The Trail

by Meika Hashimoto

Toby has to finish the final thing on The List.

It's a list of Brave, Daring, Totally Awesome Things that he and his best friend, Lucas, planned to do together, and the only item left is to hike the Appalachian Trail. But now Lucas isn't there to do it with him.

Toby's determined to hike the trail alone and fulfill their pact, which means dealing with the little things - the Blisters, the Heat, the Hunger - and the big things - the Bears, the LonelinessMemories.

When a storm comes, Toby finds himself tangled up in someone else's mess: Two boys desperately need his help. But does Toby have any help to give?

The Trail is a remarkable story of physical survival and true friendship, about a boy who's determined to forge his path - and to survive.

Genres: Middle Grade, Adventure, Survival, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Nature

240 pages, Hardcover

First published July 25, 2017

About the author

MEIKA HASHIMOTO's first baking foray was a chocolate cake. She was eight years old and, in her excitement, forgot a few key ingredients like sugar and baking powder. She also left the cake in the oven for far too long. Although it resembled a brick, her parents politely ate it and gave her very encouraging feedback. Meika's baking techniques have improved greatly since then. When she's not kneading bread dough or baking cheesecakes, she can be found editing children's books.

Reviews

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one I read per my son's request. His review when I asked him what he liked about it, "It has a lot of friendship and love. And it has sad parts but she heals the sadness. Also, it made me want to go hiking." Not sure I could write a better review than him. Agree wholeheartedly.

[Dmytro Shteflyuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked up this book by a recommendation from my son. I expected it to be decent but wasn't really prepared to be swept away by the warmth and love, sadness and hope, the power of friendship, and the beauty and danger of hiking in the wilderness. Probably the best book I have read in a while.

[Devon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this book had a lot of adventure and action. However at some points, this book was really boring and felt like it took forever to read. But, it was a pretty good book that I recommend.

[Angela R. Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in 2.5 hours after having it on my shelf since Christmas. The verdict? EPIC.

STORY

I'm a huge sucker for middle grade fiction and an even greater sucker when the main character is a boy who deserves hugs and hot coco. The story was fantastic and bold while remaining realistic in its own sense. While we follow the main character as he trudges through the trail, we also see good in the world, as much as we see the bad.

The story is well paced and I couldn't put it down. A refreshing writing style and a story that packed a punch.

THEMES

This novel handles harsh topics for a middle grade novel. The main character faces guilt and a sense of worthlessness, blaming himself for a bad thing that happened. The characters Toby meets along the way are all vibrant displays of humanity. Teens struggling for hope. A hiker who has a best friend with severe PTSD. But we see the goodness in people, too, even in small acts of kindness that urge Toby onward in his hard journey.

Despite the pain Toby faces, and despite the trials along the way, hope and kindness are consistently shining through the darkness. He has reasons to keep going and he holds onto those. In the end, we realize that while bad things happen, and we may not understand why, there is always a reason to keep pushing on and finding hope.

I really enjoyed the elements of hope, love, and grief in this little book.

CHARACTERS

Toby is a fantastic main character and his POV never got dull. I loved the cast, and the side characters Denver and Sean (SEANNNN) were brilliant. Arsenic's mention, even if we never met him, was harshly real and respectable.

While the cast was realistic and vivid, there were only a few instances that seemed a bit "middle grade ish" in terms of humor and dialogue.

CONTENT

Mild swearing or mentions of swearing. No sensual content. a scene where it's pretty implied a man has intentions of raping Toby. No gruesome violence, though mentions of drugs, abuse, and injuries are mentioned but never graphic. Death is mentioned but not shown. a teen is shown trying to commit suicide but it isn't very graphic

OVERALL

I really enjoyed this.

[Flynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book. I have read this book more than once and personly I think it is better after you have read it once. This book could have been way more descriptive. It would have been better if it was spread out more.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Toby has not had an easy life. His parents had him when they were very young, and when their marriage was failing, they dumped him at his grandmother's. Luckily, she is loving and supportive, and Toby has a good friend in Lucas, whose family does a lot of things with him. Lucas and Toby have big plans for the summer, and want to hike the Appalachian Trail together, but when Lucas is no longer able to accompany him, Toby runs away from home to make the attempt by himself. He isn't adequately provisioned, even though he knows better, and runs into many problems on the trail. Luckily, he also runs into supportive people who help him out along the way. He also ends up with Moose, a dog who follows him after he shares his meager supplies. The trail is difficult, but Toby perseveres, learning a lot about the wilderness as well as his life.
Strengths:The details about how to hike the Appalachian Trail, the camping shelters, and the other hikers were fantastic, and will appeal to readers who like survival stories and the outdoors. Hiking the trail always sounded sort of appealing to me until I read Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. Now I think I'll just shoot for Britain's Coast to Coast walk-- it's not necessary to mail oneself supplies in order to do that one! Moose is a nice touch, the plot moves along nicely, and the character development is realistic and doesn't bog down the story. Love the cover.
Weaknesses: This would have been even better without the sad parts. It takes us a while to learn what happened to Lucas, even though I could see it coming. I also could have done without a subplot with two other hikers as well as difficulties involving Moose. These things didn't ruin the book, but I would have preferred other complications.
What I really think: Will buy a copy for readers who like Will Hobbs, Gary Paulsen's survival books, and Paul Greci's Surviving Bear Island.

