Touching Spirit Bear

I give the story a rating of four stars. It is a very descriptive book and the main character, Cole, is quite relatable and understandable in some of the situations he is in. These situations are realistic, and are not at some imaginary made up place. His parents are divorced and that is something no child should have to go through, but it is a reality of today. Cole’s parents don’t care about him and he feels alone in the world. These types of situations are what makes Cole the way he is. He is filled with such hate and anger because of his dad’s abuse. Conflicts such as these make the plot more interesting, and creates a bond between the reader and Cole making them feel for him. I like how the author teaches the reader about the Indian culture and traditional rituals they do to help spiritually heal someone. These traditions make the story more interesting and intriguing. The author also uses a lot of symbolism throughout the book giving characters a more thorough description. Valuable lessons appear in all different parts of the book like how Cole describes how certain animals teach him lessons. Observing Cole’s growth in the story is very entertaining, but also demonstrates to the readers how people can change. It shows that it is always good to take time and simply reflect on life. Not only does Cole teach lessons to the readers, but so do the other characters, like how his mom stood up to his dad and his abuse.  Highlights of the book would definitely include moments where Cole discovers methods in which he can heal. Other highlights are times when Cole teaches and helps other people. There wasn’t a single thing to dislike about this book. It was very well written and has an interesting plot. It was a truly inspiring story about friendship, forgiveness, and learning to find yourself.