Book Review: Woods Runner 

By Gary Paulson 

4 Stars 

Woods Runner, written by Gary Paulsen, is an exciting and suspenseful novel following the adventure of Samuel, a thirteen-year-old boy whose life is forever changed when his small, isolated cabin on the outskirts of Pennsylvania is raided by British soldiers and his parents are taken as prisoners while he was out hunting. Using his vast knowledge of the forest and a few allies he meets along the way, he tries to save his parents, although without experiencing the cruelty of the Revolutionary War first-hand.  

At first, I disliked the book - it felt like a long gap between the start of the exposition and the inciting event. But the further I read into the plot, the more invested I became. From what I understand, the reason this novel was written was to highlight the overlooked truths of the war. After all, people usually only talk and write about the dramatic or appealing acts of heroism (and patriotism in this case). One thing that I feel that I must add is that I found this book in the kids' section. Even though this is unrelated to the book itself, Gary Paulsen did include enough details to create graphic images in the mind of the readers, so I do not agree with this decision for the sake of a child who might stumble upon this.  

I'd recommend this book to teens and adults alike that enjoy action-packed and suspenseful novels. All in all, Woods Runner is a really good read. 

Reviewed by Liam 

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