Have you ever wanted to get away from the ''hustle and bustle'' of life? Maybe escape to nature for a while? Nature is calming – reconnecting with the natural environment is not only mindful in a psychological sense, but also has physiological impacts that help calm the body. Being in nature significantly reduces our cortisol levels – cortisol being known as the “stress hormone”, as well as our blood pressure and heart rate.

“Be you writer or reader, it is very pleasant to run away in a book.”

-Jean Craighead George, My Side of the Mountain

1950s New York -

The end of World War II brought thousands of young servicemen back to America to pick up their lives and start new families in new homes with new jobs. Americans began buying goods not available during the war, which created corporate expansion and jobs. People and growth were everywhere.

And so New York City emerged as an economic and cultural world center.

But also because of this there was a shortage of food and jobs, so living conditions were bad for a lot of people. Particularly for those of a different race. There was racial segregation in America in the 1950s, meaning that living conditions for black people were very poor.

Population peaked for New York in 1950. But after experiencing an unprecedented building boom that changed its very appearance was ending, the city began to feel the effects of suburbanization brought about by new housing communities, a downturn in industry and commerce as businesses left for places where it was cheaper and easier to operate. Job availability declined and there was an increase in crime, and an upturn in its welfare burden due to unemployment. Things were very hard for people in the city.

While Sam Gribley does originally plan to run away from home, his father discovers his plans and tells him that he will be allowed to travel to the abandoned Gribley farm to attempt to live off of the land provided that he let people in town know where he is.

While Sam tries many different ways to communicate why he ran away to the woods, it doesn't quite come out in one simple answer. He wants to be independent from technology or machines that can fail; he wants to be in the wilderness simply because it is there for exploring; he feels a strong need to be in the woods

There are many interesting stories about New York. Here are a few suggestions...

https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/12/17/historical-fiction-set-nyc-children-ages-8-12