Mountain Runaways

by Pam Withers

After an avalanche kills their parents and Children's Services threatens to separate them, three siblings run away to hide in the mountains. Pursued by search teams, they face hunger, injury, dangerous animals, and a shadowy woods dweller. Above all, can they stop their feisty threesome from unravelling?

Genres: Young Adult, Adventure, Family, Survival, Fiction, Teen, Canada

230 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 25, 2022

About the author

Award-winning YA author Pam Withers -- a former outdoor guide, journalist and editor -- has written 21 sports and outdoor adventure books for teens. She has been nominated for three Red Maple Awards and numerous others. Besides her novels, she has written an athlete's biography and Jump-Starting Boys, a book for parents on getting boys to read. Pam lives in Vancouver, Canada, and tours North America extensively.

Reviews

[Lindsay L · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Several weeks before Jon’s eighteenth birthday, an avalanche tragically kills Jon, Korka and Aron’s parents. The siblings decide to go on the run in the mountains to escape social services until Jon is legally allowed to be the guardian of Korka and Aron. Relying on the skills their parents taught them over the years running their wilderness survival courses, the three kids face the wild.

YA is not a preferred genre for me but this was a refreshing palate cleanser. The story is adventurous and suspenseful. I feel these characters would be extremely relatable and intriguing for younger readers. The sibling bond is strong and heartwarming. I enjoyed their relationship dynamics and how they knew and loved each other so deeply.

This novel is full of adventure and atmosphere! I enjoyed the palpable sense of scenery and danger that kept me curious and wondering how things would work out for this family. There are several survival tips spread throughout this story which were interesting but did feel preachy at times. The tips were educational and felt like something to teach the reader rather than a natural way of conversation between the characters.

One character is on the autism spectrum and I thought that perspective was done extremely well. This added a deeper layer to the kids relationships as they nurtured each other and navigated the unknown together.

Overall, this was an easy, refreshing step outside my usual reads. I would recommend this to younger readers looking for an outdoorsy, atmospheric adventure.

Thank you to Dundurn Press for my physical copy!

[Ana 🤍 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own :)

The description of this novel sounded beyond promising-3 kids who, after losing their parents, escape into the Canadian wilderness only to encounter greater obstacles (i.e. starvation, injuries, sickness), and for the most part, it delivered! The writing in itself was extremely detailed and easy to understand, and the plot was very intense from the get go! However, the only criticism I can find for this book is that 1) I felt that the character dynamic could have been explored more & 2) there were some parts of the story that felt incredibly disjointed. In terms of character dynamic, I would have preferred to see more character growth from every perspective, as well as more detail into the character themselves: I felt very disconnected at times. As for the ‘disjointed’ claim, I felt as though the story abruptly changed several times- this could be in terms of scenery, plot, or even character growth: we heard that it happened, but we didn’t see how it got there or why. At the end of the day, the writing and the very plot of this book was its saving-grace, and despite my criticisms, I did overall enjoy reading it: it was entertaining, and unlike anything I have read before, and for that, I am impressed. Its an entertaining piece, one that will have you hanging off the edge of your seat at times, and incredibly wholesome at others!

[thegirlonfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.
i requested this ebook on netgalley and got approved for it. i requested it because the cover caught my attention and the description of the book sounded interesting, specially bc im into survival books and this book delivered what i wanted.
it follows 3 siblings who are survival experts bc their parents ran a survival school, but after an avalanche kills both their parents, jon 17, korka 14 and aron 10 decide to runaway and hide in the mountains until jon is 18 and old enough to be their guardian since they didnt want the childrens services to seperate them. i liked the story ive never read a story like this, the kids were soo smart and capable and strong and brave. i also like that it takes place in canada but the kids and parents are scandinavian, the youngest kid aron is very interesting he has a very good instinct and he just feels/knows things, he doesnt speak much and hes afraid fo small spaces. korka is badass she knows krav maga. and jon who thinks he has to be the leader and protect his siblings. theres also mark who is jons best friend but we only see him a bit. theres officer vine and his wife who wanna take the kids in. but the kids dont like him and dont wanna stay with him. they are kinda rude and disrespectful to aron just bc he doesnt talk much. i liked all the moments that aron was feelings things like when he didnt want his parents to go out the door that day like he know somethin bad was gonna happen to them. or when they in the mountains and he knows/feels/hears things and animals for them to hunt. like all siblings and specially in such harsh environment they fought specially korka and jon. its mostly jons point of view but sometimes we ve korkas and arons. sometimes we also have flashbacks. each chapter is also short and its easy and fast to read.