[natatoille · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 12 year old and I read this together. He is a reluctant reader and needs a lot of encouragement and support for his monthly book reports. This book was an exception. He absolutely loved it. During our read aloud sessions, he is usually very squirrelly. Whenever I read this book to him, he was absolutely calm, still and riveted. I think this is the first book that he really followed closely and got super engrossed in. He would read chapters at school and tell me he got so lost in the story he read more than he meant to. That’s incredible for him!!
If you have a preteen adventure lover, get them this book! It is filled with heart and meaning. The story is very exciting and never loses steam. Right up until the last page.

[Keoni G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was sad and interesting at the same time. It is about a boy name Toby and he and his best friend Lucas have planned to hike the Appalachian trail. Unfortunately Lucas isn't there to do it with him. He meets many friends and challenges on the way.

[Raina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED this, friends.
It kept me up past my bedtime.

Kid hiking by himself.

Maybe this is kind of a spoiler, but this is also definitely a DOG book. Major plot points hinge on a dog. Which is probably part of why I liked it. There is some icky stuff with the dog, so fair warning, but I have a high sensitivity to animal cruelty, and it wasn't too much for me.
I mainly think this might be spoiler territory because the summary doesn't mention the dog at all.
Which is weird to me.

I loved all the nitty-gritty about hiking. I'm not a hardcore hiker (I went on one week-long backpacking trip in college), so I can't speak to the authenticity/accuracy, especially because this is very specifically an east coast, Appalachian Trail hike. But this book portrayed how HARD real backpacking is so well. All the important decisions and ways you need to be prepared. How DANGEROUS it really is. Especially for a kid on their own.

I liked that the kid's caregiver was his grandmother. I liked the surprise ending. I loved the maps on the end papers.

Definitely promoting this to kids whenever I can. I originally read this thinking I'd take it to elementary schools in the spring of 2020. Maybe some day I'll be able to visit a school in person again?

[Piyali · Rating 4 out of 5]

12 year old Toby is determined to hike the through theAppalachian trail because that is the last item on the List that he made with his friend Lucas. During his journey, he encounters harrowing experiences, meets interesting fellow hikers with their own unique life experiences, and a stinky, starving dog. Toby often loses confidence in himself as he tries to navigate difficult terrains, extricate himself out of sticky situations but his friend Lucas's voice in his head urges him to never give up. Toby's physical journey through the trails is also his journey towards growth and self realization.

[Nads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg I loved it so much. The end made my heart melt I’m so glad Toby could get Moose back and I know Lucas would be so proud of him. Overall the book was great and heart warming the lesson the book taught was amazing I loved reading it and I felt like I was on the journey with Toby to find and forgive himself (and no I definitely did not cry at the end).
Edit*oh ya I can’t forget about Sean and Denver to I loved when Sean finally opend up to Toby and when he hugged him it was so wholesome. I also loved how both characters (Denver and Toby) had in common and how they both helped each other get through there past grief. I loved those pages with them in it made the story and lessons about friendship and more amazing.

[Leeann · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

While suspension of reality is sometimes necessary while reading this YA book, I found it had great heart, suspense, and poignancy. Letting go of guilt and discovering one's strength and self were central themes of the tale. I was drawn to it due to my interest in the Appalachian Trail but the trail itself didn't have a lot to do with the book overall.

[Owen Conway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave it this rating because I liked how the author pulled out the moment, For example when on boy was about to fall off a cliff.

[Unabridged_Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. My son loved it. I agree that it's a good story. It could use more detail and character development, but worth the read.
Also. I want to go backpacking now.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

For your younger readers looking for Gary Paulsen readalikes. A story of a boy's quest to finish a list he had with a friend. He meets new people and a dog along the way. Sweet, nice coming of age.

[Joe Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written book. Some people hike the trail to find themselves; others to heal. In this book, the hero does both. Lots of lessons to be learned in this book.

[Kathy Fiedler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read! Excellent choice for all readers young and old.

[Kathy Mathey · Rating 4 out of 5]

All things "survival" with several unique twists; highly recommended for middle school students

[Melissa Jung · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another middle school pick — it deals well with grief and self-doubt but still a fast-paced adventure.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it in a book club at school, and honestly it was a nice read. Not really intense and was pretty chill!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved it! It kinda reminded me of Hatchet it's a book similar with this one both of them have divorced parents there both struggle with a problem. Toby was struggling with the death of his friend. The guy in hatchet is struggling with the secret of his mother cheating on his dad. The authors have a similar Technique they reveal the struggles in flashbacks and memories threw out the story.

[Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read. I really liked the characters and their travels. There were definitely a few close calls and they kept me turning pages. I'd say this is would be good for about tween aged youngsters. This was written very well too. There's some humor, suspense, determination, self-discovery, courage, strong characters, and a good ending. This is something I might enjoy reading again but I don't think it will be a S&R book. It definitely has me wanting to enjoy the great outdoors and learn more about hiking/backpacking. Enjoy!

[Kurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have loved this book if I had read it as a teenager. Reading it as someone old enough to be the grandfather of the young man in the story resulted in a different, but still very good, experience.

It is the story of a young boy attempting to hike a large section of the Appalachian Trail alone. He encounters difficulty after difficulty, but he also encounters several really good people (and a dog) who help him continue on and come to terms with the trauma he has suffered.

A lot of the story was a little sappy for someone of my age. But the ending was actually just right in my opinion.

[Terry Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I was blown away by the depth of research Hashimoto clearly did to write such a realistically rendered telling of Toby's hike along the New Hampshire stretch of the Appalachian Trail. As a through-hiker who happens to live right near this stretch of trail, I could not believe how Hashimoto even got the tiny details right about the nature of the AMC huts, crew traditions, the through-hiking community, descriptions of the trail, & "trail magic" acts of human kindness. The story is an exciting adventure read with a bit of a mystery in that the reader is trying to figure out what happened to Toby's friend Lucas that led to Toby hiking the trail by himself. It's a touch unrealistic that Toby would be gone for so long without his grandmother (who he lives with) mounting a major search (he is gone for more than 8 days)- but I think that's the author's way of focusing the plot more tightly on Toby and his motives for persevering on the trail despite the many hardships he faces. This is a must-read for middle grade readers!

[Sondra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure I would recommend this book to my students. The book isn’t horrible but again it’s like Wild in that an unprepared person is out on the trail. He of course becomes savvy by the end of the trip but I don’t think it’s a good idea for young people to be exposed to such irrational decision making by a 12 year old.

What’s good - description of food, the joys of hiking and camping, the friendship story, the dog element.

Not so good - too many challenges for him to face, too much bad luck. He should have abandoned the trail sooner. Unrealistic that the cops aren’t searching for him, he’s gone 2 or more weeks.

[Karryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great adventure book akin to Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain. It has been nominated for our state readers award for 4th-7th graders. We read it aloud in 4th grade and we LOVED it. The kids made lots of great observations about main character Toby and his journey both on the trail and in life. It gave us opportunities to lear. A little more about the Appalachian Trail which runs not far past our elementary school.
If anybody knows how to get ahold of author Meika Hashimoto, we’ve got 43 kids who want to send her letters!!

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

May 2020- I thought the friend storyline was interesting and I liked reading about the hiking. When the story got really dog-centric, I started being less interested in it. That could be my dog hating bias though lol.

Jan 2021 - Reread to discuss with my Battle of the Books club. I enjoyed the story more the second time around (even with the dog) but I am so annoyed at the implausibility of the dog's owner being miles and miles away from where Toby finds him AND just happening to see the dog the one time Toby goes to a real supermarket...like...really?

[Donna Galanti]

This was such a heartfelt book with sad but also uplifting moments. We see our main character, Toby, navigating grief on the Appalachian Trail and making brave choices on his path. But he's not alone--along the way many kind hearted people help him when he needs it--and he also grows into his own hero. A story about loss and guilt but also hope.

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I got into hiking because I'm trying to grow up." It's the best half truth I can give.
"'Grow up'?" Ahead of me, Sean shakes his head. "What does that even mean?"
"I've...always needed people. I've always been a follower. Out here on the trail, I want to learn how to grow up. Depend on myself. Learn how to be alone." (45)

Is it odd that this and all three of the other MG/YA books I've found about the Appalachian trail have involved the protagonist either running away or lying to their parents?

What I loved about this one is the balance between Toby's ability and his age: he's about as well-prepared a twelve-year-old as you're likely to get, and he's pretty competent out in the woods, but there's also a whole lot that he doesn't know. For the most part I also liked the variety of hikers he met—I wasn't so sure about their monologues, but they added character.

What I didn't love was just how much happens in the...what is it, less than two weeks?...that Toby spends on the trail. He's still reeling from what happened with his best friend; he gets lost; he's almost swept away by a river; there's crazy-intense weather; he saves a guy from committing suicide and then helps pull two guys back from a literal ledge; he helps fend off a hut raid; he's almost charged by a moose; there's a drunk/evil guy who destroys all his stuff; he goes to battle with an abusive dog owner who pulls a gun; he runs out of food and thinks he might starve to death if he doesn't have food for three days... There's probably some stuff I'm missing. It's a lot. I understand that this is written for an audience younger than I am and one that probably wants some action, but there could have been half as much action/drama and it still would have felt like plenty.

All that said, it's terrific to see hiking books aimed at younger readers. I'd be super happy to see more along these lines.