Touching Spirit Bear(TSB) by Ben Mikaelsen was an exciting and engaging novel that hooks you from the start. I personally thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had serious and sensitive topics, but was also filled with courage, love, and perseverance. TSB was about a troubled boy named Cole Matthews who had always had trouble with empathy. His abusive childhood had a part to play in why he was aggressive, fearful, and cruel. After beating up schoolmate Peter Drisal, a quiet and sensitive kid, and robbing multiple stores, jail seemed like the only option, until his parole officer suggested Circle Justice. Circle Justice is an indigenous healing program. With Cole, you take a journey of healing instead of punishment. In this story, the characters are extremely credible and for some, relatable. They represent emotions and hardships just like people experience every day. Personally, my favourite character was Cole. I found his story inspiring how he overcame his demons and became the person he wanted to be. Cole Matthews represents not always being able to feel in control of his emotions, which I think is relatable for everyone. I don't think we always feel in control and that we have the tools to work on controlling our emotions instead of lashing out. Cole finds tools to work on his emotions and self control. TSB includes dark and upsetting themes but also beautiful eye opening themes. I loved how versatile this book was with the themes and emotions that were portrayed. The book was written in mostly third person perspective (he/she). Ben has a very descriptive writing style and puts so much detail into TSB. Overall, I 100% recommend this book; I think it is such a descriptive and beautiful novel. I personally think the age level is grade 3 and up; however, some chapters are very gory and have detail about upsetting and mature topics such as suicide, depression, and abuse. That being said, I think younger readers who are mature would enjoy this novel very much. I myself have never been much of a reader; in fact, this is the first book I've finished in a long time, let alone enjoyed. I highly recommend this book and I will be reading it again.
Touching Spirit Bear
Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
---|---|---|---|---|
Grades 4 - 8 | Grades 3 - 8 | Y | 5.3 | 56025 |
Will the attack of the Spirit Bear destroy Cole's life or save his soul?
Cole Matthews has been fighting, stealing, and raising hell for years. So his punishment for beating Peter Driscal senseless is harsh. Given a choice between prison and Native American Circle Justice, Cole chooses Circle Justice: He'll spend one year in complete isolation on a remote Alaskan island. In the first days of his banishment, Cole is mauled by a mysterious white bear and nearly dies. Now there's no one left to save Cole, but Cole himself.
Book Reviews (34)
We read this book in my class and it started out not great, but as you got farther in it got amazing. Personally, I don't like reading but this book got me to like reading even more. There is a sequel to this book also which is also an amazing book. I would totally recommend!
book is horrible. ela teacher made us read it and it was 2 weeks of torture books content is bad has no meaning inspirational and just bad dont read it unless you want a couple days of boring content and words
The book is ok but I wouldn't recommend to kids under the age of 10 since some parts have swearing, and gore. Other than that it fulls the reader in and leaves you wanting to read more.
this is a goodbook and it shows you that even the most untrustworthy person can change and be totally different. I was very suprised that Garvey and Edwin decided to send cole back to the place that had hurt him
THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE BEST! I was reading this it is really i can't weight to read the next book
This book is awful. My ela teacher made us read it. It is very gory at times and has scarred me. I don't suggest reading it
i have nor heard of it
I am not very far in this book but so far is is really good
I love this bk havnt finished on capter 13