The Hero

by Ron Woods

Nobody would believe Dennis Leeper was a hero. He was the kind of kid you hid from when he pedaled his rickety bike down the road. But Jamie couldn’t say no when his father asked him to include Dennis in the raft project. And someone needed to hold the line when Jamie and his cousin Jerry finally got the raft in the river. But they should have known that Dennis couldn’t be trusted to hold onto it.

Without paddles and out of people’s sight, the three boys are swept downstream—toward the dams, the steep falls, and three separate destinies. One swims to shore. One is rescued. And one never returns alive.

Overcome by guilt and the fear that Dennis’s father will take revenge for his son’s death, Jamie tells everyone how he Dennis was a hero. The question Will anyone believe it?


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Adventure

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 12, 2002

Reviews

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This was an intense read. We read this aloud as a family. We all gave it 4 stars. We had an interesting discussion after finishing this book about the main characters decisions. Is it ever okay to lie? Definitely a situation that was not easy to choose the morally correct answer.

[America Gaona · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Hero" is about a young teen named Jamie who has a cousin named Jerry and together they were building a raft. Jamie's dad always told them to be friendly to this boy who was always bullied named Dennis, Jamie tried to be nice to him but Jerry wasn't. At first they didn't want Dennis to know about the raft but eventually he found out and started helping them build it. After they built it, they were riding it and one person was supposed to hold the rope attached to it so the raft would go down stream but when Dennis did it he lost grip and was pulled into the water with Jamie and Jerry, lucky he made it on to the raft. They had no control of where the raft was going and there was no one near by to help then they realized that the river they were on had two huge dams. When they fell down the first one Jerry got knocked off the raft and started swimming to the shore and got help. The help got there too late to get them before they reached the second dam so they fell off that one too. The rescue boots were at the bottom of the dam and were able to rescue Jamie but Dennis died. After hid death, Dennis's dad kept threatening Jamie's family but eventually the tensions calmed down after Jamie told them that Dennis saved him.

Honestly i didn't like this book much because it had a very slow start and wasn't very exciting over all. It had a good story but it had trouble capturing my attention through out the book.

[Sandra Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm just sorry this book has not been picked up by English teachers. It should be a real classic for junior high discussion. The story develops the relationship of the protagonist, a farm teen during the Depression, and his town friend treat the sadly deprived son of a real stinker who lives on the next farm. THough the protagonist's wise and kind father encourages the protagonist to include the deprived, oppressed boy in his activities with his friend, the two join school friends in ridiculing the boy. Then one day they allow the boy to ride their homemade raft on a very wild Idaho river. The consequences, a well told adventure and its aftermath, not only confront questions of including others, judging others, and peer pressure, but also the theme question--when is it right to lie?

[Kaitlyn Pauk · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hero was kind of sad story but it was a pretty good book. This boy Jamie and the cousin made a raft even if Jamie's mom didn't want them to make one. Jamies dad told them they have to be friends with someone they don't like. The three boys went to the swift river and something horrible happened. When the father of the boy they didn't like wanted to not have a funeral for the boy it made me a little sad. At the end of the story it made me a little happier that the father went and said sorry about his actions towards Jamie.

[Nicole O · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this my book when I was in my old house before I moved to different states. SO...I couldn't remember what this book talk about. SO..I decided to read this book, again. NOW I do remember it. I don't know how to said about this book... I know this book is not very popular but it is still good book. So yeah.

[Eskana · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Hero" is one of those books that stars younger, teenage characters and the decisions that mark the difference between childhood and adulthood (similar to "On my Honor," another book with a similar theme.)
The MC, Jamie, is an incoming-freshman living on a small farm in Idaho in a very small town. The relative newcomers up the road, the Leapers, are generally disliked by everyone, and Jamie particularly dislikes the awkward Dennis Leaper, the only one his age. Although he isn't one of the ones who bullies him, he doesn't mind pitching in when someone else starts it.

The plot, overall, is slow, but it is, after all, really on the decisions we make and how we deal with the consequences. I thought it did a good job, overall, and the story was a quick, interesting read. My main problem, however, was the ending.
To really understand, you have to understand that these sorts of books, I feel, are trying to put up a model for people to follow. Like "On My Honor," the books present a normal circumstance that many people get in through their own actions, and try to guide the morally right and responsible way out of it. In "On my Honor," two boys go swimming in a dangerous river. When one drowns, the other has to decide if he should tell the truth and accept the blame for his part of the tragedy. He decides in the end to tell the truth and accept the consequences.
Here, we have a similar situation, but in the end, the MC saves the day by lying to the entire town. The emotions and circumstances are more involved- you're dealing with unreasonable people who have just lost a child- but still, the end of the story is "Lie, if you have to. Sometimes it's better than the truth."

