I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall

There is no way to talk about this book without talking about Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. It's about a girl who is left alone in the Canadian wilderness who must survive (much like Brian) with very little in the way of survival skills or equipment. Jess goes to live with her estranged father in the wilderness after the death of her mother. But when her father is killed and his cabin burned to the ground, Jess is on her own (except for her father's loyal dog). At it's heart it's a survival story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and toward the end it's a nail-biting story as Jess focuses on getting revenge on her father's killers. Jess has faced devastating loss, but turns her energy on survival. Middle school books about outdoor survival have gone out of style in the last 10 years (remember when Will Hobbs and Gary Paulsen were the most popular authors in the library?), but this book may usher in new interest in overcoming adversity in the great outdoors.