After i read this book i really just wanted to read more. This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 6, especially during homeschooling. While there, cole is mauled by a mysterious white bear and left for dead. This gripping, graphic survival story from an awardwinning writer paints an unsparing picture of one violent teen and. Ben mikaelsen considered buffy a 750pound member of my family. I liked that broke things down and explained each topic clearly and in an. But instead of jail time, cole is given another option. Do you think garvey agreed to be coles sponsor for the circle because cole genuinely had changed. He taught me to be gentle and that i, too, am part of the circle.
This detailed literature summary also contains quotes and a free quiz on touching spirit bear by ben mikaelsen. It focuses on a teenager named cole matthews, who severely injures another boy, peter driscal, in a parkinglot altercation. Cole matthews is a teenager with a troubled childhood. The spirit bear approached cole with a slow lazy stride. Touching spirit bear book test languages flashcards. The hard lessons learned over the years were ones i wanted to share with todays teenagers. It is believed that it is a ghost bear or a god like bear, hence the name, because this bear is spiritual. A while after the attack, the spirit bear tamely approaches and comes within inches of cole s face. Hideously injured, cole waits for his death his thoughts shift from from anger to humility.
This can be seen as the turning point as cole s parents refuse to bail cole out of trouble. Touching spirit bear winstonsalemforsyth county schools. Touching spirit bear by ben mikaelsen is about a boy from minneapolis who is going down the. Because the spirit bear can look straight at cole and is not scared at all. In his napra nautilus awardwinning novel touching spirit bear, author ben mikaelson delivers a poignant comingofage story of a boy who must overcome the effects that violence has had on his life. Ghost of spirit bear kindle edition by mikaelsen, ben.
Touching spirit bear tells the story of cole matthews a troubled youth whom struggles with anger. If cole matthews doesnt shape up, he will head to jail. Cole matthews is a teenage delinquent whos in big trouble for beating up a kid named peter driscal. But will circle justice help cole overcome his anger and learn to heal. Cole is profoundly moved by the bears peacefulness. Cole s parole officer offers him an alternativecircle justice, an innovative justice program based on native traditions. After being mauled by a spirit bear, cole started to heal. He has a baby face, hes 15, and uses it to get his way. Touching spirit bear is a story about a boy named cole, who has anger management problems. If you kill my cat, normally the police fine you and thats it. Touching spirit bear ben mikaelsen dedication this book is dedicated to buffy, a sevenhundredpound black bear who has become my own spirit bear. A while after the attack, the spirit bear tamely approaches and comes within inches of coles face.
People feel trust when they touch the bear s head, but so far only cole get to. Worn steel handcuffs bit at his wrists each time the small craft slapped into another wave. The first edition of the novel was published in june 25th 1997, and was written by ben mikaelsen. Approximately 10 percent of their population has completely white colored fur. In his napra nautilus awardwinning novel touching spirit bear, author ben mikaelson delivers a poignant comingofage story of a boy. Now, peter may have permanent brain damageand cole is in the biggest trouble of his life. His presence on the island is almost mythical since spirit bears are supposed to live somewhere southeast of the island.
Ben mikaelsons book touching spirit bear was truly magnificent. Cole matthews knelt defiantly in the bow of the aluminum skiff as he faced forward into a cold september wind. When cole was mauled by the spirit bear, he felt more comfortable after he was given the at. He has been writing fulltime since 1984 and lives in anacortes, washington with his wife, connie. Desperate to avoid prison, cole fakes humility and agrees to go. The spirit bear a mystic bear living on the alaskan island. The characters in this story seem real because they are normal kids in high school and, this could really happen. He burns down his shelter and gets into a fight with spirit bear when he first comes to the islandjust because he can.
Before hes left there alone, edwin, a native american elder, warns him that he has to respect the natural world and that theres a mystical bear called spirit bear that might show up. Touching spirit bear study guide contains a biography of ben mikaelsen. After robbing a store, a boy named peter that cole has picked on for a long time tells the principal about what cole did. It was part of a summer reading assignment, and instead of a book report, our teacher asked us to. The kermode bear is a unique subspecies of the american black bear. It is hard to meet and it doesnt try to hurt human unless human attack first. Cole s story will fascinate young and old, and have everyone waiting for the sequel. This book is telling a story about a boy named cole matthews. Read touching spirit bear to get in touch with your own spirit. Cole mathews used to be a violent kid, but a year in exile on a remote alaskan island has a. Touching spirit bear is a novel by ben mikaelsen in which cole matthews must fend for himself on an island for one year as penance for assaulting a boy named peter. Is there any significance in the fact that spirit bear is a pure white black bear. Cole is prone to having outburst which inevitably leads to his fate. Garvey says its pronounced like a towel without the l.
