Touching Spirit Bear

Touching Spirit Bear (YA) by Ben Mikaelsen

Cole is a deeply troubled and violent teenager who brutally beats a classmate named Peter. Cole is given an option: a trial and the possibility of jail or participation in Circle Justice.

Circle Justice is a Native American concept of justice that involves the perpetrator, the community, and the violated. Those who participate collaborate on what type of punishment should be given. Circle Justice works under the assumption that no justice actually occurs unless healing occurs. It is a means of healing for, hopefully, all involved. Rather than just punishing the criminal, the hope is to foster growth and change in that individual.

Cole signs on for Circle Justice because he thinks that it's a joke and will be a cake walk when compared to a jail term. Rather than prison, Circle Justice sends him to spend a year on an isolated island. Cole will have to fend for himself, and come to terms with his own actions, hurt, and anger.

However, when Cole gets to the island, he still acts with all of his violent, reckless old self. He burns down his cabin, he tries to swim the cold Alaskan sea to escape, and he attacks a bear. All on his first day alone! After being brutally mauled by the bear, Cole waits to die ... and comes to terms with his own desire to live.

After being rescued, Cole takes many months to rehabilitate. He is given one last chance to complete his year of Circle Justice. Will he be able to finally come to terms with his anger and his own actions? As he learns to deal with his own issues, Cole begins to focus on that of his victim, Peter. How can Cole help Peter come to terms with what happened? How can Cole help Peter overcome fear?

This was an excellent book, and as the ALA Bestseller states, "An excellent companion to Gary Paulson's Hatchet." There are remarkable similarities between this book and the Hatchet books. However, this book contains more moral and ethical dilemmas to mull over.* All in all, a great read (especially Chapter 23).

Final Grade: A

*But in defense of Paulson, this book has nothing on the Hatchet books' wonderful descriptive imagery.