Just Keep Walking

by Erin Soderberg Downing

Two years after her parents’ surprising and painful split, twelve-year-old Jo and her mom find themselves on the 100-mile hike on the Superior Hiking Trail along Lake Superior’s north shore –a journey that Jo had always looked forward to hiking with her dad. It’s not a situation that either of them ever predicted they’d find themselves in, yet here they are in the wilderness with their entire lives stuffed into a pair of thirty-pound packs.

Along the trail, they’ll suffer through endless aches and pains, scorching heat, and crippling self-doubt. They’ll encounter bears, moose, and other wildlife and meet and collect an assortment of unlikely friends. Day after day, Jo will battle the incessant thoughts that come in and out of her head. But as one obstacle after the next continue to test her strength and ultimate survival, Jo will have to confront her greatest fears head on and learn how to be alone.

What begins as a journey to prove to her father that she and her mom can make it on their own turns into a quest to rediscover their strength, build resilience, and prove that they can survive—both for themselves and for each other.

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

Hardcover

Published February 6, 2024

About the author

I read and write lots of funny, adventurous, & heartwarming books for kids, tweens, and teens (and even a few romantic comedies for adults, too!) that are ultimately about finding your place, finding your people, and finding your voice. I always love book recommendations, so please send them my way. As a reader, I'm partial to contemporary romantic comedy, thrillers that keep the pages turning and have well-built characters, funny/original voices, quirky characters, and always kids' books with humor and heart.

Reviews

[Erin Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really special to me, since the whole thing was inspired by and planned during a 2 week hike with my teen son.

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jo is one tough young lady! I think anyone who reads this will be mentally cheering for her courage and determination to accomplish a goal most adults wouldn’t set for themselves, much less a 12-year-old girl.
I loved the support Jo received from her mom! It’s no secret that hiking and camping are not really something she enjoys, but for her daughter she goes way out of her comfort zone.
Then, there’s Jo’s father…grrrr. I just don’t get his behavior AT All. I applaud Jo for coming to mature realizations about him; I don’t think I would have.
This was a great book, perfect for middle-graders. Go, Girl Power!

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5-3.75 stars, this reminded me a lot of Halfway to the Sky. Instead of Dani who is determined to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, we have Jo who is determined to hike at least 100 miles on the Superior Hiking Trail. Her goal is to beat the number of miles her Dad (who has since left her mother for another family) and brother hiked when they did a similar hike at her age.

[Katy O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My beloved Lake Superior features in this beautiful story of hiking and perseverance and reckoning with divorced parents. A perfect pairing with 2025’s THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES by Kate Messner. Can’t wait to book talk these together to middle schoolers this fall!

Source: school library hardcover

[Diana of Shelved by Strand · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a teacher who hikes in the PNW, I loved this book and will immediately pass it along to all my middle schoolers who hike, too. Makes me want to plan a bucket list hike!

[DaNae · Rating 2 out of 5]

12-year-old Jo sets off to hike a 100+ mile trail along Lake Superior with her mother. They are both recovering from the desertion of Jo’s dad, when he left them for another family.

The hiking portions made a great story, the 100+ therapy session was pedantic, boring, and annoying.

[Tess Evens · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up. I really loved reading this and following Jo and her mom on the Superior Hiking Trail! This really was the middle grade version of Wild mixed with Gilmore Girls!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so many things to say about this book, and it came to me at just the right time!
My formal review to come soon, But you should definitely add this to your pre-order list right now! You won’t want to miss it! And I want to start planning some small hikes on the superior trail for the summer!

[Nancycampbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story about a middle school girl's adventures on the Superior Hiking Trail. Jo goes to the wilderness to prove something to her dad, but ends up finding her own strength and resilience. This story is incredibly well-researched and realistic. It made me want to put on my hiking boots and go backpacking again.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gets four stars mainly for nostalgia but also it was a wonderfully teenage journey to follow.

[Valerie Poynter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this as a read aloud with my 8th grade students who live just off the Superior Hiking Trail. They whined, as they always do, but they were always silent once I got going. They would react to the scenes and have discussions every time we were done. I knew they enjoyed it!

