Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson

Cole Matthews has been in serious trouble his whole life. Now, after brutally beating a boy to the point that he causes severe brain damage, he must pay the price. He is given a choice to either face the criminal justice system, or face Circle Justice; a Native American tradition that gives the victum and the offender an opportunity to heal. His sentence is to spend one year on a desolate Alaskan island. Cole thinks that his sentence is light, and can easily be escaped. His anger and attitude have not changed...until he meets "Spirtit Bear". I read this book relunctanly, perhaps it was the title that turned me off. The surprise was how much I enjoyed it. Read it for the adventure, but also read it for the insights into human nature.
Reed Reads Score: 4.5