think of, and then portrays them in a fairy tale manner. The book does not drag on like some, it is a very fun and exciting book to read and a non stop cliff hanger that will keep you reading until the book is done and then wishing that there was more to read. I suggest this book to anybody of any age.

Woodsong is an autobiography of Gary Paulsen's life in Minnesota and in a dog-sled race in Alaska. Gary trained dogs to trap and to race. He had many adventures with his dogs. He starts off by trapping in Minnesota with his dogs. After an encounter with the death of a deer that got chased down by wolves, he decides trapping is cruel and he will not trap anymore. He enters a race in Alaska called the Iditarod. It is a long cold race across Alaska. He trains his dogs by running in Minnesota. In the race he encounters many obstacles; running in -20 degree weather, falling down a 30 foot frozen waterfall, bears eating his food and long runs through mountain passes. In the end of the book Gary finishes the race. Although not in first, he learns great lessons of life.

Imagine living in temperatures below -20, in the Alaskan Woods. This autobiographical story about Gary Paulsen includes details like that, and was suspenseful. When he was kid, Paulsen grew up on a farm in the Minnesota North Woods. He was training for the Iditarod, a big dog sled race, that many people don't finish because of its many obstacles, such as the severe cold, the steep course, and the length of the race. I liked this book because it was suspenseful. I will never forget the part when Gary Paulsen finished the Iditarod and won the race. I really admire the way Paulsen described taking care of his dogs. I would like the story to be longer because I would like to know more about Paulsen's life, after the Iditarod.

Woodsong told me winter isn't just for presents on Christmas Day and we aren't supposed to stay indoors all the time during winter. Winter is to be experienced, because it's a wonderful experience, maybe the best experience in your whole life. I give this book five stars because this book had action! Plus, this book is true so Wood Song is even better. Gary Paulsen learns about dogs, bears, hawks, and life. Gary Paulsen, the author, and I have something in common, we train dogs! Gary trained dogs in this true book, Woodsong, and I am training my dog now. My dog, Pepsi, is a wild dog and she runs away. I recommend this book to nine-year-olds and up because there is blood in this true story. Some parts are sad and some are funny, but it will help you appreciate winter, dogs, and life.

The Haymeadow By: Gary Paulson John Barron, a fourteen year old boy, lives with his father on a ranch in Wyoming. His father goes to town to help a sick employee that works on the ranch. This employee usually and herds six-thousand sheep up into the haymeadow, but since he is sick it is up to John to help out his father's business. The sheep can not survive outside of the cool mountainous environment of the haymeadow during the summer. This meadow is a two-day trip by horse from the Barron's camp. John is forced to stay there for three months tending to the sheep. While John is there the river floods and his supplies are scattered everywhere. John is faced with possible starvation. Also he loses his rifle and has no way to defend himself or the sheep from the ravenous coyotes. In the haymeadow John has to be very resourceful and brave as he faces many dangerous and difficult situations while he is alone in the valley. The story reveals that Gary Paulson wrote The Haymeadow well. In the novel Paulson describes everything thoroughly and keeps one on the edge of one's seat. Paulson's theme in this novel is different than most. He wishes to convey that everything in nature is beautiful in some way no matter how what an organism's purpose is. To back this up Paulson writes soon after the herd is attacked by coyotes, "By the end of three weeks things had reserved and he decided one afternoon to try and find what wasn't beautiful. He was sitting on the side of the stream and had his pants rolled up and his bare feet in the water and he looked around and thought of the last three weeks and tried to think of something that wasn't beautiful. And he couldn't." This book is filled with action and is interesting. I enjoyed it a lot and would recommend it to many.

John has to work at a farm and then has to take care of 6,000 sheep for three months, all by himself, with just four dogs and two horses for company. He's only 14 years old, and he get worried about being all alone for such a long time. Tink, the farmhand, was originally going to tend the sheep, but he got sick and John's father and the doctor think that Tink has cancer. Tink has worked at the farm before even John was born, so John never had a reason to think he would be working up in the haymeadow...alone. I can tell why everybody's reviews were all saying good things about this book. I really like The Haymeadow because it sort of relates to me. I have been working up on a farm for almost my life, of 12 years. When you think about being very young, sometimes you don't think you can keep up with the challenges and responsibilities you to assume, working on a farm. But after awhile, you come to think it's pretty easy. You learn to cope with having to work everyday. John learns to cope with having to care for 6,000 sheep. It was hard for him because Tink taught the four dogs all different kinds of commands-every whistle means something different. John had to learn all the commands in two days. The only bad thing about this book is that it's kind of hard to keep up with Paulsen, because the narrative switches between settings and characters' actions very quickly. But that's the only thing.

When 14 year old John Barron is asked to spend the summer in an isolated mountain meadow, he is unsure. I mean, sheep are stupid anyway, right? But Tink, the farmhand is sick, and it IS John's turn, just like his father, and his father before him. So he does end up going up to the haymeadow to waste his summer with these...these... creatures.

During his stay, John learns more about responsibility as he encounters may complicated tasks, and he also realizes that maybe sheep aren't so stupid after all. An outstanding book. Gary Paulsen does and exellent job of actually telling the reader what the character is really thinking.

Brian's Return is the third and final sequel to Gary Paulsen's 1988 Newbery Honor book Hatchet. In this sequel Brian is an unhappy 15 year old high school student who is having great difficulty adjusting to a normal "civilized" life after being alone in the wilderness. For almost two years he tries to fit in but he just can't seem to connect with his old friends and their seemingly trivial concerns. Through conversations with a counselor Brian realizes that he must return to the wilderness to find himself and his place in the world. This book chronicles his canoe trip back into the wild. Paulsen's desciptions of the scenery and wildlife are so vivid and realistic that readers will feel they are on the trip with Brian. If you have read Hatchet, The River, and Brian's Winter, you MUST read Brian's Return. Although it is a little more reflective than the other action packed books, it is still a fitting conclusion to Brian's saga. I highly recommend Brian's Return.

Brian's Return, by Gary Paulsen, is an adventure/survival book about Brian's long-awaited return to the Canadian woods written by Paulsen, a three time Newberry Honor award winner. The story begins with Brian, a 16 year old boy trying to live a normal life. The hard part for him is, he spent 48 days in the Canadian woods after his pilot had a heart attack and it changed his perspective on life. He can't find joy in having his food put right in front of him, or talking about who was going out with whom. After beating up a football player, he sees a counselor named Caleb. Caleb listens to his beautiful descriptions, and tells Brian that the answer was to go back up into the wilderness. He creates a list and a plan for a hundred mile kayak trip to eventually visit the Smallhorns, who rescued him in Brian's Winter. Brian goes through yet another action packed wilderness experience in Brian's Return. This book would be a little hard for young kids to find the true meaning of, so ages 11 and up would be a good reccomended age. Anyone who enjoyed Hatchet and its other sequels will enjoy this book.

This book was about a boy named Brian who stayed in the wilderness for awhile and went to the city with his mother. He didn't like it in the city. One of the days he was in the city he got into a fight and got put with a counselor to fix his problem. After awhile he went back to the woods because he didn't like it in the city and because he wanted to go back. He thought that he would behave better in the wilderness rather then the city. He took a cab to a cabin of a pilot and then took a plane to a river. From there he took a canoe to find a campsite. Along the way he got into many more adventures. I really liked this book and would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventures. Also to someone who has already read the other books by Gary Paulsen.