Like all Maine children, my boys have read Lost on a Mountain in Maine, the true account of a 12 year old boy, Donn Fendler, who, in 1939, survived alone on Maine’s tallest mountain, Mount Katahdin, for nine days. My younger son, age 10, likes novels, but likes graphic novels even more. When we found out that a graphic novelization was published in late 2011 by Down East Books, I emailed them and asked for a copy. They were gracious enough to send it the next day, and I’d like to give it away to a random commenter.
Fendler’s story is one of resilience, fortitude, hope, luck, and faith. In an interview at the end, Fendler says he believes his faith in God was the most important component of his ability to endure the weather, dehydration, hunger, and, worst of all, black flies. But he also thanks his Boy Scout training and his will to live.
My son says “it’s a good book”, “an enjoyable read.” When asked to compare it to the book, he says it is “much better.” When asked why, he gave me an example. In the graphic novel, early on, Donn promises to bring his mom back a souvenir from his camping trip to Maine. In the middle of his ordeal, he finds a “souvenir.” Then, he loses it. In the original book, my son says, “the time is completely scrambled … the things that happen even before the trip happened when he lost the souvenir in the novel.”
My son thinks the illustrations are “very well done.” Unlike some of his favorites, such as the Bone series and the Amulet series, Lost Trail is drawn completely in black and white, but he says the graphics are just as good. The artist, Ben Bishop, is based in Portland, Maine. A third contributor is Lynn Plourde, a Maine children’s book author. I am no expert, but to me the graphics look more like manga than, say, straight comics like the Bone books. The images perfectly match the pace of the story, and really emphasize the emotional component. I also liked the way the manga influence seemed to take the story a little bit out of Maine, not with the big manga eyes and pert noses, but with the composition, the shading, the lines. I also think the graphic novel form works great for action stories with strong central characters, so the fit is perfect. My sons both say that the graphic novel version is much more exciting than the longer format.
But I am no expert, so here’s my photo of one page to let you be the judge of what drawing style it is:
I’m delighted that this beloved Maine story has been reworked in a graphic novel form, without losing what made the original so special. Judging from the reaction in our house, it’s a big success. As Stephen King has said, “Donn Fendler’s story of survival is both terrifying and uplifting. It’s wonderful to see it in a format that will introduce it to a whole new generation of readers. Here’s a graphic novel about a real American superhero.”
If you’d like to be entered to win (U.S. only) this book, please make a comment below before Friday February 3 at midnight EST. I’ll use Random.org to pick a winner and send it right off.
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Would love to be entered in the giveaway– Don’t know this story but it does sound very interesting.
This looks great the graphics really work with the story and the way the page is broken shows the momentum of events and feelings really well. Thanks for sharing.
Lost children are an important story here in Australia but for us it mostly ends badly. The bush and desert are often without any identifying features and swallow up those who go in. Lost children were a 19th century motif about the white experience of settlement in Australia. The book and movie ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ gets at lots of ways children can be lost – through adult neglect and violence and being swallowed up by this strange land white people found themselves in.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/a-country-of-lost-children-20090814-el8d.html#ixzz1kifm6waf
There are two iconic paintings on this theme by the artist Frederick McCubbin
http://www.artistsfootsteps.com/html/McCubbin_lost.htm
http://www.mccubbinfamily.com/_images/Lost%201907.JPG
Also this little film ‘One night the moon’ about a lost child sums up the tensions between who owns and knows the lands and settlers and indigenous peoples. The irony at the end is that the white child was lost to the land and Aboriginal Tracker has had his child stolen from family and the land by the government.
http://aso.gov.au/titles/features/one-night-moon/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Night_the_Moon
I am not in the giveaway, obviously, but think this looks cool. I agree with Merrian that the pacing of the story in the panels is excellent. Have your kids tried other classics of wilderness-survival children’s lit? I loved Jean Craighead George’s My Side of the Mountain as a kid, and I have taught Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet, which I really admired (you can never really experience a children’s book “properly” if you discover it as an adult).
@Merrian: That was fascinating! You would think there must be US and Canadian equivalents to those stories, but I can’t think of them offhand, or they seem not so much a part of a national mythos.
Although I am a high school librarian, this looks like something my young nephew might enjoy. I’d also recommend this to some of our high school guys if I can ever get them off the manga! I think an English learner would enjoy this especially.
I haven’t heard of this story, but my 12 year old nephew is huge Gary Paulsen fan and loves adventure stories. I’m betting he would love this!
I just found your blog and love the reviews!
[...] If you know a child who likes graphic novels, I’m giving away a copy of Lost Trail: Nine Days Alone in the Wilderness, a terrific true story about a boy who was lost on a mountain in Maine (just comment enter by [...]
I went through a comix phase in my late 20′s (wanting to write and draw them – still kinda do…). Maybe my almost 7 yo daughter will like this too, but i confess I want it for me! I also adored My Side of the Mountain, fascinating to find a true account version
This sounds wonderful for both my daughters. It’d be nice to have graphic novels around here that aren’t dominated by big-eyed mangas …
Ok, folks. Random.org generated the number 5 which is Genevieve. Thanks for the comments, especially you Merrian. Fab links!