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	Hashimoto, Meika. THE TRAIL New York : Scholastic, 2017 IL 3-6, RL 5.2 ISBN 978-1-33803-586-5
Click on the book to read Amazon reviews	Buckle in for an Appalachian adventure that features 12-year old Toby. Toby did something really, really bad, and now he knows he has to make up for it, so he decides the best way to do that is to complete the “bucket list” of fun summer stuff that he and his best friend Lucas came up with. Left on that list is the 450-mile hike-thru on the Appalachian Trail from his home with Gran in Vermont all the way to Mount Katadhin in Maine. Yes, he decides, he has to do it. Supplies packed, Toby steals away to the trail and though he’s hiked before, being on his own and facing the White Mountains may be more than he bargained for; in fact, it might just be deadly: starvation, lack of water, bugs, sunburn, extreme weather, wild animals, and hypothermia threaten more than once on his brutal journey. Rather than hiking solo, which he thought he’d do, he meets unlikely strangers along the way – some help, some don’t, but his most prized find is Moose, a mangy stray dog who becomes Toby’s best friend and sometimes protector, in fact, he saved Toby from an angry mother Moose who was not going to let Toby come between her and her babies. Along the trail, Toby remembers the fun he and Lucas had checking things off on their summer list – eating worms, building a treehouse, going fishing, and during his time alone, he kind of figures out the difference between being all alone and being lonely. If you’re an extreme adventure kind of person, you’ll love this story, and you’ll also quickly find that the author did serious research to fully understand life on the Appalachian Trial; she really got it right – from the trail nicknames to the cabins and the trail people who staff them – it’s all there. Will Toby make it all the way to Mount Katadhin? What will happen with his beloved friend Moose when the journey’s over? Will he survive after losing all his gear? This exciting adventure story will keep you turning pages, but you may come to realize that it’s about a whole lot more than just the journey; it’s about having self-confidence and understanding friendship. Lace up those hiking boots and take that first step, but face the dangers at your peril when you read The Trail, by Meika Hashimoto. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face nominee, 2018-2019)
	SUBJECTS: Action and adventure fiction. Appalachian Trail -- Fiction. Camping -- Fiction. Dogs -- Fiction. Friendship -- Fiction. Hiking -- Fiction. Norwich (Vt.) -- Fiction. Promises -- Fiction. Survival -- Fiction.

Hashimoto, Meika.
THE TRAIL
New York : Scholastic, 2017
IL 3-6, RL 5.2
ISBN 978-1-33803-586-5

Click on the book to read Amazon reviews

Buckle in for an Appalachian adventure that features 12-year old Toby. Toby did something really, really bad, and now he knows he has to make up for it, so he decides the best way to do that is to complete the “bucket list” of fun summer stuff that he and his best friend Lucas came up with. Left on that list is the 450-mile hike-thru on the Appalachian Trail from his home with Gran in Vermont all the way to Mount Katadhin in Maine. Yes, he decides, he has to do it.

Supplies packed, Toby steals away to the trail and though he’s hiked before, being on his own and facing the White Mountains may be more than he bargained for; in fact, it might just be deadly: starvation, lack of water, bugs, sunburn, extreme weather, wild animals, and hypothermia threaten more than once on his brutal journey. Rather than hiking solo, which he thought he’d do, he meets unlikely strangers along the way – some help, some don’t, but his most prized find is Moose, a mangy stray dog who becomes Toby’s best friend and sometimes protector, in fact, he saved Toby from an angry mother Moose who was not going to let Toby come between her and her babies. Along the trail, Toby remembers the fun he and Lucas had checking things off on their summer list – eating worms, building a treehouse, going fishing, and during his time alone, he kind of figures out the difference between being all alone and being lonely.

If you’re an extreme adventure kind of person, you’ll love this story, and you’ll also quickly find that the author did serious research to fully understand life on the Appalachian Trial; she really got it right – from the trail nicknames to the cabins and the trail people who staff them – it’s all there.

Will Toby make it all the way to Mount Katadhin? What will happen with his beloved friend Moose when the journey’s over? Will he survive after losing all his gear? This exciting adventure story will keep you turning pages, but you may come to realize that it’s about a whole lot more than just the journey; it’s about having self-confidence and understanding friendship. Lace up those hiking boots and take that first step, but face the dangers at your peril when you read The Trail, by Meika Hashimoto. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face nominee, 2018-2019)

SUBJECTS:     Action and adventure fiction.
                        Appalachian Trail -- Fiction.
                        Camping -- Fiction.
                        Dogs -- Fiction.
                        Friendship -- Fiction.
                        Hiking -- Fiction.
                        Norwich (Vt.) -- Fiction.
                        Promises -- Fiction.
                        Survival -- Fiction.