What kind of moral is that?

[LilyU · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read THE HERO by Ron Woods. This book mainly took place on a river because that is where most of the conflict is. The main characters in this book are two teenage boys, Jamie and Jerry, along with a boy named Dennis that gets bullied a lot. Jamie and Jerry didn't want to be friends with Dennis, but end up letting him build a raft with them. I found this book at our school library.
In this book, Jamie, Jerry, and Dennis are building a raft. Dennis is supposed to be the one holding the rope so that the raft doesn't float away, but the rope slips and Dennis falls into the water. Dennis finally makes it onto the raft with them, but there are two dams ahead. One swims to land, one is rescued, and you would have to read the book to find out what happens to the other.
The ending of this book was kind of disappointing for me. It was very sad and emotional, I wish it would have had a happier ending. Although the ending was sad, it was my favorite part. It was my favorite part because it was really dramatic and not at all what I had expected.
Personally I do not regret reading this book, but it is not something that I would consider reading again. It was kind of boring at the beginning and didn't grab my attention. I'm more interested in mystery books, but if you like books with sad endings then this is one to read. Overall, this book wasn't a bad choice though and other readers might enjoy it.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jamie and Jerry are working on a raft to navigate down the river right at the edge of Jamie's farm. They are careful to hide what they are doing from Dennis Leaper. The Leapers are the strange family that has just moved to town right next Jamie's farm. But they're anything but neighborly - especially after Jamie lets a fire get away from him which destroys a couple of their fence posts. But Dennis, the class loser, is always around, so finally they agree to let him participate. But when the raft breaks free and they all three are headed down the river, who turns out to be the hero: the one who gets to shore and runs for help? The only one to drown? Or the other survivor who tells of how the other boy saved his life (even though no one believes it.)

[Danielle Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm actually not sure how I feel about this book. I thought it was well written and there was enough suspense and action to keep me reading, but I really didn't like how the main focus of the book was the retaliation from the neighbor instead of how poorly the town treated that family. I have mixed feelings. I do think it would probably be a good read for middle school/high school English classes and would foster great discussions on when, if ever, is it okay to lie.

[Marc B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the book was good just not active enough for me. I also think that the scenery of the book should be described better. More figurative language. The point of the book is to forgive and forget.

[Karma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, suspenseful, and heartwarming.

[Dylie Swagger · Rating 1 out of 5]

had to reed for eingish class. do not, rekommand?

[Azii]

The Hero

[Mackenzie]

I LOVE THIS BOOK

[Tony · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s message implying that it’s not wrong to lie is unacceptable.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Adult. Tragic drowning that was caused by children ignoring rules set by parent.

[James Allred · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet gift from my young son. I enjoyed this read on his behalf.

[David Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hero by ron woods is about an average country kid named Jamie who has a best friend named Jerry and a wierd neighbor named Dennis. Jamie and Jerry built a raft out of wood and barells. One of them would hold a rope while the other one would ride on the raft. but the raft was really heavy so they decided they would tie it to a tree. They loved it so much that they would do it every day.

One day while they were riding on the raft Dennis saw them and wanted to go on the raft. The next day since the two boys didn't like Dennis and they thought he was annoying they made him do a ton of gardening work which normally Jamie would have to do. Then they let him hold the rope for Jerry first and then Jamie got to go on the raft finally they let Dennis ride he stayed in the vary shallow water the whole time.
The next day they decided to go to an area of the river where the current was stronger. THe area by the river didn't have any where to tie the rope so they had to hold it by themselves. When Jamie was holding it he had a really tough time holding it for Dennis and when Dennis was holding it Jamie jumped on the raft with Jerry. As soon as Jamie jumped on the raft he realized that theere was no way that Dennis could hold the two of them. He watched to his horror as Dennis was dragged across the beach and the water. They were being swept downstream and fast. Luckily Dennis held on to the rope other wise with how strong the current was it would have been sure death. They all soon realize that there are two dams up ahead and that they could make it past the first one but the second was much larger and basically a sheer straight downhill drop. Will they all end up dying? Will they somehow make it out? What if one of them dies and the other two don't? If you want to find out read The Hero by Ron Woods.

