Lost on a Mountain in Maine

By: Donn Fendler, Joseph Egan

Narrated by: Jacob McNatt, James Fouhey

Based on the true account of a boy's harrowing journey through the vast wilderness of the Katahdin Mountains, Lost on a Mountain in Maine is a gripping survival story for all ages.

Twelve-year-old Donn Fendler steps away from his Boy Scout troop for only a minute, but in the foggy mountains of Maine, a minute is all it takes. After hours of trying to find his way back, a nervous and tired Donn falls down an embankment, making it impossible for him to be found. One sleepless night goes by, followed by a second...and before Donn knows it, almost two weeks have passed, leaving him starving, scared, and delirious.

With rainstorms, black bears, and his fear of being lost forever, Donn's journey is a physically, mentally, and emotionally charged story told from the point of view of the boy who lived it.

Don't miss this thrilling survival story, a proven high-interest winner that pulls in listeners the way Hatchet, My Side of the Mountain, and the I Survived books do.

©2013 Donn Fendler, Joseph Egan (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

good true story from 1939

the reader was very good, story was true, no foul language, no political agendas, this is a good short book for children and adults.

Endurance

A great story for any age, but particularly kids the same age as Don. I am particularly interested in this story as I grew up in Maine and understand how it can be so easy to get lost in the woods.

Incredible story

An amazing true story about a boy lost on a mountain in Maine. I only wish they had used a younger narrator who sounded like the same age as Don was when he was lost. It takes away from the story a little when you have someone who sounds like an adult reading the part of a boy.

The power of prayer and faith and courage.

A timeless story of faith, resilience and strength of the human spirit to survive.
The narration was excellent, no straining to hear or understand.
Donn’s parents had taught him well and the scouting program helped him stop and think, the
first thing to do when lost. He remembered this teaching after some initial panic and did more smart things than unwise and never gave up hope.
There are lessons here for parents to teach their children today. It may not be on Katahdan, but the principles are universally applicable.

Great resilience

I like the way he kept trying and pushing himself to get home to his family

Loved it!

Amazing story of a miraculous survival of a 12 year old boy! Very inspiring for any age to read or listen to. Many lessons can be learned on perseverance, grit and resilience.

A familiar story in Maine

Most children in Maine schools have to read Lost on a Mountain in Maine - the story of Donn Fendler is very familiar here. I read it first forty years ago and it hasn’t lost any of its magic since then. If anything, I feel for this little boy more now that I’m an adult and more firmly understand what could have been. Mr. Fendler used to visit Maine schoolrooms and talk to the children about his experiences and I’ve always wished I could have gone to one of those talks.

I don’t understand the review that said the out of date language was a problem. This event happened and the book published over eighty years ago - of course the language is different. I listened this time waiting for words that would have affected my listen. “Reefer” is coat, “Dungarees” are blue jeans (the word my grandfather always used for them). Donn used the term “Christmas” for surprise rather than a swear word. That is the whole vocabulary list you need to remember.

What did bother me was the adult narrator’s pronunciation of “Bangor.” It’s “BANG-gore.” And I’ve always heard “Fendler” pronounced just how it looks “FEND-ler.” The narrator says “FIN-ler”. It just threw me off.

If you (or your child) likes “Hatchet” or “My Side of the Mountain”, try this book. It’s short, exciting, and true.

Don's determination

I felt like I was right there with hum on his ordeal and prayed right along with him.

only listen if you want to give yourself a headach

the audio recording cuts out the beginning of every sentence and makes it untangible and extremely hard to follow... wish I didn't waste my money on a book I loved as a kid growing up in northern Maine.

Mediocre

Just too outdated in the language used. Old story that is not as compelling as some others.