Shelly's Book Blog

Lost in the Barrens, by Farley Mowat, is another exciting adventure/survival story. The story takes place in Canada, and the two protagonists are teen boys: Awasin, a Cree Indian, and Jamie, a boy from Toronto who had been living for a year with his fur-trading uncle, Angus. Jamie stays with Awasin's family while his uncle and Awasin's father go on a trading trip, and during this time a group of Chipeweyan Indians comes to the Cree village asking for help because they are starving. Jamie and Awasin then accompany the Chipeweyans on a hunting trip to the far north. Unfortunately, Jamie and Awasin's canoe is destroyed while they are separated from the group, and they end up having to survive alone in the wilderness.

The story includes much detail about the survival techniques the boys use. The author describes how they make shelter and clothes for themselves, as well as how they hunt for, preserve, and prepare their food. The boys must overcome many extreme challenges in order to survive, making for an exciting story.