SPOILERS:

in the begining of their trip aron was sick for a while with a fever. and later on korka got a sprained ankle. but im sooo relieved there was nothing worse that happened. they also fought some wolves for food. they also had to hide from party searchers lookin for them in the mountains. i also liked the ending, and that it didnt just end abruptly right when they were found but that we got to see a bit of after too.

[Daniele Kasper · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise was interesting. Three siblings are about to be torn apart after the tragic death of their parents and sent to different foster homes. The eldest, Jon , is close to turning 18. They decide to use their survival knowledge, taught to them by their parents, and run away into the wilderness to stay together until Jon is legally an adult.

As a fan of books like Hatchet growing up, this one caught my attention. Unfortunately, the writing was flat and didn’t carry such a heavy plot. There was a lot of telling, not showing, and the dialogue felt clunky at times. The ending felt a bit rushed. It was too nearly and quickly wrapped up after months of chaos. The siblings each had so much potential for exploring their individual personalities, but it never really happened. Korka, the middle sister, was a fascinating character and I wish that she had been fleshed out more.

There were lots of great tidbits about wilderness survival and the siblings are pitted against each other at times but also forced to come together to make it through the harsh conditions they face. It’s the story of family, grief and sibling broken that can’t be broken no matter the odds. Two and a half stars. It just didn’t quite pack enough punch with the writing style to grab me but the premise was a great one to use as a plot.

[Vania Vela · Rating 4 out of 5]

“After all, they’re a family”

First I just want to thank the publisher, NetGalley and the author for this ARC.

This book interested me just by reading the title. I liked that the survival tactics and the hiking theme were included; i am not a person who is usually in nature but I found them interesting.

The dynamic between the brothers seemed realistic to me. I'm not an only child, so I understand what it's like to fight with your siblings. There were times when they fought with each other but at the end of the day they continued to love each other and work to get ahead together.

I would have liked to see a little more development in the characters, since with everything that was happening to them I feel that it would have been good to deepen the aspects of their personality and emotions.

There were also issues that seemed confusing to me, such as that when the eldest son turned 18, he could take care of his siblings. I understand that a whole legal process is required and it is quite time consuming and it is not that easy. I also would have liked to see a little more about the death of the parents, because I ended up with some doubts.

Other than that, I liked the book and it was quick to read. Thanks a lot!

[Johanna ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for this book!*

An avalanche has just killed the parents of the Gunnarson kids, Jon (17), Korka (14) and Aron (10). Now, child services is threatening to separate them. Determined to keep together, the siblings decide to take their chances in the mountains. They have the advantage since their late parents ran a wilderness survival school and taught their children at every opportunity how to survive in the wild. But they have two months until Jon turns eighteen and is able to claim custody and it turns out, surviving in the wilderness isn't as easy as they thought.

This is the second adventure book I've read in a row (see my review of Paradise on Fire: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and I have really enjoyed both! The tension in this story had so many different sources and I think the author nailed the sibling dynamic. As an oldest sibling I really related to Jon and I could totally see myself in so many of the squabbles and frustrations as well as the responsibility and pressure he felt. I liked how their grief over their parents wasn't forgotten but was explored in different ways as the story went on.

I really liked the mystery element to how their parents died but was a little disappointed that the resolution wasn't as final as I'd hoped. I could tell that the setting was well researched and it almost made me want to go camping! Almost, haha. If you like fun adventure books I would recommend checking this one out on Netgalley or later on when it's released! Happy Reading :)

[Laurie Tell · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

I really enjoyed this book. I could absolutely picture the world that was built. I am not an outdoorsy girl, but it (almost) made me want to do some long distance hiking. I thought all of the survival skills that were included were super interesting.