His most recent crime was very serious and resulted in. The two nodded to cole and seated themselves on his immediate left. Dec 09, 2009 there, he is mauled by mysterious white bear of native american legend. From the novel touching spirit bear cole matthews is not your average teenage boy, he is a juvenile delinquent. Touching spirit bear is a comingofage novel by bolivianamerican author ben mikaelson. Buy a cheap copy of touching spirit bear book by ben mikaelsen. Apr 20, 2010 in his napra nautilus awardwinning novel touching spirit bear, author ben mikaelson delivers a poignant comingofage story of a boy who must overcome the effects that violence has had on his life. Touching spirit bear is a book that is about a boy named cole that was evil and mean child becoming a nice and helpful child by the spirit bear. This time he caught peter driscal in the parking lot and smashed his head against the sidewalk. However, cole repeatedly sees the bear in his first few days on the island.
The plot was amazing and the events were very interesting. In this lesson, well explore how cole changes throughout the novel, growing from an angry, disaffected youth to a more. From this mauling, cole learns the power of healing physically as well as emotionally. In touching spirit bear what does cole carve into his. Touching spirit bear is the title and it is by ben mikaelsen this is not a copy of the book it is a poem off the title for the contest. Cole monologue from touching spirit bear by ben mikaelsen.
Uunderstanding aanger cole was very rebellious before circle justice, he had been in and out of many detention centers and was always getting into trouble. Touching spirit bear questions author ben mikaelsen. Theres a book in with the supplies to study if you want to. At age 15, cole has already been in and out of police stations, detention centers, and residential treatment centers, but now his violent temper has gotten him into really serious troublehes been arrested for smashing a. He is routinely abused by his father and the abuse leads to a deep, constant anger that cole cant control. Feb 28, 2018 cole meets up with the spirit bear on the islandwhats his plan. He ends up beating up peter, and leaving peter in a. I consider these books magical realism, which is really cool. Japanese proverb contents epigraph part one touching spirit bear chapter 1 cole matthews knelt. After his anger erupts into violence, cole, in order to avoid going to prison, agrees to participate in a sentencing alternative based on the native american circle justice, and he is sent to a remote alaskan island where an encounter with a huge spirit bear changes his life. With traditional justice, punishment is used as the main tool to try and deter future crimes. Touching spirit bear by ben mikaelsen librarything. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of touching spirit bear by ben mikaelsen. Although an animal, the spirit bear is a truly central character in this novel.
So cole is sent to a remote alaskan island where hes supposed to spend a year living off the land and reflecting on his mistakes. Peter may have permanent brain damage and cole is in the biggest trouble of his life. When i received my package in the mail i was exited to start reading. Pdf touching spirit bear book by ben mikaelsen free.
All in all, this was an amazing read and i recommend it to all. I read the first book in the series, touching spirit bear years ago and the book had impacted me in. The main characters of this young adult, realistic fiction story are edwin, cole matthews. Monologue from touching spirit bear by ben mikaelsen. Cole is a troublemaker, he steals things, breaks things, hurts people and much more. He most recently has been put in detention for violently hitting and assaulting a classmate named peter driscal who had turned cole in for robbing a store. Cole s father and their lawyer, nathaniel blackwood, entered together, wearing dark threepiece suits and ties. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. In awardwinning author ben mikaelsens riveting sequel to the acclaimed wordofmouth bestseller touching spirit bear, readers will be captivated by what booklist calls a hugely satisfying resolution. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Kevin and anastassia introduction cole has experienced numerous changes throughout the story. His incident regarding the spirit bear has provoked a sudden development in his propriety. Cole is profoundly moved by the bear s peacefulness.
