Into That Forest by Louis Nowra*****

Into That Forest is about Hannah, a girl who lives in a whaling community. When her "friend" Becky visits, her parents decide to take a boat ride. When their boat capsizes, her parents drown. She and Becky are saved by a Tasmanian tiger, and they decide to follow the tiger into the forest to survive. Hannah easily adapts to the ways of the tiger and becomes more like them than human. When she and Becky are taken in by her friend's dad, he kills the daddy tiger by using the girls as "bait." This makes them go into a rage, lashing out and biting everyone they can get their teeth on. Hannah must make the best of her situation and learn the ways of the pack, both tiger and human.

This book has so many emotions. First, she is disbelieving that the boat crashed. Then she just wants to be part of the pack. Finally, her best friend does more than Hannah thought possible. Hannah just wishes that nobody had found her, and that her life could return to the way of the tiger. This book really is a book for everyone--eventually. There are some references to inappopriate behavior. But it is really one of the best books I've ever read. I know you will love it too.