Once thing I really liked is that this rang true with the interaction with the siblings. Yes, they pulled together, but there was sure some sulking, some arguing and some pettiness. And if you have any siblings, you know that won't suddenly resolve itself. I expected this to be the family against the elements. And yes,, there was a good deal of that. But it was also the family against itself too.

I thought the writing was really good and I was able to lose myself in this book. I read it in a day - I was absorbed into it.

However, all that being said it was not all perfect. There were a few things that bothered me:
SPOILER ALERT - SKIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU DONT WANT ANYTHING SPILLED.. I felt like there was a mystery about the parents death. This was built up to a degree and then never resolved? Why DID the father do what he did, and why did the mother run after him all of a sudden?

OK, SPOILER OVER.

Something that bothered me was that I felt like there needed to be more character development up front. It almost felt disjointed. Here is the family before the tragedy, now the tragedy, now the kids run to the mountain. It almost felt like 3 different stories in a way - I felt like that needed to flow better. However, keep in mind that I am reading this 8 months before the publication date - this could be really improved by then, so take it with a grain of salt.

The ending also bothered me. The resolution of the issue seemed too pat, and all of a sudden "woo hoo - everything is good" was not realistic to me. The premise is that the kids want to run away until the eldest turns 18 so her can get custody of them. But can that happen in real life? Or would he have to go to the court and ask for custody? I thought the entire assumption that his turning 18 would resolve everything was a little shaky.

Ok, well I think you get the idea. I had a few issues with it - BUT - I was engrossed and I escaped into the world that was built and isn't that what we ask for?

[Mary Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book review
“Mountain Runaways” by Pam Withers
Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be forced to survive in the wilderness? How about adding the element of being searched for by local authorities with the apparent intent to strip you of your freedom?
Enter Jon, Korka and Aron, the three siblings who, after tragically losing their parents in a freak of nature accident, find themselves in the grips of family social services who want to separate them and place them in foster care with an unsavory acquaintance of their now deceased parents. Being equipped with advanced wilderness skills, thanks to their parents who had run an outdoors survival outfit, they decide to flee into the Northern Albertan wild, in pursuit of a cabin hideaway in an abandoned mining area.
The award winning author craftily weaves a myriad of universal themes into this short novel aimed at her teenage male readership audience. (Although I will add here that the story would be equally tantalizing for young teenage girl readers). In her exciting page turner, author Pam Withers explores the full spectrum of human emotion at heightened intensity levels of grief, fear/survival, burgeoning teenage love, jealousy, and resilience in the face of adversity. Through the lens of a principal theme of sibling loyalty and love as well as the inevitable challenges of sibling rivalry, there are many tender moments of true bonding that will make your heart melt!
Through the eldest sibling Jon, who is suddenly faced with the immense responsibility of caring for his two younger siblings, the teenage readers get to live vicariously through him as he struggles with the trials and tribulations of his near impossible circumstances to ultimately gain vital leadership skills toward a deepening maturity.
Through Korka, the topic of female equality and resilience in the face of toxic masculinity is rendered with respectful consideration and care.
And through the character of the youngest boy Aron, the reader is shown the magical strengths and unique sensitivities of a brave boy managing life while apparently on the spectrum.
Prepare yourself to be taken on an exciting adventure through mountainous terrain which includes encounters with grizzlies, elk, deer, crows, owls, cougars, wolves, grouse and more.
I found little to critique about this gem of a book. I give a top rating to Mountain Runaways.

[Kate Larkindale · Rating 3 out of 5]

As anyone who knows me will be aware, I love books about siblings and their relationships. Especially siblings who are forced to face challenging situations without any adult input. So when I saw this book on NetGalley, I thought it was probably right up my alley.

It follows three siblings after their parents die in an avalanche just outside their front door. The entire family are extremely experienced outdoorsmen, the parents having run a survival school from the family home.

