A Junior Library Guild Selection
“Sole Survivor is an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride right from page one. A real-life Hatchet for a new generation. You gotta read it to believe it!” —Alan Gratz, New York Times–bestselling author of Refugee and Heroes
“A harrowing tale of perseverance through tragedy and survival through seemingly impossible circumstances. Inspirational, propulsive, and unforgettable. This one leaves a mark.” —Lamar Giles, author of The Getaway and Ruin Road
“This riveting middle grade memoir recounts the harrowing true story of 11-year-old Norman Ollestad, who survived a plane crash in the San Gabriel Mountains during a blizzard. The coauthors weave Ollestad’s childhood trauma into a gripping survival narrative, rich with flashbacks that explore themes of resilience, complicated parental love, and self-discovery . . . Fans of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet or Lauren Tarshis’s ‘I Survived’ series will find both kinship and catharsis here, though this memoir is uniquely poignant due to its autobiographical roots . . . Highly recommended.” —School Library Journal
“Ollestad and Kiely team up to deliver a wrenching novel based on Ollestad’s own childhood survival experience . . . [A] tale of resilience and finding the strength to weather terrifying and uncertain situations.” —Publishers Weekly
Eleven-year-old Norman Ollestad is no stranger to extreme situations. Whether it's surfing big swells off Topanga Beach or skiing in a blizzard, he has braved one adrenaline-rush adventure after another, pushed by his thrill-seeking father to realize that "anything's possible." And with Dad by his side, sometimes Norman believes him.
That motto is put to the ultimate test when the small plane Norman and his dad are aboard is engulfed by a snowstorm and crashes in the San Gabriel Mountains-with deadly consequences. Struggling in and out of lucidity, haunted by the voices and memories from difficult moments in his past, Norman must decide what to do while trapped eight thousand feet above sea level, facing dangers unlike any he has encountered before.
Inspired by the harrowing true childhood experience of author Norman Ollestad, this astonishing, action-packed story, co-written with Brendan Kiely, is about fear, survival, and the complicated forces-and people-that shape us. Fast-paced and unputdownable, Sole Survivor is perfect for fans of Dusti Bowling's The Canyon's Edge, Megan E. Freeman's Alone, and the I Survived series.
Eleven-year-old Norman Ollestad is no stranger to extreme situations. Whether it's surfing big swells off Topanga Beach or skiing in a blizzard, he has braved one adrenaline-rush adventure after another, pushed by his thrill-seeking father to realize that "anything's possible." And with Dad by his side, sometimes Norman believes him.
That motto is put to the ultimate test when the small plane Norman and his dad are aboard is engulfed by a snowstorm and crashes in the San Gabriel Mountains-with deadly consequences. Struggling in and out of lucidity, haunted by the voices and memories from difficult moments in his past, Norman must decide what to do while trapped eight thousand feet above sea level, facing dangers unlike any he has encountered before.
Inspired by the harrowing true childhood experience of author Norman Ollestad, this astonishing, action-packed story, co-written with Brendan Kiely, is about fear, survival, and the complicated forces-and people-that shape us. Fast-paced and unputdownable, Sole Survivor is perfect for fans of Dusti Bowling's The Canyon's Edge, Megan E. Freeman's Alone, and the I Survived series.
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940195153687 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Tantor Audio |
| Publication date: | 10/28/2025 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
| Age Range: | 8 - 11 Years |