Book Review: Wild Life

I just finished Cynthia DeFelice's short novel Wild Life, which is a perfect read for a young boy.  The hardbound book that I picked up from the library has a large print type, which really helps in reading quickly.  I can barely wait for Thursday when Ms. Sarah's class of eight graders comes in to check out books.  This will definitely be on the book talk list.  The following is a short version of the synopsis from the Cynthia DeFelice website:

Erik Carlson has just passed the New York State Hunter Safety class and is all set to go on his first-ever pheasant hunting trip, when his life is turned upside down. Erik is shipped off to North Dakota to live with Big Darrell and Oma, grandparents he barely knows. Oma seems nice enough, but Erik finds Big Darrell to be unwelcoming and downright mean. When Erik rescues a dog that’s been stuck by a porcupine, Big Darrell says he can’t keep her. But Erik has already named the dog Quill and can’t bear to give her up. After finding his Uncle Dan’s shotgun and camping gear, Erik  runs away with Quill, certain that they can make it on their own out on the prairie. Family relationships and old secrets complicate this wilderness survival story.

At only 175 pages, the book is a quick read that tugs at the heartstrings before it settles down to a quiet life on the prairie.  I generally visit the author's website to get a feel for her interests and so that I can tell students whether she has one and, if so, what I think.  Definitely this website is one to brag about--visit the pages entitled "How I Write a Book" for an interesting take on a writer's process. 

Why don't you take a look and tell me what you think.  Isn't it a fun little peek into a writer's life?  If you write or blog, do you find that you write and rewrite as much?