[Braden Oswald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I couldn't put it down. I loved how the book started with the fire, it showed a lot about all the characters. It showed that Jamie is very innovative. By the reason he started the fire, and how he stopped it by ruining the canal. It showed his mom doesn't break under pressure, and that she's a very good story teller. It also showed the parents are very forgiving. And I think that was a great way to introduce all the characters, while still making it suspenseful. This book almost has a little bit of dramatic irony in it. Especially when they're on the rafts and they pass one dam, but it says they can hear the next dam even louder. It was a very action-packed book.

[Kristen H · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rated this book two stars because it was a okay book. It was a little boring in the beginning of the book but it turned out to be a better book at the end. In the middle of the book the boy Dennis die. He was a trouble maker that was really mean but ended up saving a boy on a raft that they made, but ended up saving the boy and killed himself. This book had good word choice. If there was a common word they would have a synonym but it was a good word that still made sence. If you cry when somebody dies this might be a little hard for you to read at that part. Other wise it was a good book.

[Patty Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is about 3 boys that made a raft and went out on the river two at a time and the third person would hold the raft. one time two of the boys went out and they didn't have any one to hold the raft so they tied it to a tree but the rope broke and the current was strong and the 3rd person came back heard them yelling and chased them down the river. well i'm not gunna tell u any more about this book you'll just have to read it to find out what happens next

[Tarsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. It was suspenseful. It is about a boy, his cousin, and an outsider that just doesn't fit in. Although the main character doesn't always like the way the other boy is treated, he really does not stand upt to help the boy.

This is a story about doing what's right, not what's popular. After a terrible accident, the main characters must decide how to react and what is right for him and his family.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read. My initial reaction was that I really, really liked the book. Then the more I thought about it, the more I wondered, 'Did I really agree with the concept though?' I thought it read well. The main character was very likable, and he's a good boy. But it almost pushes the idea that it is OK to be dishonest. That's the part that bothers me. But if you want a page-turner, that's easy to read and makes you think, then this is a good choice.

[Lindsey S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rated The Hero 4 stars because it has a lot of action. I wanted to keep reading the book because when Jamie, Jerry, and Dennis were on a raft. At the end of the book, someone dies because of the raft accident. The rescue boat couldn't find Dennis but they found Jamie. Jerry got pulled off of the raft and he swam to someone's house. At Dennis's funeral, Jamie said this speech about Dennis. He thought the speech would Arlie for hurting Jamie. Arlie didn't hurt Jamie nor his family.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story started out a little slow. I did laugh a little at the trouble Jamie got himself into in the beginning. I really enjoyed the relationship that Jamie and his Dad had.

I also quite liked how it ended, and the moral delimma that centered around telling lies. When I was reading, I was trying to figure out who the Hero was, and for the longest time I thought it was his Dad. I still think his Dad is the real Hero.

[Kristen Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine little book for kids aged 8 to 12. The great outdoors, adventure/survival, friendships, honor--good themes, nicely done. Just the kind of book I want my kids to read. Sadly, many of us on the review lists have read this for a class or because the author was known to us, but I think we're all trying to say that you don't need to know the writer or be forced into studying this book to enjoy it. Pick it up and give it a go just because.

[Jill]

Despite his father's rules and his own fear of the water, 14 year old Jamie joins his older cousin in taking the raft they made out on the water where a tragic accident leads Jamie to make the most difficult decision of his life. Jamie learned some valuable lessons about life and himself in this story.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

14 year old Jamie and his older cousin have just completed their raft that they have been working on for years. The pesky neighbor's kid tags along for the ride. In spite of Jamie's father's rules, the boys take the raft too far out into the river. This tragic accident leads to the most difficult decision of Jamie's life.

[Johnny Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this story was good, I couldn't get over the feeling that somewhere a teacher has ruined this book by teaching it to kids. The setup for the real conflict takes a little while to develop but it gets there eventually. Some of the imagery was fantastic especially describing the sheriff. This would be a four star book if it weren't for being nagged by the school bookish feel.

[Anthony M]

This book was a great suspense novel that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The only problem was that I felt like the author crammed to much into only 200 pages so it was pretty hard to follow along. This leads me to the point that the author didn't have the best style for a realistic fiction novel. Other than those points I liked the book and I would read it again.