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Nature Girl is a laugh-out-loud funny, feel-good tale of self-discovery, growing up, and girl power that gives a fresh twist to the classic survival story! Eleven-year-old Megan is stuck in the wilds of Vermont for the summer with no TV, no Internet, no cell phone, and worst of all, no best friend. So when Megan gets lost on the Appalachian Trail with only her little dog, Arp, for company, she decides she might as well hike all the way to Massachusetts where her best friend, Lucy, is spending her summer. Life of the trail isn’t easy though. And on the journey, Megan faces everything from wild animals and raging rivers to tofu jerky and life without bathrooms. Most of all though, Megan gets to know herself—both who she’s been in the past and who she wants to be in the future—and the journey goes from a spur of the moment lark to a heroic quest to prove herself to Lucy, her family, and the world! Fans of Lisa Yee and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor will delight in Jane Kelley’s irresistible debut.
“Megan’s quest proves more difficult than she imagined…. As she and her dog cover the 30 miles, she analyzes her relationships, especially the tattered one with Lucy whose mother has Hodgkin’s cancer…. Megan’s voice is believable and honest, and her journey is both a physical and emotional success.” —School Library Journal
“Megan soon realizes that hiking is much harder than it looks, and with a bit of help, starts to see who she really is, and who she wants to be in the future. The hike quickly changes to a quest to find out her true self, and to prove herself to Lucy, and the world! I was quickly intrigued by the story, and parts of it could be connected to real life. Heartwarming and adventurous, Nature Girl is sure to please many.” — Janelle Finton, 12, Wheeling
Kids Favorite Summer Reads Chicago Tribune 8/15/2014