Muskie Attack: An Up North Adventure

Lots of times these outdoor adventure stories are very earnest and well-intentioned, but flat and predictable. This is tricky stuff, and if it's not done very well it can read just like grampa telling another one of his when-I-was-a-boy stories. Well, fear not, G.M. Moore knows how to mix everything together just right. While this isn't quite Gary Paulson's "Harris and Me", which I consider the absolute gold standard for "ten year old boy stays in the country with his semi-crazy cousin stories", it's awfully close. This book is just as big-hearted, humorous, authentic and entertaining as you could want.Our hero, Corbett Griffith III, (soon to be nicknamed Griffy), is sent to Wisconsin to spend the summer while his distracted, divorced parents are occupied with their own lives. He shows up mopey and sour, and I feared that we would be in for a dreary drama-king slog. Well, that lasts about ten pages. Everyone up in old Whispering Pines Lodge is too full of life and vigor for Corbett to get much of a chance to mope. Our hero soon hooks up with a new, real pal - Pike - and it's time for mischief, adventure and bonding. This is real BFF stuff from a ten year old boy's perspective, and it feels and reads true.From there you throw in an upbeat and supportive Uncle, lots of decent and interesting local characters, a pretty girl or two, Pike's spunky little sister, a bear, a friendly dog, fish, fishing, messing around in boats, more fishing, fish cleaning, chores, and ice cream treats, and you've got an epic summer. Then, we encounter a massive, record breaking, mean and nasty prize muskie, and a fishing tournament, and a mini-version of "Jaws", ("you're going to need a bigger boat"), and the book just really takes off.Through it all we get hints of Griffy's family dynamic, but it's never pounded home; it adds a touch of reality, coming-of-age, and sadness that makes the high points all the sweeter.This is all presented with careful craft, restraint, and authentic knowledge of fishing and of the summer setting. It's exciting and over-the-top, but it feels real, and isn't that just about the best thing you can say about a ripping boys' own adventure? This is an accomplished work and a happy find.(Please note that I found this book a while ago while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Let me start by saying I am 41 years of age and my mom purchased this under my kindle account for my daughter who is 12. My daughter has spent the last two years fishing with my parents in Canada just as I did when I was a kid. After my mom read the story she said I must read it also.After reading a few pages I was drawn in to the story and the characters like a musky drawn to a shiny lure moving through the water. I found myself remembering my first trip to Canada and fishing for Northern and our trip back to Illinios stopping at the World Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayword Wisconsin, which at the time was just starting to be built not far from where the story takes place.The more I read the more I found myself looking to see if the places in the book were actual places in Wisconsin, hoping that if they were I could make a trip there myself and fish for the elusive musky.I found myself in the end hoping that the boook was not over, it is short at 93 pages printed but I was learn that there are at least two more adventures for me and my kids to read in the series. Hopefully the stories will continue on.If you are a fisherman or outdoors person and if you ever have fished the lakes of Wisconsin this is a must read book. Kids and and adults alike will love reading this story.I have read reviews on this book comparing it to a Gary Paulsen outdoor adventure and my daughter loves those novels which I have not read yet but will have to once I finish with the two other books in this series.So do your child and yourself a favor and download this book.

My middle school aged old son who loves hunting and fishing is having a great time reading this book. It is a great story with some pretty cool characters. I highly recommend this book for your kid who loves fishing.

I came across this book by chance and read the summary because my family heads to Northern WI for summer vacations. I was very excited to learn that it takes place at Lost Land Lake - exactly where we were heading. As my oldest child is right around Griffy's age, I thought it would be great fun to read this book to them on our vacation there.I've realized that the author used a bit of his/her own creative license in the story, so I was just a bit sad about that. Lost Land Lake is a real place, as is The Happy Hooker Bait Shop and many of the landmarks on the lake.Regardless, the story was very fun to read and we can't wait to get into the next one.

When somewhat timid, slightly pudgy Corbett Griffith arrives at Lost Land Lake for the summer and discovers that there are no cell phones or internet and but one television that gets poor reception, he wonders how his mother and uncle Dell could have promised him a summer of fun. Then he meets Pike, a rough and tumble eleven-year-old, who loves everything outdoors, but most especially fishing. It doesn't take Pike long to draw Corbett (whom he nicknames Griffy) into his adventures.Then a muskie attacks a seven-year-old girl. They reckon by the bite mark on her thigh, that fish had to be at least five feet long and weigh seventy pounds. Figuring that when news breaks, fishermen will be coming for miles around, the lake association sponsors a competition with a five thousand dollar prize.Griffy and Pike want to win that competition. For Griffy, winning means more than the prize money; it means his recently divorced parents will finally notice him. But catching a seventy pound muskie is more than a fishing venture, it's a battle, as the two boys are about to find out.The book is a fast paced adventure with an ending that will keep you on the edge of your seat. As Griffy's friendship with Pike grows and he begins to know the people around the lake he finds in them an extended family and gains much needed confidence. I recommend it to all middle grade readers.

Well written, quite exciting shortish book for early teens I suspect. Though some of the descriptions were a bit gory for imaginative kids.

I think this may be more a child's book than for an adult but I really enjoyed reading it - I won't follow the series though