Rather than face the possibility of being separated in foster homes, or the youngest, Aron, who is largely non-verbal, being placed in a facility, the three kids flee into the wilderness. They are confident they have enough of a plan and enough knowledge to survive until Jon, the eldest, turns 18, despite it being mid-winter and having the ability to carry only a limited amount of supplies.

As you would expect in an outdoor adventure story like this, the path is not smooth for the trio. Shortly after they leave home, Aron becomes ill and they are forced to stop for several days while he recovers. And then Korka, the middle sibling, sprains her ankle and they are forced to hole up for even longer while she heals. Supplies become short and they would starve if not for Aron's sudden resourcefulness in hunting hares. A resourcefulness that reveals they are not alone in the woods...

I enjoyed this book, but really wanted the characters to struggle more. They argue, as siblings do, but it never gets much beyond petty bickering. None of the three seem to grow much as people through their ordeal, nor do they ever seem to get scared - even when challenging wolves or wildcats for meat they have caught. And despite the amount of time and resource the mountain rescue team must put into finding them, there is little in the way of consequences for them once they emerge back into civilization.

This is a quick, easy read that doesn't leave much on an emotional impact. If you're into survival stories and books that take place in the wilderness, then this one might be for you!

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this early.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a YA book and after reading it I can see why it's intended audience is YA. I think the intended audience would enjoy and appreciate this book more than adults.

The plot is about 3 siblings, Jon (17), Korka (14) and Aaron (11) who is a special needs child. The story opens with their father going out into a snowstorm and their mother shortly after following. Both parents have survivalist skills and know what to do in extreme cases; however, when an avalanche hit them there was no saving them. Due to the age of the three children, social services was going to find them a placement and they also had an adult male offer to take them in...at least the older two but likely not Aaron due to his special needs. So, they did what any siblings would do...they ran away to the mountains to wait until Jon turned 18 (in less than 3 months) and could take guardianship of the younger ones.

What I liked about the book is the love among the siblings and their desire to be together as a family. I thought they were mostly realistically portrayed as siblings are in real life...rivals! They had their sibling arguments and some that were so common in the real world. They would fight over who could be boss and who was more capable of doing certain things such as building fire, doing dishes or cooking, etc.

I was surprised by the skills they did have, even Aaron who was much more capable than I'd expect a boy of eleven years old to be. And, as it turned out, girls can be just as strong as boys in many ways. What I didn't care for was that although there was adventure and suspense, for me as an adult it wasn't enough of either. Again, I think this is definitely a book that is more/better suited for pre-teens and teens. There is some discussion of suicide and a slight bit of romance talk but no romance scenes to speak of other than a 17 year old boy thinking about kissing a girl.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Eunice R · Rating 5 out of 5]

The word "Runaways" in the title caught my attention on this one. I wasn't disappointed in the least as I read, either. I kid you not. This is such a believable story of adventure and survival in the great Canadian oudoors (based loosely on the Willmore Wilderness Park, Alberta) I had to double check that this is fiction. Was sorry when the narrative ended, and it had me hopefully scrolling down in search of a next chapter.

Even though I'm not much of an outdoors person, especially of the "extreme" variety, following Jon, Korka,and Aron the runaway siblings, recently orphaned by their parents' fatal accident, was an adventure in and of itself. I felt like I was tagging along right there with them, experiencing all their ranges of emotions, conflicts and situation. I couldn't help but to cheer them on.

The developing leadership quality Jon exhibited and other lessons each of the children learned in relating to each other and of their own character strengths and weaknesses, and basically of surviving, using skills, which had been taught by their parents, created an excellently wholesome escapade, which I highly recommend for readers of mostly the teenage category. However, I believe adults would thoroughly enjoy this especially if they are outdoors people used to pitting their endurance against wilderness conditions.

I vote a definite 5-STARs and thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to voluntarily review a review copy of this book.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy given by NetGalley and the publisher.

