Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

This year we started a new novel called Touching Spirit Bear. It is about a teenager named Cole Matthews. (The bold text are things I think are important) 😉

Recap: Cole has an alcoholic for a father who beats him up all the time and his mother  is just a pretty lady who does nothing when Cole`s dad is hurting him. But Cole has a very bad reputation at the moment. After all, it’s his fault…right? He beat up Peter Driscal, broke into a hardware store, been in at least a dozen police stations, been through just as many counsellors, a psychologist, several detention centres and 2 residential treatment centres. Now he has gotten into Circle Justice, a healing form of justice practised by natives for thousands of years. He thinks if he does this, he won’t have to go to jail. But he is no where close to the truth.

Question 1: Was banishing Cole a good idea?

I think that banishing Cole was a good and bad idea. It was good because it gives Cole time to get all his anger out and have some time alone. Also, the a`ttow that Garvey gave Cole, I think Garvey was not a very good kid. Maybe it helped him when he was younger so he is giving it to Cole now in hope that he will be good. However, it is also a bad thing because maybe all he needs is somebody to talk to, somebody who gets what he is going through. Maybe if he had somebody, he would be more happy and positive.

Question 2: What does Cole`s escape plan have to do with the solar system?

In order to get away from the island, Cole has to swim out. But every time he tries, he gets pulled back because the tide is working against him. When the sun, moon, and Earth are aligned with each other (usually when there is a new or full moon), the solar tide has an effect on the lunar tide, which makes extra-high high tides, and very low, low tides.

Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book so far:

Anger is energy and energy is life.” -Cole

” The whole world is a hot dog.” -Garvey

I was dying and I hadn’t even lived.” -Cole

” No more chances.” -Peter’s Lawyer

”You caught me off guard!” -Cole

Those are just a few of my favourite quotes. I will probably refer to some quotes in my writing later in the year 🙂