A coming of age story and three buddy stories set in a small community in Wisconsin. Two young boys, Bread and Fish, flee a crime scene after Fish shoots Bread’s father and run away into the wild countryside with a vague plan to reach the armoury, a place that Fish associates with his late father, for whom he is still grieving. In their wake, there are two groups trying to find them - sheriff Cal, an urbanite relocated from Texas and unfamiliar with country life searching with Fish’s grandfather, a farmer and local girl Tiffany searching with Miranda, Fish’s mother. Friendships and conflicts develop within the three groups as they struggle with the challenges the wilderness presents them with. There is plenty of tension, adventure and peril as the pairs struggle with bears, rapids, inclement weather and general discomfort. An enjoyable and warm hearted story with characters that are believable and easy to relate to.

I wanted to love this but I'm afraid to say I neither loved it nor hated it. It just felt it was missing pieces.
I felt we got alot of Tiffany's, Cal's, and fish's family background yet not enough of Bread's. I felt like it concentrated too much on Fish, almost as if the author could tell Fish's story because it was the author's story. What happened that night before Fish turned up? At one point Bread was telling Fish the situation that night was worse than normal but didnt expand as they got interrupted. Why was Bread's dad the way he was? We got a brief explanation but I feel it could have expanded more on that.

Over all a good book but not a great book unfortunately.

This is the story of two young boys from a very small town in Wisconsin. They believe that that they have committed a crime and so flee into the woods locally. They stop off first at one of the boys granddad's farm to pick up supplies. Dale, the grandson collects essential supplies while his friend, Bread, leaves a note explaining things for Teddy, the granddad to find. The boys then leave for the forest. Fairly soon the local sheriff, Cal, and Teddy agree to go after the boys on horseback. Also on the scene, mentally or physically, are the fathers of both the boys. Miranda is Fish's mother and is desperate to find her son. The final real character in this is Tiff and she really is quite a character - gas station attendant and poet.

I really liked the start of this book. The boys dilemma is very clear as is their friendship. The main initial characters - Cal, Teddy and Tiffany - all are interesting and worked for me. The family backgrounds of the fathers particularly are well thought out and used - believable too. Having come from the city Cal's views on being a small town sheriff are nicely worked as well. This was set up to be a very appealing story.

However as the story developed it seemed to change in character for me. Some of the edginess left it and I often felt I had an idea what was going to happen next (and was usually right). At times it felt far more like a YA read than an adult one. I must stress that it would probably be a good YA read but it wasn't quite what I thought it would be.

There are good characters in an entertaining story here. There is some depth in it - the boys stories are quite powerful at times. The setting both small town and out in the wilds is nice. In the end I think this is a better YA read than an adult one maybe. This really is not a bad really but just not quite the one I thought it was.

This is an unusual and therefore welcome book. The basic storyline is simple but supports attractive description of the lands it takes place in and cleverly devised relationships. It is located in Claypot, Wisconsin. Two young boys, Fish (Fischer) and Bread (Dale Breadwin) run away from home when they believe one of them has killed the other’s abusive father. The book describes their progress through the wild backlands of the state and the experiences of those who follow to rescue them. The description is detailed but attractive and informative. The comment on the personal relationships is reflective and wise. This is not an exciting story, it is more a gentle description of the wilderness of Wisconsin. It makes a good read.

Andrew J Graff's makes a stunning debut with this classic piece of historical fiction, of adventure and trials in the wilderness, set in the summer of 1994 in the small town of Claypot, in the Land of the Beaver, Wisconsin. Two 10 year old boys, Fischer 'Fish' Branson and Dale 'Bread' Breadwin, have spent the last 3 summers together, becoming good friends, almost brothers. Fish's mother, Miranda, a Pentecostal praying woman, sent him to his grandfather, Teddy's farm for the summers after his father died, a loss that Fish has yet to come to terms with. Teddy has helped considerably, loving his grandson, teaching the boy about the farm and passing on wilderness skills. One night, Fish finds he just cannot walk away from the bruised and scarred Bread's home, Bread is regularly beaten by his alcoholic and abusive father, Fish fires a gun, and thinking this is murder, the scared boys decide to escape into the woods after gathering some supplies.

Looking to find and help the boys is Sheriff Cal, from Texas, who has subscribed to the idea that the Sheriff must never get close to people to do his job, leaving him feeling alone and lonely. Cal allows himself to be led by the man who knows this terrain like the back of his hand, Teddy, who has sought quiet and peace since his return from Korea. They are to be joined by the purple haired aspiring poet and gas station attendant, Tiffany, a woman with a sad, dreary and lonely past, and who has strong pent up feelings for Cal, she writes poetry on the poverty, lost hopes and banality of small town life. She allows herself to be led into the wilderness by Miranda in the canoe, a mother determined to save and protect her son. The two 'fatherless' boys find themselves excitedly facing the wondrous and ferocious sights of the Mishicot forest, with the wild and turbulent river, reveling in their adventures and abilities, fearful of the challenges and adversity that come their way. The boys do not know of the deadly dangers posed by the Ironsford Gorge, as they build their raft of stars and dreams to travel on the treacherous waters of the river, but the adults are all too aware as they race against time to get to them.

The time spent in the wilderness changes the boys and the adults, to develop and reshape their sense of identity and their place in the world, re-evaluate how they live, whilst re-connecting with the miracle, hope and blessing that is our natural environment, and forge life changing relationships, like Tiffany feeling that for the first time in her life she has a friend and begins to feel the warmth this engenders as she is cared for, and all, in their different ways, harbour secrets that come to be revealed. This is a beautifully written and atmospheric novel with such a superb sense of location, where you almost feel as if you are right there with the boys amidst the hailstones of the devastating storm on the river they experience. The characters are complex, feeling so real and authentic, developed so well and skillfully, holding my interest throughout, I particularly enjoyed the boys relationship, each grounding the other, heavily impacted by their fathers and the part they played in their lives. This is such a joy to read that I have no hesitation in recommending this highly. Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.

Theres something very heartwarming about this "coming of age" story.
The central friendship of the two boys who would put their lives on the line for each other.
Also the other friendships/partnerships that spring up as they search for the boys.
There is also a sense of dread,as to where this book is going,and what might happen to the boys as they flee a crime and head into the woods and towards a river.
It also made me slightly nostalgic for my own youth,and camping out and endless summers.