Big Game by Dan Smith

Reviewed by Lori
Big game
Title: Big Game

Author: Dan Smith

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 97154

Description: A boy hunter from a remote mountain village, the President of the  United States and a terrorist plot converge in a wilderness survival adventure involving a strange creature in the woods.


Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It

Why I Read It: This book looked like a good adventure/survival story for boys.

Lori's Notes:  It's the day of the trial.  The day before Oskari's 13th birthday.  He will walk into the forest on Mount Akka, he will hunt with the traditional bow, and he will return a man.  He will bring back what the forest gives him.  But Oskari is small and he can't even fully draw the bow back all the way.  But Oskari is determined not to disappoint his father, a man who brought back a bear.  As Oskari takes off into the forest, he heads toward his father's secret hunting ground but is quickly veered off course by the approach of a helicopter.  Thinking it is illegal poachers, Oskari watches as the helicopter sets down and men in uniform appear with rocket launchers.  Under cover he watches as these strangers bring down not just an airplane, but Air Force One.  Oskari is no longer the hunter, he is the hunted... and so is the president of the United States.  Will all of Oskari's training be enough to save them both?  I quite liked the fast pace of this novel.  It occurs over two days and the action is fairly continuous throughout.  While the situations are dangerous, it did feel as if Oskari was in his element - he is familiar with the forest and mountain surroundings giving him an advantage over those stalking them.  It is a really good survival story and the ending was quite satisfactory.

Recommended Readers: Grade 7 and up.  This is a really good book for boys, particularly those on the cusp of turning 13.

Themes: Coming-of-Age, Man vs. Environment, Man vs. Man, Father and Son Relationships, Roles and Responsibilities, Hunting, Deception, Airplane crash, Terrorism, Action, Adventure, Books and Film.

Cross-Genre Links: 
Movie: Big Game (2014)
Movie: Beyond the Reach (2015)
Websearch: Akka
Image Search: Air Force One
Music: Return to Innocence performed by Enigma

Post-Reading Inquiries and Activities: 

  • How is Oskari feeling about his trial?
  • What are traditions?  What sort of traditions do the villagers have?  What traditions do your family have?  
  • What sort of animals does the forest offer to Oskari?  What do you think each of these animals represent to Oskari?  
  • What animal do you think the forest might offer you?  What traits does this animal have that also represents you?  Draw a totem of your animal.
  • How does Oskari move from hunter to hunted and back again?  How does the change from hunting to saving motivate Oskari?
  • How does Oskari change over the course of the novel?  
  • What is the significance of the traditional bow?
  • Have you ever done anything that scared you?  (Eg. Rock Climbing, Diving, Performed on Stage etc.) How did you feel afterward?
  • Does physical size have an impact on courage and/or bravery?  How might have Oskari been different in this adventure if he was the strongest boy from his village?

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