Two Thousand Miles to Happy: Earl Shaffer and the First Thru Hike of the Appalachian Trail

Shapiro tracks miles and moments in this evocative biography of Earl Shaffer (1918-2002), the first person to hike the entire Appalachian Trail ("Fourteen states./ Two thousand miles./ Five million steps"). "Tired and sad" after military deployment on "far-off Pacific isles," Shaffer seeks solace in hiking. Free verse text presents the epic four-month-long journey, starting in April 1948, as one of endurance in pursuit of joy. From Georgia to Maine, the hiker withstands "face-scraping briars," weather, and frightful wildlife encounters. Through it all, Harnish captures Shaffer's emotions via the varied set of his mouth, which breaks into a broad grin upon achieving success. Showcasing the scenery and its immensity, landscapes wash the trail's terrain in purples and greens, demonstrating the succor of nature's beauty via a fitting tribute. Ages 5-9. (Feb.)

"They say you're never too old to be immature. At least that's what they say to me. That's not the reason I was interested in reviewing a children's book, though. It was due to having a toddler granddaughter.

As a granddad, I've read my share of children's books. Most I've seen have been about talking trucks or interspecies farm animal families, so I was very interested to see one that is both backpacking oriented and tied to an actual, real-life event. Two Thousand Miles to Happy by Andrea Shapiro tells the story of Earl Shaffer and his, first-ever, thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

As many readers of this site probably know, Shaffer served in the army in the Pacific during World War 2. To deal with what today might have been diagnosed as PTSD, he decided in 1948 to "walk off the war." In doing so, Shaffer became the first person to report thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in its entirety. Yes, this is fairly serious stuff for a children's book, but it is handled well.

While plots in some children's books can be weak to non-existent, the plot here is straightforward and historically accurate. Shaffer spent much time in the outdoors growing up and even had plans to hike the AT. Those plans were interrupted by World War 2 but, "when he returned home, tired and sad, the Appalachian Trail called once more. Maybe those mountains could make him happy again."

The hike itself is described as an adventure, but certainly not all rainbows and butterflies. There are storms, steep slopes, and knee-bruising rocks, but always, "Earl walked on."

The AT's route is illustrated, and the story mentions most of the 14 states traversed. In Tennessee, "he wandered past evergreens to the wind's soft song." Earl dealt with rain and mud in Connecticut, where, with 500 miles to go, "his pants were soaked from boot to thigh."

The story and the hike continue all the way to Katahdin where (Spoiler Alert!) Earl completes his journey during which he found peace, felt free, and "Earl was happy!"

As with many children's books, the illustrations are a big part of the experience, and the work of Rebecca Harnish does not disappoint. Most illustrations cover a two-page spread. They are colorful with a pleasant watercolor look, help tell the story, and often have small, interesting details to notice as the book is read and reread.

At the end of the story, Shapiro adds informational pages on both Shaffer and the AT. These would be handy for older kids, and adults, whose interest is piqued by the tale.

Two Thousand Miles to Happy is a great illustrated children's book written at a level interesting for both children and adults. More so than many children's books, it includes a realistic life lesson. The book illustrates, at least for Earl Shaffer, how tackling a big challenge and having perseverance can lead to happiness.

Of course, that conclusion is from an adult's point of view. My test subject, two-year-old Lily, seemed to enjoy it as well. Animals on nearly every page were an obvious hit and she stayed interested throughout. In fact, once we were finished, she reopened the book herself to revisit several of the pictures; something she doesn't typically do. I suspect she'll be pulling Two Thousand Miles to Happy out repeatedly over the next couple of years."—Jim Rahz, The Trek