What are 3 character traits for cole in touching spirit bear. Contents epigraph partone touchingspiritbear chapter1 colematthewskneltdefiantlyinthebowofthealuminum chapter2 theheavyloadofsuppliescausedtheskifftowallow. Cole meets up with the spirit bear on the islandwhats his plan. Mar 29, 2011 in awardwinning author ben mikaelsens riveting sequel to the acclaimed wordofmouth bestseller touching spirit bear, readers will be captivated by what booklist calls a hugely satisfying resolution. One day while at school cole viscously beats peter. The changes of cole matthews a novel by ben mikaelsen by.
Cole matthews is the main character of the novel touching spirit bear. One of the main reasons he changed was because of the spirit bear. In the book touching spirit bear why does cole vow to kill the spirit bear. People feel trust when they touch the bear s head, but so far only cole get to do that. Touching spirit bear is a book about a very angry and abused fifteen year old who is facing a prison sentence for attacking and injuring a fellow ninethgrder. When cole is banished to a remote alaskan island, he encounters the spirit bear and before he could do anything, it had vanished. Cole realized that he wasnt very important to nature so he kind of changed.
For literacy circles the book my group is reading is touching spirit bear. Touching spirit bear is a book that is about a boy named cole that was evil and mean child becoming a nice and helpful child by the. Review for touching spirit bear flashcards quizlet. Thoughts of his abusive parents, helpless peter, and his own anger cause him to examine his actions and seek redemptionfrom the spirit bear that attacked him, from his victims, and from himself. Touching spirit bear abc book by preston williams on prezi. Touching spirit bear cole caught wimpy peter in the parking lot and smashed his head against the sidewalk. While waiting for the courts decision cole, the boy, was kept in a detention center. He has written a few books inspired by his bear, such as touching spirit bear and the sequel ghost of spirit bear.
What was it about the white bear that made cole so angry. The lawyer looked as if hed been dipped in plastic. If you look at cole you may see a sweet, innocent, kind, caring boy. Free download or read online touching spirit bear pdf epub book. Voice of youth advocates voya touching spirit bear is a great book that should be shared with students of upper grade levels. Touching spirit bear trailer for school project youtube. Cole matthews knew what he did was wrong but the anger deep inside him kept him on this path. Sentenced to a year on an uninhabited arctic island under the supervision of edwin, a tlingit elder, cole provokes an attack from a titanic white spirit bear while attempting escape. What are all the animals in touching spirit bear answers. Touching spirit bear a poem by punkgirl12893 all poetry. Rescuers arrive to save cole s but it is the attack of the spirit bear that may save his soul. Ben mikaelsen paints a vivid picture of a juvenile offender, examining the roots without absolving solving him of responsibility for his actions, and questioning a society in which angry people make victims of their peers and communities. Throughout the book, cole deals with a lot of pentup rage that comes bursting out in the form of violence and crime. To survive, he must stop blaming others and take responsibility for his life.
Cole is almost mauled to death by a bear during his banishment on an alaskan island. Cole saw the spirit bear again while he was almost dead in the forest, he spit at it and the spirit bear licked up his spit. Cole s parole officer explains circle justice to cole this way. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading ghost of spirit bear. Llabor in the beginning of the story cole thought that edwin and garveys ways of teaching were very odd and stupid. Although cole has a lot of negative characteristics, he changes into a better person by the end of the book. The characters in this story are cole mathews, peter,garvey,kieth and the spirit bear. Ben mikaelsen this story took place in a boy named cole mathews high school. At the start of the novel, cole is a fifteenyear old convicted juvenile delinquent from minneapolis.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 289 pages and is available in paperback format. At the start of the novel, cole is a fifteenyear old convicted juvenile. Touching spirit bear chapter 1 cole matthews knelt defiantly in the bow of the aluminum chapter 2 the heavy load of supplies caused the skiff to wallow chapter 3 cole stared sullenly into the fire, then let his gaze chapter 4 by the time cole paused to catch his breath, he chapter 5 once clear of the bay, cole swam even harder. Because were in coles head throughout the book, we see peter through coles eyesas an unimportant person who happens. Cole reaches out to touch the bear and grabs a tuft of white hair from its back. He has a near death experience and realizes all the things he did wrong in his life. Life in the wildernessexiled from civilization as a punishment for his violent behaviorhad its own set of hurdles, but for fifteenyearold cole matthews, its returning home and. Touching spirit bear book by ben mikaelsen thriftbooks. In touching spirit bear what does cole carve into his totem.
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