Touching Spirit Bear

by Ben Mikaelsen and Ben Mikaelsen

Book Overview

In his Nautilus Award-winning classic Touching Spirit Bear, author Ben Mikaelson delivers a powerful coming-of-age story of a boy who must overcome the effects that violence has had on his life.

After severely injuring Peter Driscal in an empty parking lot, mischief-maker Cole Matthews is in major trouble. But instead of jail time, Cole is given another option: attend Circle Justice, an alternative...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038080560X
• ISBN13: 9780380805600
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Buy it!

First time i read this when in 6th grade. 11 years later i read it again and it’s still amazing

Life Circles

Cole Matthews is an angry young man. At 15, he has broken into a hardware store; damaged the place; bragged about his crime and severely attacked a schoolmate who turned him in. This is the latest in a series of violent and antisocial acts on Cole's part. Cole is quite familiar with violence; his own father, an alcoholic beats him at the drop of a hat while his impassive mother does nothing but reach for the bottle. Jailed and awaiting trial, Cole meets two unlikely allies. Garvey, a Native American parole officer and his partner. The two men suggest Circle Justice, an ancient Native American custom that recognizes the Circle of Life and the Circle as being a metaphor for the Continuum of Life. The first step is to have Cole, the Matthews, the parents of the boy Cole attacked as well as their son and other interested persons in their Minneapolis community. An Elder (or Keeper as she is known) starts the Circle off by insisting on full respect for the Feather; a person may only speak if he or she holds the Feather. Cole's start is anything but auspicious. The Driscals, whose son Cole attacked want him locked away for life; the Matthews appear disinterested in the boy while everyone else encourages the Circle Justice approach. Cole, Garvey and his partner leave Minneapolis for a remote island off the southeast coast of Alaska. There he is provided with a shelter and the men tell him they will check on him every few days and bring back supplies. Cole burns the shelter that first night and goes off on a tear. A 10-foot white bear lumbers over toward him and Cole is ready to kill it. No match against the beast, the bear mauls Cole, severely injuring him. The men return two days later to find Cole barely clinging to life. From there, he is transported by skiff to a mainland hospital and from there, to one in Minneapolis. After several months of intensive physical therapy, he is turned over to the juvenile justice system and locked away. Once again, his mentors go to bat for him, dispensing a tough love the boy had never encountered. They are somehow able to secure his release into their custody for Circle Justice, this time at the boy's request. Once on the island, Cole, quite humbled is ready to follow the instructions of the men and learn to live off the Alaskan wilderness. The men teach him the traditions of the Sacred Dances; to help him release his anger, they have him do an anger dance "but only when he is ready to do so" and to carry the Ancestor Stone up the mountain. Cole's redemption comes about with the Gift of Forgiveness. He extends himself to Peter Driscal, the boy he nearly killed at the beginning of the story. The road is a Long & Winding Road and the attempts at repair, redemption and recovery (the three R's) make for a very intense story indeed. I like the way an interview with the author and a list of thought provoking questions were included at the end of the story. The story brings to mind the Harry Chapin classic,

