Woods Runner

By: Gary Paulsen

Narrated by: Danny Campbell

Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. Far from any town, or news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston.

But the war comes to them. British soldiers and Iroquois attack. Samuel’s parents are taken away, prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined to find a way to rescue them. Each day he confronts the enemy, and the tragedy and horror of this war. But he also discovers allies, men and women working secretly for the patriot cause. And he learns that he must go deep into enemy territory to find his parents: all the way to the British headquarters, New York City.

Critic reviews

Starred review, Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2010: "A superb reflection on the nature of war."

Great read!

If you could sum up Woods Runner in three words, what would they be?

thrilling, believable, fascinating

What did you like best about this story?

The main character was young, but strong, self-reliant, and unselfish

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Didn't want it to end!

Any additional comments?

Great for almost any age.

Revolutionary War through the eyes of a youth

This story was wonderfully captivating. From the resonance of the reader's voice to the narrative of the youth I found this book difficult to pause. Never before have I heard a book so compelling and informative to include both story and facts rarely heard. A treasure.

Great book for young 6th-8th year schoolers.

A wonderful taste of early frontier life! A vivid picture of heroism of a young boy on the cusp of manhood.

Great as Always

I taught reading using many of Paulsen’s novels. This was one of many that my students enjoyed. Now that I have retired, I’m enjoying listening to his novels again. This book has so much history and visuals that the story comes alive. You can never go wrong with his novels.

love iy

book is just amzxing glad i read it only for my ar test to get points