Suitabook

Ghost of Spirit Bear

Ben Mikaelsen

Reading: You could check in about the violence described in the premise, then discuss the school situation. Let your reader decide what they want to talk about; the ending and resolution are not clear here.
Themes: Change and making peace: After a year away following a severe assault, Cole returns having made peace with himself and the student he hurt. The premise foregrounds reconciliation and change, but does not establish how the book evaluates Cole's progress or what making peace requires.
Returning to school: Back at high school in Minneapolis, Cole finds the violence and hatred there harder to face than wilderness survival. The school environment is presented as a serious challenge; the specific incidents and the narrative's judgement of them are not established.
Worth knowing: The premise includes a severe beating and later violence and hatred in a high-school setting. Consider whether those conflict themes are comfortable for your reader to encounter.