Northwind — Content Guide for Parents
Found in this book
- ViolenceBrief
- Scary contentSupporting
- ProfanityBrief
Not found
- Religion
- Race & culture
- Climate
- Sexual content
- Gender roles
- Gender & orientation
Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
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Summaries and source quotes for every theme.
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Religion
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
The stunning New York Times bestseller from three-time Newbery Honor winner and survival story master Gary Paulsen, whose books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide. Set centuries ago along a rugged coastline, Northwind does for the ocean what Hatchet does for the woods, as it relates the story of a young person’s battle to stay alive against the odds, where the high seas meet a northern wilderness.
“Wondrous . . . A grand and worthy journey.” —The New York Times Book Review
★ “Destined to become another Paulsen classic.” —School Library Journal, starred review
When a deadly plague reaches the small fish camp where he lives, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore, navigating from one danger to the next, unsure of his destination. Yet the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self as he connects to “the heartbeat of the ocean . . . the pulse of the sea.” With hints of Nordic mythology and an irresistible narrative pull, Northwind is Gary Paulsen at his captivating, adventuresome best.
More Accolades and Praise for Northwind:
A “Best Book of the Year” from The New York Times ● Wall Street Journal ● Kirkus Reviews ● Publishers Weekly
★ “Beautifully written, it’s classic Paulsen at his best.” —Booklist, starred review
★ “A timeless and irresistible adventure that has resilience at its heart.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ “[A] mesmerizing modern-day epic.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review
Don’t miss Gary Paulsen’s other acclaimed books from Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers: his riveting memoir Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood and the father-son comedy How to Train Your Dad.
Frequently asked questions
Is Northwind appropriate for a 7-year-old?
Leif's backstory says he was beaten with wooden rods on the ships where he grew up, and the plot otherwise centres on illness, nature and killing fish for food. A ghostly ship with a skeletal crew brings a deadly plague, and Leif faces bears, whirlpools and icebergs, with gory and unpleasant descriptions of sickness and death.
Does Northwind have violence?
Found (Brief): Leif's backstory says he was beaten with wooden rods on the ships where he grew up, and the plot otherwise centres on illness, nature and killing fish for food.
Does Northwind have scary content?
Found (Supporting): A ghostly ship with a skeletal crew brings a deadly plague, and Leif faces bears, whirlpools and icebergs, with gory and unpleasant descriptions of sickness and death.
Does Northwind have religion?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Northwind have race & culture?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Northwind have profanity?
Found (Brief): The parents' guide notes an occasional "damn" in the text.
Does Northwind have climate?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Northwind have sexual content?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Northwind have gender roles?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Northwind have gender & orientation?
Not found in the sources we checked.
