Wild Man Island
Wild Man Island
Book Brief
204
Novel • Fiction
Southeast Alaska • Contemporary
2002
Middle grade
10-14 years
Super Short Summary
In Will Hobbs's middle-grade novel Wild Man Island, fourteen-year-old Andy Galloway embarks on a kayaking trip to Alaska to honor his deceased archeologist father, but a storm maroons him on Admiralty Island. Armed with minimal resources, Andy battles hunger, cold, and bears while discovering ancient artifacts and encountering a mysterious man living off the land named David.
Adventurous
Mysterious
Suspenseful
Reviews & Readership
592 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Wild Man Island by Will Hobbs earns praise for its vivid descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness and engaging adventure elements. Readers appreciate the protagonist’s journey and growth but note occasional predictability in the plot. While some find the narrative compelling and educational about survival, others feel certain characters lack development. Overall, it remains a favored read for young adventure enthusiasts.
Who Should Read Wild Man Island?
A reader who would enjoy Wild Man Island by Will Hobbs is likely an adventurous pre-teen or young teenager who appreciates thrilling survival tales and rich natural settings. Fans of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet and Scott O’Dell’s Island of the Blue Dolphins will find similar themes of resilience and self-discovery in Hobbs's novel.
592 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Will Hobbs, the author of Wild Man Island, draws on his extensive experience hiking and exploring the Alaska wilderness, which served as inspiration for the book's vivid natural settings.
The novel's setting in the southeastern Alaskan islands reflects the area's rich archaeological history, including the discovery of ancient human remains that reveal insights into early Native American cultures.
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Wild Man Island features themes of survival and self-discovery, which are common in Hobbs's works, as he often writes about young protagonists interacting with the natural world.
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204
Novel • Fiction
Southeast Alaska • Contemporary
2002
Middle grade
10-14 years
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