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Touching Spirit Bear
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Read Touching Spirit Bear
Spirit Bear: Book 1

Touching Spirit Bear (2001) (edit title/settings)

by Ben Mikaelsen (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

Will the attack of the Spirit Bear destroy Cole's life or save his soul? Cole Matthews has been fighting stealing and raising hell for years. So his punishment for beating Peter Driscal senseless is harsh. Given a choice between prison and Native American Circle Justice, Cole chooses Circle... read more

Summary edit see section history

Within Cole Matthews lies anger, hate and rage. Cole has been stealing and fighting for years. This time he caught Peter Driscal in the parking lot and smashed his head against the sidewalk. Now, Peter may have permanent brain damage and Cole is in the biggest trouble of his life. Cole is... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Within Cole Matthews lies anger, hate and rage. Cole has been stealing and fighting for years. This time he caught Peter Driscal in the parking lot and smashed his head against the sidewalk. Now, Peter may have permanent brain damage and Cole is in the biggest trouble of his life. Cole is offered Circle Justice: a system based on Native American traditions that attempts to provide healing for the criminal offender, the victim, and the community. With prison as his only alternative, Cole plays along. He says he wants to repent, but in his heart, Cole blames his alcoholic mom, his abusive dad, wimpy Peter- everyone but himself- for his situation. Cole receives a one-year banishment to a remote Alaskan island. There, he is mauled by a mysterious white bear of Native American legend. Hideously injured, Cole waits for death. His thoughts shift from anger to humility. To survive, he must stop blaming others and take responsibility for his life. Rescuers arrive to save Cole's body, but it is the attack of the Spirit Bear that may save his soul. Cole Matthews is angry. Angry, defiant, smug--in short, a bully. His anger has taken him too far this time, though. After beating up a ninth-grade classmate to the point of brain damage, Cole is facing a prison sentence. But then a Tlingit Indian parole officer named Garvey enters his life, offering an alternative called Circle Justice, based on Native American traditions, in which victim, offender, and community all work together to find a healing solution. Privately, Cole sneers at the concept, but he's no fool--if it gets him out of prison, he'll do anything. But what he doesn't know is a one-year banishment on a remote Alaskan island may be more difficult than he could ever imagine. Does he survive the year and what happens when he is faced with Spirit Bear, will he survive?

Characters edit see section history

  • Cole Matthews: Protagonist with serious anger management issues, but not a flat character. is interesting
  • Peter Driscal: A victim of Cole's anger. Now has speech impediments, but is going through therapy. His self confidence is shattered.
  • Garvey: Parole officer of Tlingit descent helping Cole Matthews get over his anger.
  • Edwin: Tlingit elder who helps during Cole's banishment. Leads Edwin to become a better person.
  • Mr. Driscal: Peter's father.
  • Mrs. Driscal: Peter's mother.
  • Cole's mother: Mother of Cole, a heavy drinker.
  • Nathaniel Blackwood: The lawyer hired by Cole's father. He was a good person.
  • The Keeper: Leads the meetings.
  • Peter's lawyer: Wants Cole to go to jail for what he did to Peter.
  • Rosey: Native-American nurse that helps Cole. Lives in Drake, Alaska
  • Cole's father: Beats Cole for everything. Is a real heavy drinker. gets drunk alot
Show all 12 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
    Japanese Proverb
  • “Life is like a hotdog”
    Garvey
  • “Suddenly, in that moment, Cole made a simple decision. He wanted to live. In death there was no control, no anger, no one to blame, no choices, no nothing. To be alive was to have choice.”
  • “"That's because those people still think you can get rid of the left end of the stick."”
    Edwin to Cole
  • Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
  • How much of the world did people miss because they were not calm enough, empty enough, to experience it?
    Highlighted by 61 Kindle customers
  • “Being angry is giving someone else control of my feelings so they own me. Forgiving gives me control again.”
    Highlighted by 56 Kindle customers
  • “Animals can teach us more about ourselves than any teacher.”
    Highlighted by 55 Kindle customers
  • “The sky, this stick, hot dogs, life, it’s all the same. It’s what you make of it. What you focus on becomes reality. Everybody carries anger inside. But also happiness. Those who focus on anger will always be angry. Those who focus on happiness will—”
    Highlighted by 48 Kindle customers
  • “Yes, it was a big deal. It was a party. It was a feast. It was a sharing and a celebration. All because that is what I made it. Yours was simply food, because that is all you chose for it to be. All of life is a hot dog. Make of it what you will. I suggest you make your time here on the island a celebration.”
    Highlighted by 46 Kindle customers
  • That’s how Cole felt—he didn’t owe anyone anything. Nobody had ever cared for him, so why should he care about anyone else?
    Highlighted by 44 Kindle customers
  • Cole blinked in stunned realization. He had always been this weak. How could he have ever thought he truly controlled anything?
    Highlighted by 44 Kindle customers
  • This banishment was the ultimate hurt—worse than his father’s fists and belt, worse than his mother’s never caring. This was the hurt of being alone and unwanted.
    Highlighted by 41 Kindle customers
  • “Forgiving isn’t forgetting, Chump!”
    Highlighted by 33 Kindle customers
  • “Discover yourself,” Edwin said. “Celebrate being alive!”
    Highlighted by 30 Kindle customers
Show all 14 quotes from this book

Setting & Locations edit see section history

Organizations edit see section history

First Sentence edit see section history

Cole Mathews knelt defiantly in the bow of the aluminum skiff as he faced forward into a cold September wind.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Part One: Touching Spirit Bear
Chapters 1-13
Part Two: Return to Spirit Bear
Chapters 14-28
Author's Note

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 1 of 2 in Spirit Bear. (standard series)

Followed by Ghost of Spirit Bear.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Ben Mikaelsen (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: HarperCollins
Country: United States
Publication Date: January 23, 2001
ISBN: 0380977443
Page Count: 241

Awards edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PZ7.M5926 To 2001
  • Dewey: <Fic> 21

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

This is a great story for "troubled" children to read in order to begin some sort of rehabilitation. Maybe if they can relate to this character, they can begin to squelch their own inner demons.

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Hatchet

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

   
  • Spirit Bears (Welcome to the World Series)

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