Woods Runner

Paulsen, G. (2010). Woods runner. New York: Wendy Lamb Books.

Set in 1776, in western Pennsylvania, one day Samuel Smith is in the woods hunting when his small settlement is attacked and burned and his parents are taken hostage by British soldiers. He tracks his parents to New York City. Along the way he finds a young girl named Annie, who's parents were killed by soldiers. He and Annie meet a Patriot spy named Abner. Abner helps Samuel and Annie get into New York. In New York, Samuel rescues his parents and gets them and Annie out of New York City. At this point, the family begins their journey back to Pennsylvania. The family makes it safely to Philadelphia where they decide to live, fearful of the woods. At 16, Samuel leaves his family and returns to the war. 

I love Gary Paulsen's books of survival and I love that this one took survival and interwove it with the American Revolution. Students will like this book, particularly students studying the American Revolution. It is an interesting take not he war since we never hear about the civilians, just those actively involved int he fight.