65 Ripley Hill Road
Barkhamsted, CT 06063
February 28, 2010
Dear Student,
There are many students who don’t like to read. Many times they choose books
for the wrong reasons. Often they choose a book for its cover, the number of pages, and
even the size of the print. What they need is a great story that grabs their attention
immediately, holds that attention, and provides a story that they can be interested in.
Touching Spirit Bear is a great book for a reluctant reader.
While I don’t usually look at the front of the book to determine if I am going to
read it, I do look at the back. The back is usually a synopsis of the story which often
introduces the conflict with the book. The back of Touching Spirit Bear mentions Cole
“brutally attacking a classmate,” “Banished to a remote Alaskan Island,” and “attack the
legendary Spirit Bear, which almost mauls him to death.” These words are so intriguing
to me. While I know they are events, what seems to hold these events together on the
back of the book is Cole’s anger and learning to accept responsibility. I felt the back also
showed the sense of adventure that Cole would go through. I like action and suspense in
a book, so this definitely caught my attention.
Secondly, the book did not let me down with the action and suspense. The
description that Mr. Mikaelsen used when Cole beat up Peter, when the Spirit Bear
mauled Cole, and even when Cole was dying and had to eat from his surroundings was
amazing. I could almost feel the hits, strikes, and breaking bones. In fact, I don’t know
how anyone can read that and not immediately react to what was happening! What also
worked for the reader was that there was always an event coming within a reasonable
amount of time. It seems that as soon as a major event occurred, and we were recovering
from it, the author was also preparing for the next major event to occur. For example,
after Cole was mauled by the Spirit Bear, I was exhausted! The next chapter had Cole
lying on the ground going in and out of consciousness choosing to live or die. To choose
to live meant that he had to eat. The author then went on with powerful description of
Cole trying to get food into his body and hold onto it. I never wanted to put the book
down.
Lastly, I feel a reader needs to be able to connect with a character. For some
reason, we all like to read about kids who have troubles. It’s like we want to be able to
fix them. Ben Mikaelsen seamlessly transforms Cole from a bad guy into a good guy
right before our eyes. I remember feeling what a jerk he was when he did not appreciate
what Edwin and Garvey were doing for him and for not accepting responsibility for his
actions. By the end of the book I found myself rooting for Cole, trying to find ways to
help him get through to Peter. I can’t even say when it was that my feelings for him
started to change. Was it when he was mauled? Was it because the bear was more
powerful than him and we always root for the underdog? I honestly am not sure. That’s
what makes it seamless. This was truly an incredible piece of writing to affect a reader in
that way.
Reluctant readers like books to hold their interest from beginning to end.
Touching Spirit Bear does exactly that. If someone who does not like to read asks me for
a book, this would be the one that I would recommend. It is filled with action and
suspense, has amazing characters, and incredible description.
Sincerely,
Mr. Midwinter