Rigel and her family live in the Bush, off the grid, in rural Alaska. People call them Bush rats. They don’t have TV, or cell phones, or computers, or cars, or indoor plumbing. But Rigel (RYE-jul) and her dad, Bear, love what they do have: hunting and fishing, family, solitude, open country, freedom.Now, that’s all going to change, for Rigel at least, because Bear and Rigel’s mom, Lila, got a divorce. And Lila is taking the girls—Willow, Izzy, and Rigel–to Connecticut to live with Lila’s mom, their grandmother. The other two girls are excited about the move, but not Rigel. She loves being a Bush rat, and when Bear tells Rigel that she can probably come back to Alaska if she can just make it through the year in Connecticut, Rigel starts counting the days.

At first, this book reminded me of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, a book I read earlier this year. It has the dysfunctional family, the eccentric father, the long-suffering mom who finally gets enough, living off-grid and off the land, the daughter who grows up in this environment, Alaska as both harsh and idyllic. However, since this book is middle grade fiction, the dad is never abusive or downright crazy like the father in The Great Alone. And most of the story in 365 Days to Alaska takes place in Connecticut, not Alaska, although Rigel does spend a lot of time thinking about Alaska and how she can get back to Alaska.

I thought this was a fascinating look at how our environment and upbringing shape us–both for good and for ill. THere’s a sort of story with in the story about how Rigel tames, or almost tames, an injured crow and how that’s not necessarily a good thing. Wild creatures need to keep their will instincts to survive. Otherwise, they become dependent on humans and vulnerable to exploited or accidentally injured or even killed. Is this a parallel to Rigel’s story? Is she losing her edge and instinct for survival as she becomes more and more acclimated to Connecticut and as she begins to trust people there? Or are humans meant to live in community, even when that makes us vulnerable to hurt? Is there a good compromise between total freedom to live without restrictions and living in community and friendship with others?

This debut novel doesn’t really answer those questions, but it did make think about how we live both together and alone. I think this book would be an excellent story for children of divorced parents, for middle schoolers who have trouble finding their tribe, and for those who just enjoy a good story with ideas to ponder.