Woods+Runner

Paulsen, G. (2010). //Woods runner//. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books.


 * Summary:** Samuel's Pennsylvania colony does not even realize that a war is going on until it is ambushed by Iroquois and British soldiers while he is hunting. Samuel's parents are taken prisoner and many others from the colony are killed, so Samuel goes on hunt to find his family.


 * Grade Level:** 6-8
 * Reading Level:** 5.5

This text would be a great resource for advanced readers in a fifth grade classroom during an American Revolution unit. The informational pieces that are dispersed between the chapters provide readers with realistic insight into the time period. The story presents students with a different look at the Revolutionary War and the stories that are often over looked in the classroom. //Woods Runner// would be a great selection for a lit circle or G/T differentiation study.
 * Curriculum Connections:**


 * Student's Personal Literature Selection:** This book would be a great choice for students who enjoy non-fiction and are interested in reading a novel. It would make for an awesome transitional book because of the way the non-fiction elements are incorporated into the fictional story.

Samuel, 13, lives in the British colony of Pennsylvania. He spends his days exploring and hunting in the woods far from civilization. His father wants to live a quiet life learning to use tools and build a house, while his mother tries to get the garden to grow. There are rumors that American patriots have begun a bloody war against the English but news takes weeks to arrive and the fighting seems far away from the peaceful frontier. Suddenly, the war comes to Samuel. While he is hunting, British soldiers and Iroquois attack, taking Samuel's parents prisoner and killing many in the settlement. He follows their trail determined to rescue them. Paulsen takes readers inside the reality of this war, revealing the horrific conditions of the civilians who were taken prisoner. Between each chapter Paulsen includes information on various aspects of the war such as weapons, civilian deaths, orphans, and communication. Through Samuel's story, readers discover the brutality and cost of war. In the afterword, the author informs readers that he is not attempting to write the history of the Revolutionary War but instead to clarify some aspects of it. His story will leave readers with a new sense of admiration for those who lost their lives in the creation of the nation. This fast-paced novel will appeal to Paulsen fans and is a good choice for reluctant readers.—Denise Moore, O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD
 * School Library Journal Review 2010: (from Mackin)**