[Ellie Dunne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
-
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced ebook of this title!
'Mountain Runaways' follows three siblings Jon, Korka and Aron after the sudden death of their parents. They use the skills learned from their parents outdoor survival school to live in the wild for months until Jon turns eighteen and can become their legal guardian.
This was one of the most unique books I've read, as the interests of the characters and how these applied to the setting and plot were something I've never come across before. I felt this book was very well researched and learned a lot! I thought the author depicted a very realistic sibling relationship, as despite their circumstances they still bickered and fell out constantly. I think this is definitely what would happen in real life!
Stylistically I had some issues with the writing style of this book- there was a lot of telling rather than showing, particularly at the beginning and end. The relationships that were established were supposed to seem very close and emotional but for me I didn't see anything to prove this enough- the character development also didn't seem to happen very naturally as there was a very abrupt change shown through the narrative rather than the characters actions. As a result of this I didn't really feel much for the characters, particularly the fourth we were introduced to. Similarly, in the epilogue we were told what had happened to the characters through a conversation that felt very awkward instead of being shown in a natural way. I also struggled with the switches between past and present tense and points of view, these felt a bit clunky and awkward to me.
Despite my issues with the writing, I did enjoy my time with this book and thought it was a very tense and fast paced story, that was easy to follow and I didn't want to put down. I sped through this book, and would definitely recommend it, particularly for younger ya readers.

[Rebecca Veight · Rating 3 out of 5]

When an avalanche kills their parents Jon, Korka and Aron decide to run away into the mountains so they won't have to be separated. At least till Jon turns 18 and can become their guardian. Seems impossible but if anyone can do it they can for their parents ran a survival school.

Grabs your attention from the start with natural and relatable dialogue. Some of the descriptions are quite inventive and hit home on the emotional front. The author puts you right in the action with all the many details. They have to fight the elements, avoid people looking for them and have a few more unexpected surprises. So much happens you won't believe it! Interesting to learn about survival skills and the wilderness.

I really liked that each child was given a voice with their own POVs. The sibling relationships are done quite well, with Jon the self-appointed leader having the weight of the world on his shoulders, Korka having an opinion about everything, and Aron wanting to show that he is as sufficient as his older siblings. Aron is my favorite sibling. He is on the spectrum and I believe his autism is depicted well. He is very intelligent and just so loveable.

The flashback/memories often feel like they are interrupting the story. Also the narrative sometimes feels like someone is giving a report, but mostly it is full of heart.

Themes the book presents are family and grief, dealing with our emotional 'baggage' and evolving, and the extraordinary strength of the human spirit to survive. A quick enjoyable read of an outdoor adventure with an emotional journey of a family, a journey that we can all relate to.

[Egan Reeve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mountain Runaways is a young adult fiction book about the Gunnarssons, three siblings that are orphaned and as a result have to spend three months in the Albertan wilderness until the oldest, Jon, turns 18. Korka is 14, and Aron (the young viking) is 11

I received a copy of this book free of charge on net galley to review. All opinions are my own.

I'm not exactly familiar with survival based stories, and when I say that I mean that essentially this is the first one that I have ever read. However, I did love the CHERUB books which have a similiar tone but are about secret agents and not about survival I the wilderness.

This book is narrated in the second person but mostly through Jon. And I hate to say this but Jon is really boring. Like he is honestly so dull. The bits with Korka were fine, but the sections narrated through the mind of Aron were few and far between and considering he was non-verbal for most of the book (which it was made very clear wasn't due to autism and sort of gave a bad vibe of autism which, as a nuerodivergent person I did not appreciate).

The story was gripping, and I kept reading it to see what would happen, but something that really really bothered me was the fact that the Gunnarsson kids felt responsible for their parents finances. Which was sort of written as being acceptable. Like in the woods all of them have an epiphany that they should have done work, or given their parents their allowance. Which seemed weird. They are literally children.


Would I recommend it ?
Yeah for like 10-12 year olds I guess.

Would I read it again?
No

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much @dundurn for the gifted copy of Mountain Runaways by Pam Withers. This book came out on January 25, 2022 – available now!

Mountain Runaways is a YA adventure novel following three siblings, Jon, Korka and Aron. At the star of the novel the siblings see their parents buried in an avalanche just outside their home in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

In order to ensure they are not split up before Jon turns 18 and can become Korka and Aron’s guardian, they head into the mountains to hide out from the authorities for a few weeks. This would seem like a horrible plan, but the thee of them are well versed in survival skills and are probably the most equipped they could be for the trip.

