Echo

by Ron Rohrbaugh Jr

In 2023 "Echo" was named BOOK OF THE YEAR by Children's Book International and won top honors in the "Adventure" and Realistic Fiction" categories.“It’s the next Hatchet or My Side of the Mountain!”“Historical fiction meets masterful storytelling.”“Finally! A book that teaches real outdoor skills through amazing storytelling!”It was supposed to be a simple rite of passage, not a test of Echo’s wilderness survival skills. Will his handmade hickory bow and lessons from his Native American teacher keep him alive?Alone in the wilderness and badly injured, Echo fights for his life along the gurgling waters of Young Woman’s Creek. To survive Echo relies on lessons from his backwoods teacher, a part Native American woman named Luna Woapalanne. Hidden deep in the forest, Echo secretly follows clues to solve a Native American mystery that will complete a missing link in old Luna’s murky past.Join Echo as he gains Luna’s trust and uses his knowledge of wilderness survival, bushcraft, and natural history to become a “Sure Enough Mountain Man.”A thrilling wilderness adventure story for readers 8-108! Written by a wildlife biologist, It teaches wilderness survival, wildlife conservation, bushcraft, and natural history through page-burning storytelling. A great read aloud book for ages 5-8.“We can’t recommend this book enough to families wanting to inspire a love for the outdoors, bravery, ingenuity, responsibility, courage, and friendship.”“Please buy this for your kids - they will love it!!! After your kids read it- you should too….extremely educational and entertaining read!”“The author’s writing of Echo’s adventures through the forest was so immersive, it pulled us off our own couch and back into the woods.”“I felt like I was right in the forest with Echo and couldn’t wait to see what he did next. An amazing work of fiction that could be true, which made it such an incredible read.”

128 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2021

About the author

Ron Rohrbaugh is a professional conservation scientist, award-winning author, and outdoor writer who spent more than 25 years at Cornell University and the National Audubon Society. Ron got his love of nature through hunting, fishing, birding, and camping in the backwoods of Pennsylvania. His recent books include Tine to Table, A Traditional Bowhunter’s Path, and LIVING WILD with the Orions; an adventure/historical fiction series for young readers. In addition to writing, Ron and his wife Debbie operate the Living Wild Family YouTube channel, where they chronicle outdoor adventures with their children, including nearly three years of full-time travel to America’s wild places. Ron’s mission is to use storytelling to inspire the next generation of wildlife conservation heroes.

Reviews

[Cathy Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

We listened to the audiobook as a family and my kids (ages 6, 10, 12) all really enjoyed this book. They love realistic survival stories.
I liked the friendship between Echo and his neighbor, Luna, and how they helped each other in big ways.
I also loved how my kids could learn so much through the story but still be captivated by the story. A good balance between fiction and non fiction information.

[Ryan Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book , I enjoy adventure and survival books and this book was right on the money . It goes into great detail in the story while still being easy to understand . It’s not hard to read and has good emotion in the writing . It was also nice being able to see drawings in it every once in a while . Overall I love this book and it is one of my favorites . I recommend this book to anybody who enjoys nature , survival , or just reading a fun story.

[Georgia Tumbleweed McNabb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well written story that I feel most YA would enjoy and learn a lot about nature. The respect given throughout this story both to nature and the Native Americans in this Story is Great. Narrator does a Great job with the characters and the Entire Storyline. I highly recommend this Audible book.

[Poncio Pulido]

I bought the book after reading a review saying it would be similar to "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen.

Between the two books, Echo seemed to be themed around Growth and Development while "Hatchet" seemed to have been centered around Overcoming Extreme Odds.

Going into this book with the thought that it'll be similar to Hatchet might overshadow the experience from actually enjoying the story. The protagonist was bright and a hard worker. His knowledge gave him an edge in knowing what to do during his crisis.

I'd recommend reading
"Island of the Blue Dolphin" by Scott O'Dell
to give one of the character's a fun, interesting, possible backstory.

Have fun!

[Michael Powers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointed with all the political climate change garbage that was worked into the story. Not necessary for the story and painfully obvious that the author felt he had to try and make it fit into the story.

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

This was refreshing to read in a world inundated with technology and indoor activities. Fast and entertaining story. Can’t wait to read book 2.

[PottWab Regional Library]

SM

[Nick Bauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminds me of Hatchet

[Hildeloke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for our outdoor, hunting and adventure loving boy, we read it together and discussed some of the themes and now my son is reading it independently. This story promotes a connection with the natural world, highlighting the importance of wilderness survival skills, hunting, and foraging. Realistic portrayal of wilderness survival. Respect for Native American culture. Focus on individual responsibility. It has an emphasis on traditional values, self reliance and the importance of community.