| Friendship |
| Extreme Sports |
| Sports & Recreation |
| Social Themes |
| Depression & Mental Illness |
| Juvenile Fiction |
Summary
Summary
Josh knows he's riding recklessly when he knocks down the old man he suspects is the hermit of Loggerman Creek.
Josh is shocked when the hermit walks into the forest with his bike after the accident. Being without his beloved bike for a week motivates him to hike into the woods and confront the crazy old man. The hermit, Jonathan, has fixed Josh's bike, and Josh learns that he has more in common with the old man than he ever imagined. When Jonathan needs help, Josh has to respect the old man's choices in order to save his life.
This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read!
Author Notes
Lesley Choyce was born in New Jersey in 1951 and moved to Canada in 1978. Choyce teaches part-time at Dalhousie University, runs Pottersfield Press and has written 40 adult and young adult books.
Choyce also hosts a nationally syndicated TV talk show in Halifax. His recent novel, The Republic of Nothing is currently being developed as a feature length movie. In 1996, Viking/Penguin published Choyce's best-selling Nova Scotia: Shaped By The Sea. Along with the Surf Poets, he has released a poetry/music album titled Long Lost Planet.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 6-10-This high-interest, low-reading-level book is a fast-paced read. Josh is incredibly passionate about his four-stroke Kawasaki dirt bike, so much so that it sometimes feels like his only friend. During a ride on a logging road, he accidentally slams into a crazy-looking old man who is standing in the middle of his path, and who then confiscates the bike. Returning to retrieve it, Josh befriends the hermit, a Vietnam vet who chooses to live outside the grid, and who later needs Josh's help. The book twists and turns like a tricky dirt-bike track and flows just as quickly. One doesn't need a special interest in the vehicles to get pulled in, but a passion for them will enhance the story. Teacher resources are included on the Orca website.-Emily Chornomaz, West Orange Public Library, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
A dirt-bike accident brings Josh into contact with a Vietnam veteran named Jonathan who has lived as a hermit in the woods for over forty years. Their friendship helps formerly selfish Josh figure out his priorities. The characters aren't particularly sympathetic or compelling, and Josh's redemption is only somewhat convincing. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Riding his dirt bike down a forest road, young Joshua hits a reclusive Vietnam vet sparking a friendship that culminates in a heroic rescue. His battered old Kawasaki being the center of his own solitary existence, Josh is devastated when the old man known locally as the hermit of Loggerman Creek angrily gets to his feet and wheels the bike away, but deeply affected when he gets it back repaired and even retuned. On a subsequent visit to the hermit's remote cabin, Josh finds his troubled friend semiconscious and bleeding from an axe wound. He rises to the occasion as heavy snows and the old man's own pleas keep him from leaving to find help until a long, anxious night has passed. In this entry in the Orca Currents series, Choyce crafts an unvarnished tale around two loners of different generations, featuring the requisite bully, plenty of dirt-bike action, a suspenseful climax, and a happy ending. The lack of complications will make this particularly appealing fare to offer younger or reluctant readers.--Peters, John Copyright 2010 Booklist