This is exactly the sort of book I loved to read in middle school, and am glad to see there are still books like the ones I read coming out. There were tons of details about how to survive in the back country, and what to do if you run into trouble.

It was interesting to see the three main characters change and develop throughout their adventure. Learning to work together, listen to each other and believe in themselves are all major themes throughout the book.

I definitely recommend this book to adventurers and YA readers, it’s a short quick read filled with hope and determination.

[Aina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mountain Runaways is about three siblings caught in a terrible situation. The eldest, Jon, is a little naïve but forced to become the head of the family after losing their parents. Korka, the middle sister, deals with her emotions by rebelling against authorities. The youngest, Aron, imagines himself on an adventure as a Viking. He’s treated differently by adults because he doesn’t like to speak.

Having siblings myself, I thought the book does a great job portraying their complicated relationships (though some of the conversations feel a little juvenile), and how they learn things about each other during this intense adventure. Not being well-versed in natural living, I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the scenes – especially those involving wild animals – but I was entertained nonetheless. I feel sorry for the siblings because while the ending seems optimistic, it still doesn't erase their pain. The book deals with grief, loss of parents, animal deaths, and violent strangers, so while this would be a good survival story for YA readers, proceed with caution!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.

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[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mountain Runaways by Pam Withers is a young adult novel about the non-stop thrill of three siblings, Jon, Korka, and Aron, whose parents died in a Canadian Rockies avalanche and who are now trying to survive on their own in the wild. It is hard to believe, but their parents ran a survival school, so the siblings know how to hunt, skin, cook food over a fire, chop wood, and hide from searchers. The reason why the three kids run away is that they need to wait until Jon turns eighteen years old so that he can be their legal guardian. CPS is coming to find the kids and separate them into foster care. The siblings are very caring of each other and are willing to do whatever it takes to be together. I highly recommend this action/adventure novel about three kids who learn how to survive out in the wild. The story moves at a consistent speed that keeps the reader engaged, and the characters are relatable in their love for each other. Don’t worry, I am not going to spoil the story, but I can guarantee that the novel has a great ending that is worth the read. I highly recommend Mountain Runaways and rate this book 4.7/5 stars.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This kind of book was definitely what I loved to read in middle school, so I thought I would give it a try. I liked it, but there were some things that bothered me a bit. The characters weren't fleshed out the best. I felt like there was a lot that could have been explored, and the characters could have shown much more of their personalities. I was also a bit put off by the girl that they find in the woods. Yes she helped them, but I felt like the author put in a few things that she was dealing with that kids may not get or want to read about. It was just cringey to me. I also felt like the ending was resolved too quickly and easily. No consequences? Not sure if that is how it would really be. But it was a story that kept me coming back to finish to find out just how bad it would get for the family.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had big modernized Hatchet feels, which is both a good and a bad thing for it. It stands up to the ideas, and there's a good amount of actual survival information in here, but I think the biggest hitch for me was that I didn't really connect to any of the characters. Their motivations are sound, but there's something about them that just didn't work for me, though that's purely personal taste. All in all, if you want to read a decent adventure story but are sick of Paulsen, I'd highly recommend this. There's a lot of trauma unpacking throughout, which makes it stand out, and Withers has done a great job at creating something unique in the genre.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the character development was terrific. The three siblings came to life. Their struggles to get along with each other as teen and pre-teen siblings in the wilderness was realistic. The story was fast-paced and never lacked for action and adventure. The Alberta wilderness was portrayed very well, detailed but no overly descriptive paragraphs running on longer than could hold the reader's interest. Yes, the reader has to overcome a bit of disbelief at the way the Gunnarson siblings' parent die but the narrator even admits that.

A fun read and you can learn about ways to get along better with your siblings as a teen. I really liked this book. The author is a very experienced writer and it shows.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off I'd like to thank netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was immediately interested in this book from the cover and title having always loved books like into the wild and hatchet growing up.
I enjoyed that the three siblings had a typical rivalry even while having to endure such difficult situations.

