2023 Newbery Buzz #3: Northwind

Might Gary Paulsen’s last novel be a sentimental favorite for Newbery recognition?

The State of Nature

Betsy: Janie, this is only the second Paulsen book I’ve read (the first was Gone to the Woods, his stark memoir published last year). Before reading Northwind, I read your review in which you compared this to Hatchet (a book I must read someday!). I can’t speak to its similarities to Hatchet, I enjoyed Northwind more than Gone to the Woods, simply based on the reading experience. It’s not as grim or despairing, although, as you point out in your review, the opening chapters “are unrelievedly grim, as death stalks all of Leif’s companions and the boy himself.” It’s a rather sobering beginning to a middle grades novel, but the boy rises to the occasion and begins not only to survive, but thrive. In that sense, it reminded me of Two Old Women, a story of two old women facing similar survival challenges in the far North. 

One of the elements that jumped out to me as I read was the presence of wildlife–both the presence of the particular animals but also the way in which Lief interacts with them. His encounters with the orcas reminded me of Turner Buckminster seeing whales (in Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy). What did you think of Paulsen’s portrayal of the various animals? I want to note that there are no moose! From my time in the northwest, including Alaska, moose are fairly common.

Janie: You should get around to reading Hatchet, then–a moose figures prominently! I’ve always appreciated the way that Paulsen respects nature without romanticising it. In Northwind, the orcas and seabirds become traveling companions who accept Leif’s presence and even to help him along at times, but there’s always a sense of danger lurking in other wild creatures.

A Sense of Transcendence? 

Janie: I’ve read enough of his nonfiction to know he understands that nature is indifferent to our moral feelings and survival instinct–it exists for its own sake. We would say it exists for God’s sake, and I was sometimes reminded of a scene in Perelandra where Ransom is groping his way out of the caverns of the underworld. He encounters a huge insect and immediately recalls in horror. But then realizes that the bug is a fellow creature, like countless others of whom he has no clue yet all redound to God’s glory and purpose. I don’t know what Paulsen’s spiritual convictions were. The main character in Northwind has received no religious training, or “training” of any kind: he’s just thrown into life and expected to fend for himself. But he does have some intimations of transcendent meaning, expressed the scraps of Norse mythology and sailor superstition. Did you pick up any spiritual vibes, Betsy?

Betsy: That’s an interesting question, Janie. I think you’re right that Paulsen doesn’t romanticize nature. I don’t think Leif is looking to the universe to guide him (unlike in many contemporary books for middle grades!). And yet, he does feel a sort of kinship with the more social animals (such as the whales) even as he has a healthy respect for the predators, such as bears. In some ways, the stories and memories he holds on to form his spiritual training, as it were. The old sailor who helped him flee in the first place was a mentor, but it’s unclear how much of that mentorship was survival focused (i.e. how to fish/hunt) and how much might have led to more philosophical or spiritual decisions. Leif’s story points to how some of the Native American legends might have begun: a human’s close interactions with the natural world. It’s human nature to want an explanation for the phenomena around us, and anyone who spends much time pondering God’s magnificent creation can hardly help looking to spiritual overtones at some point. Scripture tells us as much: the stars proclaim His handiwork! And Leif feels an urgency to write, to tell a story. Perhaps if we had a few more chapters of his story, we might see him writing down some legends, some explanations for the majesty and intricacy of his surroundings.

Let’s move to the question of the day: is this book distinctive enough to win the Newbery? We have to look at it on its own merits, not as the product of a much beloved author. The committee isn’t supposed to factor in an author’s previous works! What do you think of its chances?

Janie: You make an important point about Leif’s impulse to tell a story, Betsy–that impressed me too. This is a major distinction between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom: our need to shape meaning out of reality, particularly by telling stories and creating art. As to its chances, I think some sentimental reasons may kick in here. This is Paulsen’s last novel and the committee might feel a certain poetic symmetry in matching the first Newbery honor he won for Hatchet with a final Newbery honor–or maybe even the gold. (If Paulsen doesn’t score a Newbery I’d rank his chances high for the Children’s Literature Legacy award, which is given in odd-numbered years.)

Betsy: Oh, yes, that’s a distinct possibility–I hadn’t thought of that until you mentioned it. I do think they’re now awarding this award each year, though. Paulsen would be in great company, and, I think, deserving of that honor. He’s one of those authors that’s certainly contributed a lot AND has written books that have turned many kids into readers. (Readers, this is the honor that used to be called the Laura Ingalls Wilder award).