My Side of the Mountain - Discussion Questions

 

1.     Why do you think Sam is drawn so strongly to his great-grandfather's land?

2.     Why don't his parents search for him and try to bring him home?

3.     Why does Sam say that fire is his weapon and that with fire he can "conquer the Catskills"?

4.     How does Sam find the Gribley Farm? Who helps him?

5.     What do you think of Sam’s tree house? If you was Sam what kind of shelter would you make?

6. Why does Sam lie to the strawberry-picking woman? Do you think it was the right thing to do? Why or why not?

7.   How does Sam find Frightful?  Do you think it was mean of Sam to take Frightful from her mother?

8. Sam tells the reader he was “too frightened to move” when the weasel “The Baron” burst out of the trap. How do you think you would have reacted in a similar situation?

9. Why does Sam think it is okay to take the hunter’s deer?

10. What is Sam trying to train Frightful to do? Do you think he will succeed?

11. How does Sam discover that his diet is not providing him with balanced nutrition?

12. What does Sam do to survive through the winter in the mountain?

13. How does Bando get his nick name? Who is actually Bando?

14. Who is Matt Spell? How does Matt know Sam is the wild boy?

15. Is Sam happy that Matt and Bando want to make a guesthouse? Why?

16. Does Sam seem satisfied with the new arrangement at the end of the book?

17. What do you think Sam will do next?

18. Do you like the book? Do you want to run away after reading the book? How many stars would you rate the book?