Wild River

Daniel Redmayne is fast asleep on the first night of a white water rafting trip, when he’s awoken by screams. The dam has failed. The river is surging, and their camp will be under water in a matter of moments. As the shrieking roar of the river rushes closer, the kids scramble to higher ground. They make it; their counselors do not. 

Now they’re on their own, with barely any food or supplies, in the middle of the Montana wilderness. Do Daniel and his four classmates have what it takes to stay alive until they can get rescued? Alone in the wild, they forge powerful bonds—but develop dangerous disagreements. If nature doesn’t break them, they might just destroy each other. 

Wild River doesn’t waste any words building the characters’ backstories. Instead, it quickly thrusts the five teens into the dangerous wilderness with little knowledge to help them survive. The kids quickly form two groups—Daniel, Imani, and Mia form one group while Tony and Deke go off on their own. Each group is determined to take the one backpack that contains food and other supplies. However, readers will quickly find Tony and Deke to be short-sighted, reckless, and mean, which makes it easy to dislike them. And since the story is told from Daniel’s point of view, readers will empathize with him and his two friends, who know the importance of working together.  

The story’s short chapters often end in cliffhangers that propel the narrative forward. The teens’ fight to survive includes encounters with dangerous animals, unforgiving terrain, and each other. Since each new danger is suspenseful and realistic, readers will have difficulty putting the book down. Plus, there are enough surprises to keep readers guessing what will happen next.  

Early on, Daniel, Imani, and Mia are pitted against Deke and Tony. Deke bullies others and doesn’t care about anyone else’s survival. At one point, Daniel says, “I’m wondering about bullies. Who they are and why they act so mean. Have they been bullied, too, or do they just enjoy it? Can they change?” The book’s only flaw is the conclusion. In the end, the kids forgive Deke for his horrible behavior, and they all become lifelong friends. This is unrealistic, and readers will wonder whether Deke will become a better person or whether his bad behavior will return once they reach safety.  

As the kids become friends, they each reveal a secret about themselves. Daniel reluctantly shares his father’s struggle with bipolar disorder. After a brief discussion, Imani and Mia show their support in a non-judgmental manner. Throughout the book, Daniel thinks about how being bipolar affects his father, but the topic is not explored in detail. Despite this, the book emphasizes that there is no shame in having a mental illness.  

Wild River is perfect for fans of survival stories such as Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. The story focuses on the action and danger associated with being stranded in the wilderness, giving it a fast pace that will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Daniel, Imani, and Mia show the value of teamwork and perseverance; they wouldn’t have survived without working together. Surviving the wilderness allows the kids to form an unbreakable, lifelong bond that will help them navigate any future struggles they face. 

Sexual Content  

• None

Violence  

• When a dam fails, the two adult supervisors help the kids get to safety, but the adults are “both gone.” 
• One of the boys worries about getting too hungry. He says, “The Donner party ate each other, that’s how hungry they were. . . A wagon train of settlers heading west. They got stuck in the mountains, snowed in for the winter with not enough food. So they improvised.”  
• Mia refuses to give the pack containing food to Deke. Suddenly, “Deke charges like a linebacker attacking a dummy. And I’m the dummy, slammed to the ground so hard it knocks the wind out of me. . . Tony pushes Mia down and snatches up the backpack.”  
• After getting the backpack, Tony is gloating when “he loses his balance, he drops the pack, and tries to regain his footing, but it’s too late. Tony falls over the edge. He screams all the way down. . . Tony lies at the bottom of the ravine, twisted and broken between two boulders.” 
• Afraid Deke will attack and try to take the food again, the girls tie Deke to a tree. 
• When the kids cross a bear’s path, the bear gets agitated. “This bear comes at Deke like it’s been shot from a cannon. It crashes into Deke’s legs, sending him head over heels to the ground.” The bear flees, leaving Deke “down on the ground, with both hands around the lower part of his right leg. Holding tight as blood gushes from between his fingers.” Imani bandages Deke’s leg.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

• Daniel’s father has bipolar disorder. “Mostly his medication helps keep him on the level, but not always.” 

Language  

• Occasionally, bad language is used, such as freaking. 
• There is some name-calling, such as jerk and loser. 
• Imani calls Deke a “stupid fool.” 
• Deke gets angry and yells at Daniel. Deke says, “Are you mentally ill? That’s it! That’s the only explanation. You’re a mental defective, like your wacky dad.” 

Supernatural 

• None

Spiritual Content  

• After Tony dies, Daniel says a prayer. “God, if you hear this, please welcome Tony.” 
• Daniel covers Tony’s body with rocks. Before leaving the area, the group bows their heads as Imani says a prayer. “God, we want you to know that Anthony Meeks wasn’t bad, not in his heart. He did stupid things sometimes, but please forgive him. We do. We forgive him. Amen.”