We weren't able to finish during school, but I had to finish it on my own. I love the true feeling and emotion the book gives. I also love the real hiking experiences, like not being the first one on the trail because of the cobwebs. It might help that the author spoke at our school, but I truly enjoyed this book and can't wait to use it as a read aloud next school year.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous new offer in middle grade and it makes me want to lace up my hiking boots and hit the trail! Hiking in the Great Lakes area sounds a bit different to the trails here in Colorado. I'll bet it's beautiful.

[AllyP Reads Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not enjoy this book. Often for kids' books I may mark up the rating because I'm not the target audience, but this book was so annoying I'm not going to do that. Jo was so whiny and repetitive and irritating to listen to I'm not sure why I stuck this book out until the end.

She's been so looking forward to this trip with her dad but she knows nothing of backpacking. If you're so looking forward to something this important to you, why would you not look up how to do it? Look up where you're going? What to bring? Doing this would show your dad you're actually interested in participating rather than being whiny dead weight.

And then even when her dad backed out like a jerk, she still didn't do any research on this hike. She didn't look up the terrain, the weather, nothing. So then her and her mom are out bouldering over rocks and whining the whole time and it's like- a simple search of the trail would have told you what to expect. There's an official website for this trail with tons of information on it. No reason to be so surprised by what you encounter.

Jo complains about the weight of her pack but then we find she's carrying books with her. Books?! Do you know how heavy that is? Remove those and your pack will be lighter. Why didn't she get some e-books on her phone? Carrying books on a backpacking trip is just ridiculous.

Then she twice hurts herself- her ankle and then her knee and constantly complains about the pain from those injuries. Did you seriously not bring any painkillers? Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, generic aspirin? Nothing?! How stupid is that? Minor injuries are common and not having anything for them is just plain stupid.

Then we have to hear her complain about her dad leaving throughout the entire story. That she has to finish this hike to prove to her dad that she could do it. Where did you get the idea your dad thinks you can't do it? He never said that, did he? No, he didn't. He just picked his new family over you like an asshole, but he never said you couldn't finish the hike so what exactly do you need to prove? Dad also left them two years ago but both Jo and her mom act like it was yesterday. "Still getting over the shock" and "navigating the dad-size hole"? Sorry but it's been long enough that those things should not be an issue. There can still be hurt feelings but there's no way it would still feel like he's there and have to keep realizing he's not. Seriously, get therapy pronto.

There were many other things in this book that annoyed me but I stopped taking notes because the list was getting too long and I just wanted to finish the book. Should have DNF'd.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful story is about a 12 year old girl Jo and her mom hiking 100 miles of the Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota. After her father abruptly left them for a new family, both Jo and her mother are still reeling and numb post-divorce. The book has the expected storylines of needing to (1) talk honestly with loved ones about hard things, (2) deal with anger in order to move past it in the direction of forgiveness, and (3) find a way to come out of hiding after a difficult time, to resume “normal” life.

As a longtime hiker, I really enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the trail and the challenges Jo and her mom encounter. Although I haven’t hiked the Superior Hiking Trail yet, despite living in Minnesota for many years, I have no doubt that if I were familiar with the trail, I would find the descriptions spot on.

I loved that Jo’s mom was the more reluctant of the two hikers. Jo’s mom is not at all outdoorsy and it’s clear she would prefer not to be there at all. She stepped in for Jo’s absent father, who was supposed to take Jo on the same 100 mile hike he had done with Jo’s older brother many years ago. Jo is sometimes called on to act as the cheerleader to keep her mom going, even when she herself is miserable.

Jo stepping up and acting as the grownup among one or more adults was my favorite aspect of the story, as she encounters things like wild animals and inexperienced or inconsiderate hikers sharing the trail and camping spaces. As the parent of a 7th grader, I see those microsteps towards independence and competency on a daily basis. I thought the author did a really nice job of showing how the challenges of hiking and camping can present many opportunities to deal with difficult situations on the fly, such as bad weather, injuries, etc.

