Rating: 
Summary: THE BOMB!!!
Review: This book touches you spiritually as well as emotionally. It shows great courage in a young man on the wrong road in life. Cole (the young man) has made one fatal accident that will change his life as well as all of the people involved. Cole learns that life isn't only about himself their are others around him who need healing as well. Cole is taught to forgive himself as well as others who have done him wrong.
Rating:
Summary: Touching Spirit Bear
Review: Touching Spirit Bear is written by Ben Mikaelson. It is about a kid named Cole who beats up a kid so bad that the kid would then have brain damage. The book takes place mostly on an isolated island where he has to live because of what he did. My reaction to this book was good because of the descriptiveness and adventure. When Cole is at the island it is so descriptive. The book ws about a boy named Cole who beat up a kid named Peter Drascal. So cole gets sent to an island that has a ghost bear on it. And when he got there he burned down the shelter that they had prepare for him with all of the supplies that he had to live with. Then one day he seen the spirit bear and tried to attack it. The bear shredded him up so bad that he had a broken pelvis so he couldn't move. After a couple days of agonizing pain his advisor came to check on him and rescued him. When he returned and recovered he had to go back to the island, after a while he finally straitened up. My overall opinion on this book is I thought it was great. I also think that any one who is capable of reading this book, should read it. The book was not very long but the author filled the book with much detail and adventure. For a rating of 1-10 I would give it a 9 because some parts were slow and boring. But overall the book was great for me.
Rating: 
Summary: Touching Spirit Bear
Review: Touching Spirit bear was a great book. It was about a boy named Cole and his issues. He was getting into fights and bulling others. He finally got caught because he beat up this guy. He got the choice to go to jail or go to this island. Cole decided to go to the island. While he was at the island, he had a lot of rage and he destroyed his shelter. At the island, there were two counselors to look after him. They were Garvey and Edwin. At the island, he got hurt real badly by a bear. This wasn¡¯t just any ordinary bear. It was the legendary Spirit Bear. Cole got stitches and he learned that having rage wasn¡¯t everything.
I liked this book because it had a lot of action. It had fights, destruction, and brute force. Cole had a lot of rage and he wanted to just destroy ant object. It was also very disgusting at the same time which was pretty cool. Take this for an example. "Mine," he grunted. "All mine." When he said that, he was scaring seagulls away from his vomit. He understood that food gave energy so he was eating his vomit.
The part that I disliked was when Cole tried to be a tough guy by saying ,"I'm all right," when he broke his ribs, broke his arm, leg, and pelvis. That just sort off messed this story up because he even knew that he was messed up.
My favorite part of the book was when Cole went and got into the fight with the Spirit Bear. Cole had a knife and he tried to fight the spirit bear but he got slashed and bitten. After that fighting part, Cole just collapsed and he was being fault over by seagulls. That was my favorite part because it was a fighting part.
Rating:
Summary: Touching Spirit Bear
Review: Fifteen year-old Cole Matthews is full of unmitigated rage and hate. The only child of a wealthy, dysfunctional couple, Cole Matthews has been physically and emotionally abused by his father, while his alcoholic mother has done nothing to stop it. In the cycle of the abused becoming the abuser, Cole Matthews is a violent juvenile offender with a long rap sheet. Not wanting to tarnish the family's reputation, Cole's father has chosen to pay off Cole's victims-and in doing so has allowed Cole not to pay the consequences for his violent behavior. Cole's young life has been a repetitive cycle of police station incarcerations, drug rehabilitations, anger and psychiatric therapy sessions. All those trying to help Cole end up referring him to yet another "last option" program. At school, Cole brags about breaking into and trashing a hardware store. Fellow ninth grader, Peter Driscol, has been bullied by Cole and decides to get even by telling the police. Once Cole is bailed out by his father he comes looking for Peter to exact revenge for ratting him out. Cole attacks Peter in the school parking lot and repeatedly smashes the boy's head into the asphalt. The attack puts Peter in the hospital and causes permanent neurological impairment. The violent nature of Cole's attack and his string of previous offenses mean that for the first time Cole cannot be bailed out by his father's lawyer. Cole is told that he could be tried as an adult will go to jail for what he has done to Peter Driscol. A Parole officer named Garvey enters into Cole's life and suggests that he might be a candidate for a different program. Garvey is an Alaskan Tlingit Indian. In Garvey's culture, individuals who violate accepted behaviors are banished to a remote area and spend a year in isolation. The philosophy behind the Native American Circle of Justice system is that the offender, the victim, and the community all work together to find a "healing solution." Garvey explains that a Circle of Justice solution, if accepted, could mean that Cole do his time on a remote island in Alaska. Cole decides to go along with the idea, simply because he sees it as an easy possibility for escape-and, to have to have the last laugh on the stupid authorities. Edwin, a respected Tlingit elder, agrees to oversee Cole's banishment on an Alaskan island. After building and provisioning a shelter, Edwin takes a handcuffed Cole to the island in a skiff. When Edwin unlocks the handcuffs and turns to leave, he reminds Cole that he must respect nature in order to survive on the island. As soon as the skiff is out of sight a belligerent Cole torches the shelter, strips off his clothes and attempts to swim off the island. Hypothermia almost claims Cole's life, but struggles back to shore and returns to his burned out shelter angrier than ever. The sight of a huge white bear far down the beach provokes rage in Cole-who vows that he will teach the bear to be afraid of him. A much closer encounter with the enormous white "Spirit Bear" leaves Cole hideously mauled. Broken and completely helpless on the beach for two harrowing days, Cole is forced to look inside himself and realizes his own personal tragedy-that he will not be missed by anyone After his rescue and lengthy hospital stay, Cole once again must face the Circle of Justice. After much debate and deliberation, it is decided that Cole will be allowed to return to the island and serve out his year-long sentence. This time however, Garvey and Edwin become Cole's mentors-they each have reasons for wanting to help Cole turn his life around.
