Challenges in the wild

Bibliodander, a book-loving monster, shares a thrilling adventure in "The Long Way Around" by Anne Nesbet.

My name is Bibliodander and I love to read books. But, sadly, I do not have many books at home, and I can’t go to a library. Why? Because I am a monster and monsters cannot be seen. They can only hide under beds at night. So that’s when I get to read.

I love a good adventure; that’s why I chose The Long Way Around by Anne Nesbet. It has all the ingredients to make you bite your nails, sit on the edge of your chair, and keep turning the pages. The story begins with a family camping trip. Then, 11-year-old Vivian; her 12-year-old cousin, Owen; and Owen’s eight-year-old sister, Amy, go further afield to camp on their own! That’s brave, I would say. But, let me start at the beginning.

Vivian comes up with the brilliant idea of a family camping trip at the Sequoia National Park in southern Sierra Nevada, California, the U.S. This park covers almost 404,064 acres of forested mountainous terrain and is known for its giant sequoia trees, which include the General Sherman tree, the largest tree on earth, by volume. The park preserves a landscape that was first cultivated by the Monache tribe.

Vivian manages to convince her Uncle Mike and her mother, who are regular campers, to allow the three cousins to camp by themselves further afield. When dusk falls, Owen, who loves to cook, comes up trumps with a great meal cooked on his little camp stove. The kids are happy and are confident about their venture. Then, out of nowhere, they feel the earth beneath their feet shake and huge rocks come tumbling down. When the rumblings die down, they realise that the earthquake has cut off the trail that leads to where their parents are camping. They are well and truly stuck. How will they get back?

Vivian realises that the only way they can reunite with their parents is to take the long way around, through the California mountains. She takes charge. But this is also a time for the cousins to face their own fears. Vivian, though putting up a bold front, is scared of starting middle school and all the changes it will bring. Owen is still battling the emotional scars of a car accident. Amy, on the other hand, lives her life between the pages of a story book, rather than a real life.

The cousins decide to face their troubles together. They weather storms, make their rations last, and confront their demons. As I recount the story, it does seem simple but, as you read, you will find that every page holds adventure and danger. There is so much excitement that you feel your heart might burst. The descriptions of the mountain terrain will make you wish you were there to witness Nature’s beauty.