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Forest Patrol
"Forest Patrol" by Jim Kjelgaard. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1941
2 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Jim Kjelgaard
107 books164 followersan American author of young adult literature.
Born in New York City, New York, Jim Kjelgaard is the author of more than forty novels, the most famous of which is 1945's "Big Red." It sold 225,000 copies by 1956 and was made into a 1962 Walt Disney film with the same title, Big Red. His books were primarily about dogs and wild animals, often with animal protagonists and told from the animal's point of view.
Jim Kjelgaard committed suicide in 1959, after suffering for several years from chronic pain and depression.
- Wikipedia -
Born in New York City, New York, Jim Kjelgaard is the author of more than forty novels, the most famous of which is 1945's "Big Red." It sold 225,000 copies by 1956 and was made into a 1962 Walt Disney film with the same title, Big Red. His books were primarily about dogs and wild animals, often with animal protagonists and told from the animal's point of view.
Jim Kjelgaard committed suicide in 1959, after suffering for several years from chronic pain and depression.
- Wikipedia -
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 10, 2016
Forest Patrol was one of the few Kjelgaard books I hadn’t read as a child. I actually really enjoyed this story about a young man (of course) who yearns to become a forest ranger and who is working as a trapper to save money to go to school. However, opportunity comes before then – the chance to work as an interim ranger for a year, as the regular ranger has been given a different assignment for that time.
John makes a good protagonist. Like most of Kjelgaard’s heroes, John is hardworking, industrious, honest, and determined. He understands that he has much to learn, but also knows his strengths. While the book sometimes meandered into the territory of a lecture on the responsibilities of a forest ranger in the 1940’s (luckily, that’s rather interesting in and of itself), overall he sticks to just the story of John’s day-to-day life as he learns about and comes to love the land he’s been given to guard and protect.
While Forest Patrol is not as action-packed as some of Kjelgaard’s stories, I still found it interesting and a worthwhile read.
John makes a good protagonist. Like most of Kjelgaard’s heroes, John is hardworking, industrious, honest, and determined. He understands that he has much to learn, but also knows his strengths. While the book sometimes meandered into the territory of a lecture on the responsibilities of a forest ranger in the 1940’s (luckily, that’s rather interesting in and of itself), overall he sticks to just the story of John’s day-to-day life as he learns about and comes to love the land he’s been given to guard and protect.
While Forest Patrol is not as action-packed as some of Kjelgaard’s stories, I still found it interesting and a worthwhile read.
September 10, 2023
Jim Kjelgaard holds up
July 15, 2025
Forest Patrol is the first book by Jim Kjelgaard. Written as a semi-autobiography based on his days as a forest ranger before he turned to writing it is an interesting look at forestry in the 1930s. The book was published just before the USA entered WWII and is set in the inner mountains of Appalachia. The main character is a young man who dreams of being a ranger but is making his living as a trapper.
Then the ranger from the nearby forest area is called to a year long posting at another forest and recommends the young ranger as his temporary replacement. What follows is an odd coming of age story set in a remote Appalachian forest when the focus was on "managing" the forest not working with nature to protect the forest.
There is a long common story about a poacher wound through chapters that focus on topics like the yearly deer hunt from the guys from the city, plowing snow, tracking wolves (even then reported to be extremely rare), cutting fire lanes, battling a big fire, stocking trout, and more.
The book is well written and provides a unique perspective on forest management in the 1930 that contrasts a lot with the approach today. There are some great supporting characters from the little village where the ranger headquarters are located and the story of the poacher and the ranger's attempts to apprehend him that are all interesting.
I admit to picking this up from my Mom's to take to our cabin in the Wisconsin Northwoods to have a book to read there that featured a wilderness theme only to be really captivated. It's not the best book I've read but you get to see the onus of a great writer of youth fiction later in his life at his raw beginning. If you like Kjelgaard's other, more popular books then read this one.
Then the ranger from the nearby forest area is called to a year long posting at another forest and recommends the young ranger as his temporary replacement. What follows is an odd coming of age story set in a remote Appalachian forest when the focus was on "managing" the forest not working with nature to protect the forest.
There is a long common story about a poacher wound through chapters that focus on topics like the yearly deer hunt from the guys from the city, plowing snow, tracking wolves (even then reported to be extremely rare), cutting fire lanes, battling a big fire, stocking trout, and more.
The book is well written and provides a unique perspective on forest management in the 1930 that contrasts a lot with the approach today. There are some great supporting characters from the little village where the ranger headquarters are located and the story of the poacher and the ranger's attempts to apprehend him that are all interesting.
I admit to picking this up from my Mom's to take to our cabin in the Wisconsin Northwoods to have a book to read there that featured a wilderness theme only to be really captivated. It's not the best book I've read but you get to see the onus of a great writer of youth fiction later in his life at his raw beginning. If you like Kjelgaard's other, more popular books then read this one.
January 2, 2024
John Belden has a shot at being a real forest ranger - for 1 year, as a sub while his friend is off on official business elsewhere. Deep in the Alleghany mountains, Belden has his work cut out for him. As a young man and a newcomer to the area and the job, the locals are suspicious of his abilities and his authority. Challenged at every turn, Belden takes the high road - not easier but it allows him to sleep at night. He does worry, though, that it will cost him future opportunities, because once he gets a taste of forestry, he can't imagine a different life.
Based on his own wilderness experience, Kjelgaard was a master of describing the outdoors and the adventures it contains. Immersed in the adventures that John Belden takes on, it's easy to get lost in time and space. This was Kjelgaard's first book, but it's every bit as good, to me, as any of the others I've read. I loved the details about what it took to be a ranger, and what it took to thrive in a remote community - the wildlife, the culture, the people, the climate, and the lurking disasters (forest fires, floods, blizzards, and more).
Based on his own wilderness experience, Kjelgaard was a master of describing the outdoors and the adventures it contains. Immersed in the adventures that John Belden takes on, it's easy to get lost in time and space. This was Kjelgaard's first book, but it's every bit as good, to me, as any of the others I've read. I loved the details about what it took to be a ranger, and what it took to thrive in a remote community - the wildlife, the culture, the people, the climate, and the lurking disasters (forest fires, floods, blizzards, and more).
February 28, 2022
Not bad for the author's first book. I've enjoyed many of his books throughout my life, specifically during my junior high years. Very enjoyable!
October 15, 2020
We really enjoyed Forest Patrol! I read this aloud to 5 of my kids, ages 6-14. It has adventure, humor, mystery, a bit of violence, and a few curse words that I omitted as I read it to my crew. I especially enjoyed the author's wonderful use of personification throughout the book. We even learned about some of the intricacies of managing a forest.
May 15, 2020
Interesting
It's nice to get a glimpse of an older time when one could get a job based on his reputation and the recommendations of friends. This novel has plenty of humor and adventure, and a good lesson, too. Recommended.
It's nice to get a glimpse of an older time when one could get a job based on his reputation and the recommendations of friends. This novel has plenty of humor and adventure, and a good lesson, too. Recommended.
April 27, 2009
Not the best of Kjelgaard. I always like the ones where animals take center stage the best, but it's still a good story.
October 8, 2024
This may be my favorite of the 40 or so books that Jim Kjelgaard wrote. An incredible look into a year in the life of a forest ranger. Kjelgaard is a master of the outdoor adventure novel!
April 8, 2017
This was Jim Kjelgaard’s first novel and it is a great start to a wonderful career as an author. You get a sense of the love of nature that Jim has through these books. I can only imagination how many boys and girls were sparked enough by this book to join the forestry service.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews