Far North, by Will Hobbs, is about a boy named Gabe Rogers and his roommate Raymond Providence, who get lost with an elderly native Nahanni named Johnny Raven in Canada's Virginia Falls after the float plane they were riding in's engine failed. They had almost all of the survival gear to live out in the wilderness, but "The Hammer" was coming down fast and the food was running out. They had a rifle, so Johnny Raven used that to get a moose. But then the boys decided that it would be better to go down the river on a raft, before the whole river froze up, even though they knew that they couldn't take all of the moose meat (which could last the whole winter) with them. After floating down the river for a couple of days, the boys found a cabin that they decided would be their home for the rest of the winter. Johnny Raven went out every night with the rifle for food, but on night he didn't come back, so they went out to find him half frozen, lying dead on the ground. They didn't have time to do a proper burial, so instead they cremated him. On the very spot they did so, there were some northern lights, like his spirit, floating up into the stars. After that, when they decided to make a toboggan and sled down the river ice towards the village that Raymond knew lie at the end of the river, they didn't make it all the way. The second time, they at least made it to where Raymond thoughts some moose would be residing. They shot one moose (with the help of some wolves and a raven,) and brought it back to the cabin in halves, but the first half that they stored got eaten by a grizzly. So, instead of staying in the cabin the rest of winter, with barely any food left, they decided to sleigh down the river (a third time!), but actually, finally, they made it to the hot springs near the village that Raymond knew was there! FINALLY!
One of the main themes in the book is friendship. An example of how this theme is shown is when Gabe tells Raymond what he thought about leaving him out in the cold, all alone, with a hurt foot, and plus, an extra treat, wolves hanging out in the night-time forest. He pleaded, "Listen, you're the best friend I'm ever going to have. That's what I'm talking about. I've just been hearing about what you're mother said, how life is the greatest gift. She's right. That's why we've been trying so hard to stay alive. But friendship, that's as close to the top of the list as you can get." That's why I think that friendship is one of many main themes in this book.
I would not recommend this book to other 7th grade readers because I didn't really enjoy it myself. This book is about surviving, action, and adventures. I don't really like those types of things. I'm more of a fantasy, sci-fi, magical type of girl. (STAR WARS!!!) I think that if you like those outdoorsy type things, then this book would be perfect for you. If you read this book, and you like it, then here are some other books by this same author, Will Hobbs, which you might enjoy: Leaving Protection, Downriver, and the sequel to Downriver, River Thunder. That is why I wouldn't really recommend this book to other 7th grade readers that aren't into outdoorsy type things.
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