15 Secrets to Survival

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

New York Times bestselling author Natalie D. Richards's middle grade debut about a group for four classmates forced to navigate the wilderness for an extra credit project with nothing but the pages of a survival handbook—and each other—to save them.

When classmates Baxter, Abigail, Turner and Emerson break a school rule, they’re forced to travel to the middle of nowhere for an extra credit project. They think things can’t get much worse. After all, how will learning to survive in the wilderness help them stay out of trouble in school?

   What starts off as a weekend of team building takes a scary turn when their instructor goes missing and they are given nothing but pages of a survival guide to complete a series of challenges.

     They soon learn the woods around them have unexpected surprises. Will they discover a way to work together to find their teacher and overcome the dangers of winter in the mountains?

     A recommended choice for classroom discussions on earth science and educators looking for survival books for kids.

Story Locale:Montana

About the Author

New York Times Bestselling Author Natalie D. Richards is the author of eight “page-turning thrillers'' (School Library Journal), including Five Total Strangers (2020) and Seven Dirty Secrets (2021).  15 Secrets to Survival is her first middle-grade novel. A champion of literacy and aspiring authors, Richards is a frequent speaker at schools, libraries, and writing groups. She lives in Ohio with her three children and (very) large dog, Wookiee.

Author Residence: Ohio