3.5 stars. A fun adventure story for middle graders, but it is definitely dated. I deducted 0.5 stars for some incorrect identifying language and insensitivity regarding Indigenous peoples as well as some issues with current ideas on conservation and interaction with primitive societies.

I will admit that there was childhood nostalgia heavily attached to this book and a modern reread of it did somewhat crush my spirit because of how much I remembered loving this as a middle grade reader. However, the story is still good for action and introduces the reader to some interesting locations and animals. There is a lot of educational information in the plot, but a discussion of some of the outdated ideas and attitudes would be a great idea if you are planning a read with a younger child.