I enjoyed Pam's writing style and all the knowledge and research that went into this book. The references to pemmican, elevations and outdoor survival were great and I think make for good stepping stones for teens to research more into outdoor survival or just camping after reading this.

Overall really easy quick book and it had me engaged the entire time.

[Dianne McMahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book very much !
Jon took his 2 siblings & went on the run,after both of his parents were killed in an avalanche & he was a few months shy of being eighteen & of age to be their legal guardian.
His siblings & him would have possibly been
separated, or so he thought & he couldn't let that happen.
They were all three pretty adapt at being out in the wilderness as their parents owned the business & taught Wilderness Survival.
Interesting to see,just what a human beings body can withstand when their up against it.
Would recommend to anyone who likes to read about the hardship of the elements & the closeness of family.

[Jenn Brouwer · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fellow Canadian I liked the fact that survival in our harsh climate was included. The story line was good, the book moved at a good pace. I was not crazy about the characters but they were ok. I found some of the story line implausible in regards to how the children came to be runaways. I also felt like they really skimmed over the story of the other runaway, while alluding to a deeper story. This book was average for me but lacked depth. Disclaimer I am an adult and I feel this would be more appealing is I was a teenager.

[Bianca Sota · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley for this eARC, all opinions are my own.

It definitely semmed very interesting but i had doubts whether i could connect with the story and it did. I was completely hooked up since the first five chapters and then i just couldnt stop. Its an amazing fast paced book that will keep you on your toes every chapter wandering what will happen next. I could emphasize sooo much with the 3 brothers and their experience and journey thoughout the book.

The only thing is that i felt the ending a but rushed but i apart from that it was amazing

[Rhiannon Rabby | 31 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fresh, new twist on a classic trope. Wilderness survival novels are not uncommon - But CHOSEN wilderness survival? As children/teenagers? God damn. Jon, Korka, and Aron knew exactly what they were doing when they left their home and the life they knew after a sudden and unexpected tragedy turned their world upside down. They were armed with the knowledge, the tools, and the determination to survive for months out in the open. WILL THEY MAKE IT!?!? Absolutely riveting from start to finish.

[K.A. Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent survival adventure for middle-grade/teen/YA readers. With high stakes, plenty of action without tipping into gore or trauma, a central tragedy that adds a touch of heart without too much angst, and character age spread from upper elementary through almost-18s, this has broad appeal for young readers looking for something with a little more excitement and edge (but still age-appropriate.) Hatchet updated for Gen-Z, with bonus sibling rivalry on the side. Highly recommended and will definitely be adding to my reading lists/curriculum for middle schoolers.

[Karin Van duuren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about family, grief and challenging situations. It was interesting learning about all the different kind of survival tactics, but I felt that the situation the children found themselves in was somewhat sugarcoated. Yes, they had it rough, but you never got the feeling that their lives were in real danger or that their actions had real consequences. So not quite perfect, but i enjoyed it overall. I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Colette Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book for all young adults. It tells the story of Aron, Jon and Korka who have to endure what no other children should endure, the loss of their parents. In order to remain as a family, and whilst dealing with their grief they head off into the mountains to hide from authority. Their quest to remain together, and deal with their own individual emotions is poignant.
It has highly earned its right to be on classroom bookshelves!

[Chaannttt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great. The story was wonderful, it’s well detailed so you always had a good picture of the scene in your mind whilst reading. I also really enjoyed the learning/survival points in the book. I learnt a lot from it.

The only thing I would wish this book to have would be the outcome/further explanation of the parents death which led to the whole story. But it does end on a note that leaves it open for another book (I hope)

[Catharine Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give it 3.5 stars, but it’s not an option. It does improve towards the end and I like the wrap up. Didn’t feel the writing flow for at least the first half of the book. Felt the kids acted like spoilt brats by just running away without talking to the adults first. They made a lot of assumptions. Also? the parents. A little egotistical? Maybe that’s just me. Overall worth the read if taken lightly, but not a favorite.