Life Circles

Cole Matthews is an angry young man. At 15, he has broken into a hardware store; damaged the place; bragged about his crime and severely attacked a schoolmate who turned him in. This is the latest in a series of violent and antisocial acts on Cole's part. Cole is quite familiar with violence; his own father, an alcoholic beats him at the drop of a hat while his impassive mother does nothing but reach for the bottle. Jailed and awaiting trial, Cole meets two unlikely allies. Garvey, a Native American parole officer and his partner. The two men suggest Circle Justice, an ancient Native American custom that recognizes the Circle of Life and the Circle as being a metaphor for the Continuum of Life. The first step is to have Cole, the Matthews, the parents of the boy Cole attacked as well as their son and other interested persons in their Minneapolis community. An Elder (or Keeper as she is known) starts the Circle off by insisting on full respect for the Feather; a person may only speak if he or she holds the Feather. Cole's start is anything but auspicious. The Discals, whose son Cole attacked want him locked away for life; the Matthews appear disinterested in the boy while everyone else encourages the Circle Justice approach. Cole, Garvey and his partner leave Minneapolis for a remote island off the southeast coast of Alaska. There he is provided with a shelter and the men tell him they will check on him every few days and bring back supplies. Cole burns the shelter that first night and goes off on a tear. A 10-foot white bear lumbers over toward him and Cole is ready to kill it. No match against the beast, the bear mauls Cole, severely injuring him. The men return two days later to find Cole barely clinging to life. From there, he is transported by skiff to a mainland hospital and from there, to one in Minneapolis. After several months of intensive physical therapy, he is turned over to the juvenile justice system and locked away. Once again, his mentors go to bat for him, dispensing a tough love the boy had never encountered. They are somehow able to secure his release into their custody for Circle Justice, this time at the boy's request. Once on the island, Cole, quite humbled is ready to follow the instructions of the men and learn to live off the Alaskan wilderness. The men teach him the traditions of the Sacred Dances; to help him release his anger, they have him do an anger dance "but only when he is ready to do so" and to carry the Anscestor Stone up the mountain. Cole's redemption comes about with the Gift of Forgiveness. He extends himself to Peter Driscal, the boy he nearly killed at the beginning of the story. The road is a Long & Winding Road and the attempts at repair, redemption and recovery (the three R's) make for a very intense story indeed. I like the way an interview with the author and a list of thought provoking questions were included at the end of the story. The story brings to mind the Harry Cha

Touching Spirit Bear

Touching Spirit BearBen Mikaelsen ISBN 0-439-40184-4 Standing all alone on the shore, Cole felt his anger smoldering. Soon it would explode like gunpowder. 15-year-old Cole Matthews is on his way to jail for assaulting a 9th grade boy named Peter Driscal. This was Cole's last strike with the police. Cole either goes to jail or goes through therapy on an Alaskan Island. Cole would do anything to avoid jail so; he chooses to go through the therapy on the island. When at the island, Cole tries to escape and is then mauled by the so-called "Spirit Bear". With his encounter with the spirit bear Cole thinks about life, and that he wanted to change. Then a few days later Cole is rescued, and is rushed into a hospital and then heals. Six months later, he is back on the Island to finish therapy. Find out what happens next in this fictional survival story. In my opinion, this was my favorite book ever, but you and I might have completely different views, so I am going to try to convince you how good of a book this is, and hopefully you will read this one in a kind book. First of all, it is a great page-turner because Cole is unpredictable with his anger, and the author writes in a way that is cliffhanging. I bet that all of us can connect with Cole in some ways like, how he gets angry, because everyone gets angry. How many of you people liked Outsiders or Hatchet? Well, if you liked both of them, then you likely will enjoy this book. Outsiders had to do with fights, and anger, like Cole in this book, and Hatchet, because Cole has to survive on the Island in Alaska. How many of you guys have read a book and had your mind wander and do not understand a thing? This has happened to me, but not in this book. The author provides details; what the character is thinking, and dialogue, so you will not be lost when they talk about Cole and the story. Finally, yet importantly, I would recommend this book to people who like survival stories. The age group for this story would be about 10 and up to 16. I would not go to young because the story is pretty long and teenager problems wouldn't appeal to younger students. Don't take my word for Touching Spirit Bear, go read it!

Touching Spirit Bear

"Touching Spirit Bear" is a book about a very angry and abused fifteen year old who is facing a prison sentence for attacking and injuring a fellow nineth-grder. While waiting for the courts decision Cole, the boy, was kept in a detention center. During his stay in the detention center he was asked to apply for circle justice. After all of the arrangements were made Cole was sent to live by himself on an island off the coast of Alaska for a year. His stay on the island was cut short by a near death experience that some how made Cole realize what life had to offer and wanted to change. Cole was given a second chance and he takes the opportunity this time by helping himself and Peter, the boy he beat up. I hope there is a seaquel.

Touching Spirit Bear

Touching Spirit Bear is about a troubled 15-year old boy named Cole. His parents are alcoholics and abuse him. After he hurts Pete, he is sent to a remote island in Alaska. He has a near death experience and realizes all the things he did wrong in his life. I read the whole book in 4 1/2 hours nonstop. I think this book not only shows how Cole changed but it shows how people with many troubles can change. I think this book shows a valuable lesson about life. I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read about adventure, courage, and life. This book definitely deserves a five star rating!