A Week in the Woods

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A Week in the Woods

Author	Andrew Clements
Genre(s)	children's literature
Publisher	Simon & Schuster
Publication date	2002
Pages	208
ISBN	ISBN 9780689858024

A Week in the Woods is a children's book by Andrew Clements. Part of his School series, it was released by Simon & Schuster in 2002.

The book was critically acclaimed, and nominated for a number of awards.

California Young Reader Medal
Golden Sower Masterlist (NE)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
Land of Enchantment Children's Master List (NM)

The book won:

the Iowa Children's Choice Awards (2004-2005)^[1].
the Keystone to Reading Book Award of Pennsylvania (2005)^[2].

[edit] Plot summary

Mark's parents are wealthy. He is taken care of by a kind Russian couple who act as housekeepers and babysitters. Mark's life takes an unexpected turn: from New York and an elite private school to small town New Hampshire and a public school. His parents have bought 450 acres (1.8 km²) rural land and expensively renovated an old farmhouse. Mark is sent to live there - by himself with the housekeepers - because there are "tax advantages" to establishing residency.

At his new school, Hardy Elementary, Mark becomes a slacker and forms a hate relationship between his science teacher Mr. Maxwell, by spoiling the ending to a story about the Hindenburg. Mark soon finds out that the new house is the best thing that has ever happened to him. When Mark goes on a field trip called "A Week in the Woods", hence the title, everything goes wrong. Mark is caught with a knife that belonged to his friend Jason Frazier. As a result, Mr. Maxwell suspends Mark "according to school policy" Mr. Maxwell tells Mark to wait in his truck while he speaks to a camp ranger. He then tries to call Mark's parents but they are away on business. He reaches Mark's caretakers but there is a miscommunication. Mark then runs into the woods, where Mr. Maxwell will eventually look for him. Mark had stocked up on recreational equipment before the camping trip, so he believes he can make it "for a few days." Mark wanders for a few hours, and sets up camp. Mark hears Mr. Maxwell moaning in the distance and finds him. Mr. Maxwell has sprained his leg looking for Mark. While the two talk, Mr. Maxwell finds out the truth about the knife. Jason, however, is not punished. The two sleep in the woods for the night, and meet up with the rest of the group in the morning. Mark enjoys the rest of his time at camp, with the miscommunication cleared up. Mark talks to his parents, saying that he wants to live in the county forever.