Touching Spirit Bear
By Ben Mikaelsen
“We can never have enough of nature. We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor, vast and titanic features, the sea-coast with its wrecks, the wilderness with its living and its decaying trees, the thunder-cloud, and the rain.” Henry David Thoreau
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Touching Spirit Bear Summary
15 year old Cole Matthews is a boy in a bad situation. Cole’s parents are both alcoholics and his father beats him. Cole’s violent childhood and lifestyle causes him to be an aggressive person himself, getting in trouble with the law. His classmate, Peter Driscal, tells on Cole for one of his latest crimes and Cole brutally beats Peter and smashes his skull into the sidewalk. Peter is beaten by Cole so badly that he suffers from permanent brain damage and doctors are unsure whether he will ever be the same again. However, Cole still blames others for his actions and the position he’s in. He blames his parents for being alcoholics who don’t care about him, and he blames Peter for opening his big mouth in the first place. After assaulting Peter, Cole faces severe criminal charges. He receives two choices, he could go to jail, or he could be a part of the Native American Circle of Justice. Cole chooses the Circle of Justice program and as a result, he is banished to a remote Alaskan Island, but he only chooses it to avoid jail time. Cole always deceives those who try to help him. To be able to join the Circle of Justice he had to make everyone believe that he wanted change, when he really had no intention of changing his ways. At the isolated island, Cole attempts to escape but is unsuccessful. Still, he blames everyone but himself for the situation he is in and the anger inside him burns fiercely. When encountered by a huge and mystic white bear called a spirit bear, Cole tries to kill it, letting his rage take over. However, the spirit bear attacks back, nearly killing him. Cole fails to see that he must take responsibility for himself until nearly in death’s grip when he finally realizes that each action he takes has an impact on the world even if he does not know it. Everything in life is a circle, there are no ends and there are no beginnings. This brush with death could be what ultimately saves Cole from himself, but it could also be too late and be the end for him.
Book available in hard cover and paperback
"After the meeting Garvey motioned Cole aside. 'You do know that banishment is much harder than any jail cell, don't you?' he said.
'Then what's the point?' Cole asked.
'If you go to jail, I won't bet a nickel on your future.'
'So what's so hard about living on some island for a while?'
Garvey smiled knowingly. 'Go ahead and try it. Try manipulating a storm or lying to your hunger. Try cheating the cold.'"
-Ben Mikaelsen, Touching Spirit Bear
If you liked this book try
- Dr. Franklin's Island by Ann Halam
- Far North by Will Hobbs
- Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
- Red Midnight by Ben Mikaelsen
- Zach's Lie by Roland Smith
Reviews
Touching Spirit Bear is a book worth reading! It is a heart-felt book with characters you grow to love. -Audrey Cheney
Ben Mikaelsen crafts a profound story with relatable characters and an exciting plot. -Abbey Bailey
Links:
Survival Quiz
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Info About Tlingit Native Americans
Click here for some background information about the Tlingit Indians
and their culture.
Ben Mikaelsen's WebsiteVisit the author's website. Learn about Ben Mikaelsen and his other books.
Word Scramble
Test your knowledge of Touching Spirit Bear with this fun word scramble!
Book Discussion Questions
Use these questions after you read Touching Spirit Bear.
Comments (1)
kjewhfjk said
at 1:26 pm on Jun 3, 2008
nice wiki dude
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