I loved this book. It was like Hatchet. I didn't expect to like it and I loved it. The encounters with the orcas was so real, I felt like I was looking into the eye of the orca. I will be purchasing this for my library and sharing with with all of my readers.

Paulsen is a master of description. Truthfully, sometimes I wish he wasn’t so great, as he chooses to describe terrifying situations to a T. However, rarely can I get his books out of my head, and as an educator his books are my go to when I want to read a book as an example of description. Plus, my kids that love the outdoors always love picturing themselves in these harrowing tales. I rarely find a person, adult or child, that has read books like Hatchet and not been affected by them. So, this is EASILY a true five star book for me. I highly recommend it to kids and adults!

In Paulsen's last book, Northwind (to be published posthumously) Paulsen leaves behind his trademark style of storytelling and ventures into a more free-thinking narrative which is largely conducted within the head of Leif, his main character. Abandoned at birth, Leif is adopted by the inhabitants of the wharf and is passed from ship to ship as a cabin boy,cook and doer of all nasty chores. When his latest vessel is lost, the surviving crew members establish a colony on an island which works quite well until the day a cholera infected "ghost ship" arrives. The survivors are quickly cut down by the disease, leaving only Leif and young Carl alive. Sent away and told to go North to escape the "bad air", young Leif must deal with death and dying and his own survival.
Amidst descriptive language which paints a portrait of the cold, wild, beautiful and sometimes deadly landscape, Paulsen allows Leif to experience what truly living and appreciating nature is all about. Although written for a youthful audience, many of the messages are aimed straight at the adults "in charge" in this world. Young readers may want to try this one if they are fans of Paulsen's other works, but may come away disappointed that they were not treated to another exciting, edge of your seat adventure tale which they have come to expect from the author of "Hatchet."

Leif is the sole character in this story of survival written by adventure master Gary Paulsen. Hatchet took place in the forested wilderness and Northwind takes the reader to the coast. Leif is a young boy on the edge between life and death where the high seas meet a coastal wilderness.

The reader is vividly taken to the rugged coastline of centuries ago. So why is a sole boy by himself in such tough conditions? A deadly plague decimated his fishing village, so now Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe with mostly only supplies the wilderness can provide and limited survival skills. To escape the disease, Leif flees northward, searching for air not poisoned by death. He is following a wild, fjord-riven shore, navigating one danger after another. The deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to true insight as he connects to the rhythm of the ocean, the rugged landscape and the unpredictable animals.

Beautifully written but I don’t see all middle school readers reading this historical adventure until the end,

Book Review ⭐️⭐️💫

Northwind
Gary Paulsen
Ages 10-14
256 Pages
Pub Day - January 11, 2022

Northwind is the story of an orphaned boy who lived in unfortunate circumstances. When Cholera hits, he is sent away, with another younger boy, in a carved-out canoe. The rest of the story tells of his life traveling from island to island.

My Thoughts

I am a fan of Gary Paulsen’s work, so it is hard for me to say I didn’t love this one.

Leif’s story is told in the third person point of view. I feel it took away from the story. I couldn’t immerse myself in it or even connect with Leif.

Although he went from island to island, the experiences he faced were quite mundane and repetitive. Even when he was in danger, I couldn’t get into the story.

At the end, Gary Paulsen writes about how his past brought this story about. He has a love of sailing & the sea which began with stories his grandmother told him. The story made a bit more sense to me after reading this, but I still didn’t care for it.

If you are a Gary Paulsen fan, go ahead and read this. Let me know your opinion. Just because it doesn’t float my boat doesn’t mean it won’t float yours. 😉🛶

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook to read and review.

A survival story for the middle school reader who loves canoeing, fishing, and camping. While I don’t find it as captivating as Hatchet, I marvel at Paulsen’s ability to create a gripping tale of a boy alone in the world, meeting the challenges of nature. Readers will be caught up in a boy’s life that had no parents to rely on, no supply or grocery stores to stock up at, no electricity, no home. Give this book to those who love to be out on the water.

Northwind is about a boy named Leif who must flee a sickness that is ravaging his community. With instructions simply to go north, he leaves in a canoe. Leif then must learn to survive bears, hunger, and dangerous waters. This book is more of a quiet, contemplative story than a swashbuckling adventure. Fans of Paulsen and nature stories are sure to like this book, but it may be too difficult for some younger readers.

Paulsen's love and respect for our natural world comes through loud and clear in this survival story. The Alaskan waters, shoreline, and wildlife come alive as Lief paddles north following Old Carl's s instructions. Part survival story, part love song to the wonders found on the land, sea, and sky of the Alaskan coast this is a fitting final work from a master.

Drawing on his own experiences sailing, Gary Paulsen creates a sea world that can almost be felt. Orphaned as a baby, Paulsen’s main character has been raised by sea-faring men who have sold Leif from ship to ship. But fortunes turn and when cholera leaves him alone, Leif takes to the sea in a small canoe and a bundle of pitiful supplies. His journey teaches him to love the freedom that the sea brings and will leave readers certain that their skin is salt water wet and that whales and icebergs are within reach. Paulsen’s gift of writing outdoor adventures for readers in grades 4-8 will be greatly missed.

