Follow Copper's Journey!

Readers of all ages can experience the adventure of a lifetime and witness the unbreakable bond of loyalty between Copper, a Golden Retriever, and David, trail name Blast, as they hike the Appalachian Trail in Dr. Karen Lord Rutter's book Northbounders: 2,186 Miles of Friendship. Witness a gunshot wound, a battle with Lyme disease, river crossings, extreme weather, bears, and other dangers from Georgia to Maine! Load up your backpack with a tent, hammock, cook stove, bear bag, and cold weather gear, and join your fellow hikers and Trail Angels to experience the heart-warming Trail Magic found in the story of a dog and his best friend.

Based On A True Story!

Northbounders combines Dr. Rutter's love of travel, nature, and animals to tell the inspiring story of a beloved family member. Her own son took the family dog, Copper, on a very long walk from her home state of Georgia all the way to Maine. She followed and supported this hike closely, and drove thousands of miles to walk beside her dog on multiple occasions. Along the way, she fell in love with the Appalachian Trail and was inspired to share Copper's story. Her years of experience teaching and administrating schools inspired her to incorporate many opportunities for learning.

Fully Illustrated!

Illustrator Nathaniel Hinton has provided 42 color illustrations and maps of the trail to bring the story to life.

Reviews/Press

"Excellent read! Children and adults will delight in the adventures of Copper and David [in Northbounders]. It is an accurate and enjoyable adventure of the tradition, trials, and lore associated with an AT hike! Great reading!" -Brenda, age 61

"Northbounders is my favorite book of all time." -Charlotte, age 11

"Copper's point of view is perfect for the voice of a children's book, and seeing the hike through the dog's eyes lends a friendly voice to the story that fits Copper's personality while making the reader wonder where Copper's adventure will take him next." -Review of Northbounders at review blog sushimustwrite.com

"I read [Northbounders] two times now; it's so awesome!" -Evan, age 10

"[Northbounders] would make a great movie! I enjoyed this book from the first page. It is a really neat twist to read it from the dog's perspective. Knowing it is a true story made it even better." -Lee, age 67

"[Northbounders] had me laughing out loud! It's an honest account of all the good and bad that happens on the trail." -Jimmy, age 29

"[Northbounders] is a fun book! I enjoyed learning about the Appalachian Trail with Copper as my guide." -Lisa, age 57

"I fell in love with Copper reading the first page [of Northbounders]. I wept when he became sick and rejoiced that he was able to finish hiking." -Doris, age 86

"[Northbounders is an] awesome book for middle school students as well as adults. Such a good read!" -Lynne, age 60

"[Northbounders is a] doggone good story! Copper was a real trooper, a loving companion to David, and a fine storyteller." -AM, age 65