Edwin brings word that Peter Driscol has twice attempted suicide. Understanding Peter's hopelessness and owing up to the damage he has caused, Cole knows that he must play a part in correcting the wrong he has done to Peter, or neither of them will ever find peace. Cole suggests that Peter come to the island to face his fears-Cole. The idea is farfetched, but Peter's distraught parents are desperate to help their son. What follows when Peter reluctantly comes to the Cole's island brings both boys resolution and healing. Ben Mikaelsen's story allows the reader to look inside an angry, manipulative, and emotionally damaged adolescent. We see a fragile person whose defensive mechanism of rage quickly spell disaster when he is left alone on the island. The tribal wisdom of Edwin and Garvey allow Cole to effectively channel his anger and foster Cole's empathy and inner peace. The author states that the Circle Justice concept has been recently been "given a chance to work within the U.S. Judicial system." The concept of allowing an offender to work toward a healing solution for his victim and community is an encouraging one. Michaelsen's compelling story allows readers to see how it might work. Highly recommended reading for those who enjoy tales of survival, and contemporary teen problem fiction. Abigail Bridges
Teen Librarian, Escondido Public Library
Rating:
Summary: Touching Spirit Bear is Great
Review: Touching Spirit Bear was a great book by Ben Mikelson. I liked for many different reasons. The first is because Ben Mikelson is my favorite author. Every book of his that I have read I liked. It is like he can't write a bad book.
The second reason that I liked Touching Spirit Bear was because it had a great plot. There was always another problem awaiting just as the last had been solved. It was more exciting because all of the problems came up suddenly, just when things seemed to be going well.
The third and last reason that I liked Touching Spirit Bear was because the main character was dynamic. Usually that doesn't matter if I like the book or not but the way he had the main character change was the best I have ever seen. I could not see anybody I know going through what he did.
I think that I should probably give you some backgroung information about the book. The main character is a teenage juvenile who is always getting in trouble. Sometimes he will beat up a fellow student and steal from them. He made everybody afraid of him. Other times, he would steal from neighborhood storers. Finally everybody has had enough of him when he beats a kid's head into the ground. What will happen to him next? Will he be sent to jail or could he face even worse?
I think that every person should read Touching Spirit Bear. There are many good things about it that would appeal to almost any reader. There are dramatic breath taking moments that will not let you put the book down. A wonderful book.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful Novel
Review: What I liked best about this book is that it makes you lose hope of Cole, and his problems, until the story starts to turn around and it becomes more dramatic, and hopeful! I really incourage everyone to read this book, you wont be able to put it down!!!
Rating:
Summary: A Powerful Work
Review: Touching Spirit Bear is a powerful book that can be enjoyed on many levels. It is the story of a fifteen year old boy in conflict with his family, his peers, and finally with the law. "Circle Justice" is his only alternative to jail, and through it he is made to confront his anger and given a shot at redemption. At the level of drama and action alone, the book is difficult to put down; I read the entire work through the course of a single day and night. At a deeper level, there is an emotional power that will draw laughter and tears alike. Author Ben Mikaelsen does an incredible job of portraying the seething anger of the story's "hero" - if we may call him that, and his reduction to humility. At an even deeper level are the spiritual and philosophical themes of wholeness and justice. According to the book jacket, Touching Spirit Bear is suitable for readers ages 10 and up. The book offers a rich opportunity and challenge for parents and teachers to introduce young people to some incredibly important themes - themes close to home for all of us - and to encourage reflection upon those themes. I would recommend the book for adults as well, for the same reasons.
Rating:
Summary: Touching Spirit Bear
Review: Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen is a compelling story of a teenager's struggle with anger. He is beaten by his father, ignored by his mother, and struggles to understand how he fits into "family". His anger gets the best of him. He beats a classmate so severely that he has brain damage. This time his father can not buy him out of trouble.
Cole's only hope of avoiding a prison sentence is to enter into an alternative program known as Circle Justice. Banished to an isolated island off the coast of Alaska, Cole secretly vows that he will escape and return to civilization, and beat the system. He didn't plan on the mysterious, legendary white bear. Mauled almost to death, Cole awaits his fate and begins a life long journey of controlling his anger from with in. He learns humility and respect for those he once took his anger out on.
Ben Mikaelsen once again writes for the young reader, speaking to them from life experiences. Touching Spirit Bear calls to those readers who are struggling to find acceptance and respect among their peers.
Rating:
Summary: Touching spirit Bear
Review: hi i loved this book thank u bm for sharing ur mind with me
Rating:
Summary: Touching Spirit Bear
Review: I enjoyed this book alot.Why?It kept my attention from the very begininng.The book starts with a predictable start or so you think then it takes you thru it many twist.Or shall we say circle becuase so many things end up so ironicly.I enjoyed it alot!
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