Intense. The images just keep on coming. Gary Paulsen is a master at painting the scene for his readers and he outdoes himself in "Northwind". On the surface, the plot sounds simple. A boy left alone in the wilderness through no fault of his own and forced to rely on his own wits and ability to learn from events and his own mistakes. Hey, I think I've heard that story before! Yes, the wilderness and self-reliance are a common theme in many Paulsen books but this time he's taken us to sea, to sea in a small canoe. Paulsen, an avid sailor, combines his wilderness lore and knowledge of the sea to create a memorable picture of a boy becoming a man against the backdrop of the sea, a sea that includes swirling tides, whales, and even icebergs. While I can see this being a bit too intense for some young readers.... the target is middle grades .... he has another winner in "Northwind".

I live in Alaska and have observed whales from a small boat, one that appeared relatively large at the dock but suddenly seemed dwarfed when surrounded by leaping, playing whales. I remember the awe of thinking I could almost reach out and touch a mother whale that came up alongside where I stood, then dived and swam directly under our boat. Thus, I could experience some of the awe and unease Leif, the main character, must have felt when encountering these massive, majestic creatures. Bears are common, too, in Alaska, often in our own yards, so I shuddered when Leif came practically face to face with one. Ravens? Everywhere and I chuckled at the descriptions of their calls. It should come as no surprise to any but new readers that Gary Paulsen once lived in Alaska. He knows the north. Blending that knowledge with Nordic mythology, he makes the experience, both the wondrous and frightening ones, real. Like Leif, I have to wonder if Paulsen is also always looking north, even when at the helm of a sailboat, as he keeps on learning and sharing the oneness of nature with us.

Thank you NetGallery and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC.

Nightwind is Gary Paulson at his best- boy versus wild, on an adventure to survive and find himself. Leif is faced with challenge after challenge, never knowing what might arise around the next island. Up against disease, bears, killer whales, hunger and many other dangers, he continues to make his way north at the advice of Old Carl. The historical fiction twist aired with the survival story will remind the reader of a mash up of Hatchet and Island of the Blue Dolphins- a perfect pair for fans of this genre.

Of course, I enjoy any book that Gary Paulsen writes. However this one is perfect for the historical fiction crowd.. Northwind is perfect from the cover until the last page. love the cover!
In Northwind, we follow a boy on a Nordic adventure and with the hints of mythology, I can't think of a better book to while away a winter afternoon.

This was a gorgeously written book, but it was not very compelling. I am unsure if children would enjoy it, but literary adults who love breathtaking vistas and beautiful landscapes sure would! Also, people who appreciate Norse mythology!

I really love Leif's story of survival. The Norse mythology that is sprinkled within this novel is great and I would recommend to anyone who wants to have a bit of mythology in their novels!

The ending of this book jumped out at me so unexpectedly, I had to reread the previous pages to see what clues I’d missed that the end was near. (I believe Paulsen left an opening for a sequel.)

I enjoyed the visuals that weave through Northwind. Leif’s battles with nature rang true, although how he survived, only Odin knows. And speaking of Odin, where and when in the world is the setting for this book? In reading the Author’s Note, I realize it is in Paulsen’s imagination.
I am a huge fan of Hatchet. This is no Hatchet. People will expect to compare it to Hatchet. This is a more spiritual, reflective story. This is a memoir set to prose. This is a book written of love.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me access to Northwind.

Growing up, I read "Hatchet" in school, and I overall enjoyed that book. There were many other students that were hooked on it, and I think this is another great survival story. I actually loved this book, preferring it to "Hatchet!" I loved the focus on the ocean with the nods to Norse mythology, and since interest is rising in mythology, I think this book will do well. I will be purchasing this for myself, recommending for my library, and recommending it for my mother to purchase as she is a middle school teacher.

In a tone reminiscent of 'Island of the Blue Dolphins,' we follow Leif on his journey through the northern waters nearly a millennia ago. For the student who is very into whales, oceans, or wildlife, this could be an interesting read. For the student who struggles with reading, I probably would not give them this book. The concepts and premise are excellent, following in other survival type stories, but the flow (perhaps to mimic the water's flow?) makes it difficult to read at times.

Based on some of Paulsen’s experiences with the sea and a hint of Norse mythology thrown in, Leif is forced to leave his village when a fever kills many people. He has a cedar canoe, a kite, an ax, and the canoe “spirit.” Along his sea journey, Leif meets bears, many whales, eagles and ravens. When Leif gets caught in a whirlpool and his canoe is overturned, he realizes he needs to pay better attention so it won’t happen again. As he travels, he finds swifter currents and deeper canyons along with many killer whales and dolphins. He watches and learns from the dolphins how to ride the waves. He comes across more gray whales and tries to avoid their open mouths as they feed. One day he sees something blue. Is it a ship? Are they hunting whales? As he travels, Leif finds “he is learning to learn, knowing more.”