All in all, I definitely recommend this book. It is a 5-star book for me personally because I really connected with many aspects of the story.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was inspired and based on the author’s real life experience of hiking with her young son. Knowing that while reading her story made the story truly come alive. I cannot fathom hiking over 100 miles in two weeks. I honestly don’t think I’m that strong. But Jo and her mom feel that same way, and yet they begin this grand adventure. Jo’s dad has let her down. Jo’s mom comes through in loyal fashion. Lots of real life lessons in this story.

“For the past few years I’ve felt totally alone, but I’m starting to realize there’s this whole community of people ready to hold us up and help us out when we need a boost. We just need to let them.”

This line hit me in a very real way and I’m so grateful for the people in my life who lift me up in the moments and days and months I need the boosts the most.❤️

[Carli · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Twelve-year-old Jo and her mom set out to hike a 100 mile trail along the northern shore of Lake Superior as summer break begins. Jo always thought she would be doing this hike with her father, but he left their family two years ago with little explanation. The trip is grueling, but cathartic for the pair, and brings them closer and pushes them to limits they didn’t know were possible. Through their journey, both cope with the loss of their family unit as they knew it, while embracing the way they have changed and what they can now do moving forward. Hand to fans of The Canyon’s Edge. #mglit #librarian #librariansofinstagram #middleschoollibrarian

[Shella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the POV of this story and how her quest related to her family chaos. I did not see or speak to my dad for nearly 26 years after he did something similar to my mom- so I related to the angst of the protagonist. That area of the world is so beautiful, the scenery description was fantastic. I could feel how uncomfortable and difficult that kind of hiking must be. Really loved her mom and willingness to do anything for the people she loves- reminded me of my mom- who was a teacher too.

[Sue Gerth (The Bookalicious Babe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this novel about Jo and her Mom, both determined to finish hiking a 110 mile trail through Minnesota after Jo’s Dad broke his promise to hike it with Jo.

Many challenges, frustration, aches & pains. But as the days go by, Mom and Jo talk about some tough subjects—especially her Dad’s new family. The trip is one Jo won’t forget—

Enjoyed this and was happy to meet the author (she’s delightful!) at our library (Marion Public Library in Marion, IA) a few weeks ago. Make sure to read the afterword!

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A story about a young teen who hikes the Superior Hiking Trail along the north shore of Lake Superior in MN. Years before her dad and brother took this hike at her age and now it's her turn to go with Dad. However, two years following her parents' divorce and her dad's remarriage and now Dad can't make it. Mom instead joins Jo despite have little hiking acumen or interest.
This is a great story of resilience and forgiveness.

Read for MHL Award Nom Com; MN Author; MN setting

[Phil J]

I read four chapters.

I appreciated the accuracy of the hiking details. It was very believable and I could tell that the author knows her topic. The prose was sturdy but not remarkable. The plot seemed to be going in a predictable Walk Two Moons/Hatchet direction and I didn't feel the need to read more.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me a lot longer to finish than it should have. It’s a short coming of age middle grade fiction. I LOVED the setting. I liked Jo’s back and forth inner dialogue. Felt much more realistic than “we had this chat and now I feel all better”. It did feel a little plodding though which is why I can’t give it more stars.

[Lisa Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read with great details about what it's like to really hike in the wilderness. The "Yellow Submarine" scene was probably one of the funniest I have read in a while. I'll definitely be recommending this to my students.

[Rachel McMahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story a lot. It’s beautifully told and had many connection points that I think kiddos will love. I really liked her authors note at the end.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! I’ve always wanted to hike along Lake Superior and thought this mother/daughter duo was fantastic with each other as they deal with their anger.

[ember:) I love books! · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like it more if Jo wasn’t always complaining about the divorce:/

[Kathy Fiedler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story.

[Ginger France · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one!

[Shauna Yusko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Lauren Phelps · Rating 4 out of 5]

By coincidence, I was reading this book about a girl hiking the Superior Hiking Trail while my students researched pollution issues in the Great Lakes!

[Ben Lower · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would have been a good 4 star book without any real knowledge of backpacking or the Superior Hiking Trail…. But having hiked through all of the places that Jo and her mom did- 5 stars for the connection.