After his anger erupts into violence, Cole Matthews, in order to avoid going to prison, agrees to participate in a sentencing alternative based on the native American Circle Justice, and he is sent to a remote Alaskan Island where an encounter with a huge Spirit Bear changes his life.
Cole, like most teenagers, thinks he has all the answers. He knows everything and he is afraid of nothing, or at least that is what Cole wants everyone to think. During his banishment to the island, all of Cole's perceptions are challenged.
This is a book about survival, but most of all it is a book about forgiveness. I was amazed at the breadth and depth of good life lessons that my fifth grade reading group was able to take away from this book. Some of their answers:
"Anger can motivate you, but harboring it can also damage you."
" There is a lot that we can learn from the animals and the world around us."
and my favorite, "In order to forgive others, we have to forgive ourselves first."
I would highly recommend this book to any YA readers, especially pre-teen and teenage boys who are often so difficult to find books for.
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