Touching Spirit Bear
by Ben Mikaelsen

HarperTrophy, 2001, 240 pp., $5.99 ISBN-13: 978-0-380-80560-0
ISBN-10: 0-380-80560-X

Touching Spirit Bear is one of the best books I have read. The book teaches a very good life lesson.

The book is about this kid names Cole Mathews who is always getting into touble with the law. It all starts when Cole robs a hardware store. Cole tells people about the robbery and then a kid names Peter Driscal hears about the robbery and he tell the police about it. When Cole finds out that Peter told the police, he beats Peter up and smashed his head into the ground repedly.

Cole gets arrested by the police and faces jail time for his crimes. Cole gets a choice between jail or circle justice. In circle justice he would have to live alone on a island in Alaska for a year, and its also about learning to forgive.. He choses circle justice.

The first day Cole is on the island he burned down his cabin and all of his supplies. Then a couple of days later he got mauled by the spirit bear, after he tried to kill it. He spends the next several months in the hospital. After he gets out of the hospital he returns to the island. This time Peter Driscal goes to the island with him.

I think that Ben Mikaelsen did a very good job writing this book. The way it was written makes me feel like I’m in the story and like I’m seeing the things happening in the book. The main theme of this book is forgiveness,  Peter has to learn to forgive Cole and in the long run Cole has to learn to forgive Peter. 

I recommend the book Touching Spirit Bear for anyone who likes books with action. Touching Spirit Bear is one of my favorite books.

~ reviewed by Chris E.