History Literature / MySideOfTheMountain

Written by Creator/JeanCraigheadGeorge in 1959, it received a [[UsefulNotes/NewberyMedal Newbery Honor]], and was adapted into a somewhat-obscure film ten years later. As of now there are four sequels to ''Literature/MySideOfTheMountain'': the direct sequel ''On the Far Side of the Mountain'' (with no relation to [[ComicStrip/TheFarSide Gary Larson's comic]]), and the three sequels told from the perspective of falcons, ''Frightful's Mountain'', ''Frightful's Daughter'', and ''Frightful's Daughter Meets the Baron Weasel''.

* MoralGuardians: Initially Creator/JeanCraigheadGeorge had trouble getting this book published because publishers thought MoralGuardians would object to the book on the grounds that it encouraged children to run away from home and live in the woods. Whether or not this was justified, at least George explained quite clearly that Sam ''did'' know how to live off the land and find food, even before he left. Furthermore, the actual steps required in living off the land are explained quite clearly as involving ''a lot'' of work. Presumably most children reading this book can read between the lines and find the message "Sam knows how to do this, had to work ''a lot'', and still got sick and ran into trouble. Unless you know what Sam does, you won't make it, so stay home."

* TheRunaway: Sam has a perfect relationship with his parents yet decides to run away to the Catskill Mountain and live in a hollowed out tree for the pure adventure of it all.

* ABoyAndHisX: Sam and his falcon Frightful are each other's constant companions.

Written by Creator/JeanCraigheadGeorge in 1959, it received a [[NewberyMedal Newbery Honor]], and was adapted into a somewhat-obscure film ten years later. As of now there are four sequels to ''Literature/MySideOfTheMountain'': the direct sequel ''On the Far Side of the Mountain'' (with no relation to [[ComicStrip/TheFarSide Gary Larson's comic]]), and the three sequels told from the perspective of falcons, ''Frightful's Mountain'', ''Frightful's Daughter'', and ''Frightful's Daughter Meets the Baron Weasel''.

[[quoteright:304:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mysideofmntn-734420_2049.jpg]]

* MoralGuardians: Initially JeanCraigheadGeorge had trouble getting this book published because publishers thought MoralGuardians would object to the book on the grounds that it encouraged children to run away from home and live in the woods. Whether or not this was justified, at least George explained quite clearly that Sam ''did'' know how to live off the land and find food, even before he left. Furthermore, the actual steps required in living off the land are explained quite clearly as involving ''a lot'' of work. Presumably most children reading this book can read between the lines and find the message "Sam knows how to do this, had to work ''a lot'', and still got sick and ran into trouble. Unless you know what Sam does, you won't make it, so stay home."

Written by JeanCraigheadGeorge in 1959, it received a [[NewberyMedal Newbery Honor]], and was adapted into a somewhat-obscure film ten years later. As of now there are four sequels to ''Literature/MySideOfTheMountain'': the direct sequel ''On the Far Side of the Mountain'' (with no relation to [[ComicStrip/TheFarSide Gary Larson's comic]]), and the three sequels told from the perspective of falcons, ''Frightful's Mountain'', ''Frightful's Daughter'', and ''Frightful's Daughter Meets the Baron Weasel''.

* BigBadassBirdOfPrey: She's even called ''[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Frightful]]''.

* KidsWildernessEpic
* MoralGuardians: Initially JeanCraigheadGeorge had trouble getting this book published because publishers thought MoralGuardians would object to the book on the grounds that it encouraged children to run away from home and live in the woods.
** Whether or not this was justified, at least George explained quite clearly that Sam ''did'' know how to live off the land and find food, even before he left. Furthermore, the actual steps required in living off the land are explained quite clearly as involving ''a lot'' of work. Presumably most children reading this book can read between the lines and find the message "Sam knows how to do this, had to work ''a lot'', and still got sick and ran into trouble. Unless you know what Sam does, you won't make it, so stay home."
* ShownTheirWork: ''Literature/MySideOfTheMountain'' is no ''[[Literature/BriansSaga Hatchet]]'', [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism but]] it's pretty clear that the author did a lot of research on how to go about living in the woods by yourself before writing this book.
** A possible [[AnAesop Aesop]] that the author may have been attempting to convey with this effort is "Sam knows what he's doing. You don't. Please don't run away from home and try living off the land."

* ValuesDissonance: For all Sam's talk of respecting the wilderness, most environmentalists nowadays would not look kindly on the scene where he describes wanting a falcon so badly that he steals a wild one from the nest. What exactly would he have done with the bird when he returned to the city?
** The sequel has this as a major plot point. Thankfully, the bird survives.
* WeaselMascot: Baron.
* {{Xenofiction}}: All of the novels dealing with Frightful or her daughter.

** Whether or not this was justified, at least George explained quite clearly before Sam left that he ''did'' know how to live off the land and find food, even before he left. Furthermore, the actual steps required in living off the land are explained quite clearly as involving ''a lot'' of work. Presumably most children reading this book can read between the lines and find the message "Sam knows how to do this, had to work ''a lot'', and still got sick and ran into trouble. Unless you know what Sam does, you won't make it, so stay home."

Written by JeanCraigheadGeorge in 1959, it received a [[NewberyMedal Newbery Honor]], and was adapted into a somewhat-obscure film ten years later. As of now there are four sequels to ''Literature/MySideOfTheMountain'': the direct sequel ''On the Far Side of the Mountain'' (with no relation to [[TheFarSide Gary Larson's comic]]), and the three sequels told from the perspective of falcons, ''Frightful's Mountain'', ''Frightful's Daughter'', and ''Frightful's Daughter Meets the Baron Weasel''.

* BigBadassBirdOfPrey: She's even called [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast ''Frightful'']].

** A possible {{Aesop}} that the author may have been attempting to convey with this effort is "Sam knows what he's doing. You don't. Please don't run away from home and try living off the land."

* SomewhereAnOrnithologistIsCrying: The artist of the (pictured) cover is decent at painting humans, but it's pretty obvious he had no idea what a peregrine falcon... or perhaps any raptor... is supposed to look like. In contrast to this the illustrations in the book done by JeanCraigheadGeorge herself are pretty darn accurate except perhaps for the fact that she draws Frightful in adult plumage rather than juvenile.

* ShownTheirWork: ''Literature/MySideOfTheMountain'' is no ''[[Literature/BriansSaga Hatchet]]'', [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism but]] it's pretty clear that the author did a lot of research on how to go about living in the woods by yourself before writing this book.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mysideofmntn-734420_2049.jpg]]