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

In Touching Spirit Bear, Ben Mikaelsen writes of a troubled Minneapolis kid named Cole Matthews who has a pretty large criminal record for many different reasons.  His future is in the hands of a group called the “Circle Justice” that consists of people from all around the community, including his parents. Cole is sent to an isolated island in Alaska for one year, due to smashing Peter Driscal’s head into a sidewalk, because he snitched on him.  Shortly after Cole arrives at the island, for smashing Peter Driscal’s head into a sidewalk, he tries to escape.  He is not successful due to the strong inward current on the water.

After the unsuccessful attempt at escape Cole has an encounter with a “spirit bear” and as he tries to kill it, the bear mauls Cole.  Cole suffers major injuries, including broken ribs.  Luckily Cole is found by Edwin, a Tlingit Indian, who is responsible for bringing Cole his supplies for survival, Edwin returns him to MPLS for recovery and rehab due to the many broken bones.  Cole had not met the standards set by the group of “Circle Justice” members.  They expected him to stay for the full year.  But Cole is given something that most criminals don’t get, a second chance…

Cole is a Minneapolis native that has been through a lot in life.  His father beating him was one of the things that influenced Cole’s horrid actions.  I believe that most of the things that Cole does are not good but I also believe that he wants to change and that is a good thing.

Touching Spirit Bear is one of the best books I have read in my lifetime due to its cliffhangers chapter after chapter and its dramatic and its educational ending.  The book consists of many different themes including, anger, change, suffering and love.  This book taught me a lesson, and that is that everybody deserves a second chance no matter who he or she are or what they’ve done.  

Cole is a Minneapolis native that has been through a lot in life.  His father beating him was one of the things that influenced Cole’s horrid actions.  I believe that most of the things that Cole does are not good but I also believe that he wants to change and that is a good thing.

If I could recommend this book to anyone I would recommend it to teenagers and adults.  Teens could relate to Cole and would love the personalities and events.  I say adults, because it shows how much influence a parents actions can have on a child’s future.

On a scale from 1 to 10 I would rate Touching Spirit Bear about a 17.623789 because I believe I will remember it for a very long time.  If you are looking for a book you cannot put down I recommend that you pick this book up at your local bookstore today.  From start to finish Ben Mikaelsen writes in an interesting, life-like, cliffhanging style of writing.


~ reviewed by Marcus