Ben Porkolab's Book Report on "Wood Runner"

Name: Ben Porkolab

Title of Book: Woods Runner

Author: Gary Paulsen

What was the problem in the book, and how was it solved? Be specific.

Samuel’s family got taken away by the British army during the Revolutionary War.  While Samuel

was hunting, the soldiers burned his family’s home and kidnapped his parents.   He follows them

and the British to New York. Finally, Samuel and his friend Abner, help his parents escape from

prison.  Then they start a new life in Philadelphia.

What was the author's purpose or purposes in writing the book? Explain how you know.

The author wrote this book to entertain by telling a fictional story about a boy who struggles during

the Revolutionary War. He also wrote the story to inform the reader of a famous event in history, and what

it would have been like to experience the struggles of the Revolutionary War.

What did the title have to do with the book?

Samuel tracks the British while wandering and searching in the woods.   I would also call

him a “woods runner” because of his adventures in the woods throughout this story.

Tell in your own words how the setting of the story made it more interesting.        Be specific.

The setting of the story made it more interesting because the story took place during the

American Revolution.  The British and the Indians captured Samuel’s parents. He will do anything

to get them back.

If one of the characters visited our classroom, what question would you ask them? (Make sure the question relates to the plot/problem/actions of the story.) *Give the name of the character with the question!!*

I would ask Samuel if he felt good about his decision to leave Cooper and his men to

catch up to the British and his parents. Cooper was going too slow to catch up to the

British because he had lots of heavy equipment.

Pretend you are a librarian recommending the book to someone. Write a paragraph telling what you would say.   

If I were a librarian, I would tell how this book is about a boy named Samuel who lived in the middle

of nowhere, during the American Revolution.  His parents got kidnapped by the British. Samuel

tracked his parents until he found a girl named Annie. Annie’s parents got killed by the British. Then,

Samuel ran into a guy named Abner that helped him by giving them food, and also helping Samuel’s

parents escape.   After they escaped, Samuel, Annie, and his parents started a new life in

Philadelphia.  

If they made a movie of this book, which scene would be most important to include. Explain the scene with details and why it's important.

They should include the part when Abner McDougal, “an old man who is going to

New York where Samuel’s parents are to buy and sell things”,  helps Samuel and Annie

to get their parents to escape. They need this part, because if it’s not included, the

audience would not know how Samuel got his parents back, which is the entire plot

throughout the story. This is a very exciting part of the book and the action would be

important to the suspense of the movie.