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Quick answer: If you loved My Side of the Mountain, try On the Far Side of the Mountain, Frightful's Mountain, Julie of the Wolves, Hatchet, Island of the Blue Dolphins and Where the Red Fern Grows. Each one is an outdoor adventure about living off the land, independence and nature.
Jean Craighead George's 1959 Newbery Honor novel follows Sam Gribley, a boy from New York City who runs away to his great-grandfather's land in the Catskill Mountains. He lives in a hollowed-out tree, fishes, forages and trains a peregrine falcon named Frightful. Over a year, he learns to survive and to love the wild. Readers love its survival details and freedom. These books share its independence and nature.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| On the Far Side of the Mountain | Jean Craighead George | 9-12 | readers who want the sequel |
| Frightful's Mountain | Jean Craighead George | 9-12 | readers who want Frightful's story |
| Julie of the Wolves | Jean Craighead George | 10-13 | readers who want more George |
| Hatchet | Gary Paulsen | 10-13 | readers who love survival |
| Island of the Blue Dolphins | Scott O'Dell | 9-12 | readers who like island survival |
| Where the Red Fern Grows | Wilson Rawls | 9-12 | readers who like the outdoors |
| Brian's Winter | Gary Paulsen | 10-13 | readers who like winter survival |
| The Sign of the Beaver | Elizabeth George Speare | 9-12 | readers who like frontier life |
| Woodsong | Gary Paulsen | 10+ | readers who want a true story |
| The Wild Robot | Peter Brown | 7-11 | younger readers |
| Walden | Henry David Thoreau | Adult | older readers |
| Into the Wild | Jon Krakauer | Adult | older readers |
| Swiss Family Robinson | Johann David Wyss | 9+ | readers who like castaways |
| Rascal | Sterling North | 9-12 | readers who like pet animals |
| The River | Gary Paulsen | 10-13 | readers who want Hatchet's sequel |
1. On the Far Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
Sam searches for his missing sister.
Best for: readers who want the sequel.
2. Frightful's Mountain by Jean Craighead George
The falcon tells her own story.
Best for: readers who want Frightful's story.
3. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
A girl survives with wolves.
Best for: readers who want more George.
4. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
A boy survives alone.
Best for: readers who love survival.
5. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
A girl lives alone on an island.
Best for: readers who like island survival.
6. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
A boy raises two hunting dogs.
Best for: readers who like the outdoors.
7. Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen
Brian survives a winter.
Best for: readers who like winter survival.
8. The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
A boy learns to survive.
Best for: readers who like frontier life.
9. Woodsong by Gary Paulsen
Paulsen's life with sled dogs.
Best for: readers who want a true story.
10. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
A robot learns to survive.
Best for: younger readers.
11. Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Living simply by a pond.
Best for: older readers.
12. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
A young man gives everything up.
Best for: older readers.
13. Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
A family survives on an island.
Best for: readers who like castaways.
14. Rascal by Sterling North
A boy raises a raccoon.
Best for: readers who like pet animals.
15. The River by Gary Paulsen
Brian returns to the wild.
Best for: readers who want Hatchet's sequel.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with My Side of the Mountain: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to My Side of the Mountain. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Read On the Far Side of the Mountain and Frightful's Mountain to continue. For survival, Hatchet, Brian's Winter and Island of the Blue Dolphins are classics. Older readers might enjoy Walden and Into the Wild.
Related: My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George: Summary and Key Takeaways · Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is My Side of the Mountain about?
A boy runs away to the Catskills and lives alone in the wilderness for a year.
Did it win awards?
It was a Newbery Honor book in 1960.
What age is it for?
It suits readers about 9 to 12.
Who is Frightful?
Sam's trained peregrine falcon.
Where does Sam live?
In a hollowed-out hemlock tree.
Are there sequels?
Yes. On the Far Side of the Mountain and Frightful's Mountain.
What should I read next?
Hatchet.
What does Sam eat?
He fishes, forages for plants and nuts, and hunts with his falcon.
Is the book realistic?
It is detailed and practical, though running away alone is not recommended.
Who is the Baron?
A weasel who becomes Sam's wild neighbor.