Review: Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald
Title: Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots
Hardcover, 304 pages
Author: Abby McDonald
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication Date: April 13, 2010
Book Summary:
Jenna may hail from the ’burbs of New Jersey, but Green Teen activism is her life. So when her mom suggests they spend the summer at Grandma’s Florida condo, Jenna pleads instead to visit her hippie godmother, Susie, up in rural Canada. Jenna is psyched at the chance to commune with this nature she’s heard about — and the cute, plaidwearing boys she’s certain must roam there. But after a few run-ins with local wildlife (from a larger-than-life moose to Susie’s sullen Goth stepdaughter to a hot but hostile boy named Reeve), Jenna gets the idea that her long-held ideals, like vegetarianism and conservation, don’t play so well with this population of real outdoorsmen. A dusty survival guide offers Jenna amusing tips on navigating the wilderness — but can she learn to navigate the turns of her heart?
Review:
Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots was a very cute book. We are in the mind of Jenna, who is big into the environment and recycling. The beginning of the book introduces us to the Green Teen group at her school, who seems pretty radical to me (the recyclers at my school worked on getting the school to recycle more… this Green Teen group was out causing a ruckus).
We soon are transported to Canada, where Jenna will be staying for the summer. I liked reading about her adjusting to the new life there, because it’s not exactly what she expected. She, of course, meets some of the local boys pretty early on, so we are able to watch those relationships progress throughout the rest of the book.
Jenna did a very good job of trying to learn from her mistakes and her surroundings. I appreciated that, because in some of the books I’ve read lately, this did not happen at all.
The second half of the book was my favorite. While the beginning was pretty fluffy, the second portion started to give us some real problems – I can’t reveal any here, but it definitely kept me reading and kept the excitement level high.
Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots is a great light read. The main character deals with a few serious situations which give the book substance, but there are also a lot of reasons it is very fun!
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Awesome review! I've read some pretty mixed reviews about this one. I think it sounds like something I would enjoy, so I'll definitely be checking it out
This book does sound real cute, good for a quick summer read!
And, I love the cover! I would have given it at least an 8.
I really enjoyed this one too so I picked up another Abby McDonald book to read (Sophomore Switch).
Wolves, Boys, and Other Things That Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler sounds kind of similar but with a focus on wildlife. It is just now in stores but I hope to read it too.
Great review!
I've heard mixed things about this one, but I may give it a go. Thanks for the review
great review! this one sounds fun, so i think i'll give it a go
Ohh, I want to read it. It seems to be cute!
Yay! Glad to see you ultimately enjoyed the book. I agree, the second half was the best, and with the um, reveal of a certain character, I did not see that coming at all!