We read this with our 9 yr old son. He's advanced for his age and was fine with the content. The affair the mother had is brought up several times, but is not more than "She kissed him in the car. A real kiss". It resulted in the mom and dad's divorce. The suicide attempt comes out of nowhere but is specific to the circumstances and appropriate. The boy in the story is 13 yrs old.
Overall the book sparks the imagination of children, and me, to be more prepared with the survival skills our culture has lost. I read the book in two nights. Its an easy read. It is very well written, brings up poignant points about how, if you're stranded in the wild, you must be "one" in the wild. You don't attack everything, and are at the mercy of quite a bit of nature. I think it is appropriate for our children and maybe that will get our kids to be a little more serious about outdoor skills, and not just the jumping, running skills of the game consoles.

Hatchet is one of Gary Paulsen's finest works. I think his goal was to establish a great young adult novel that is easy to become immersed in. He looks to create a book that is enjoyable and also has a lot of useful information about life in the wilderness.
Paulsen, a writer from Minneapolis, writes young adult novels usually about nature. He has written over 200 books, short stories, magazine articles, and plays. He enjoys dog sled racing and has participated in many Iditarod races.
Brian Robeson is trapped in the Canadian wilderness with nothing more than the clothes on his back and a hatchet, given to him by his divorced mother before his trip. He crashes from a bush plane after the pilot has a heart attack and the plane runs out of fuel. He is forced to eat whatever he can find, which includes fish, turtle eggs, wild berries, and a few birds. Isolated from any outside help, Brian must find out on his own by making fire by hitting flint with more flint and other survival tactics. Many dangers seem to get in Brian's way as he tries to get by until he can be rescued. Among these dangers, Brian must face a porcupine, a moose, and even a tornado. Will he survive the elements and get rescued or will the wilderness be too much for him to handle?
I feel that Gary Paulsen has achieved his goal with flying colors. You could read this book over and over again and still find inspiration from it. Hatchet sparked the mind with exciting conflicts and kept me entertained from cover to cover. I felt that Hatchet has a certain special touch that no other writer could compare. If you are ever stuck in the wilderness, do not look for a survival guide, look for Hatchet. It will teach you more about the wild than most guides out there.

This is one of Gary Paulsen's finest works. I think his goal is to establish a good young adult novel that is easy to become immersed in. If you are ever stuck in the wilderness, do not look for a survival guide, look for Hatchet.
Paulsen, a writer from Minneapolis, writes young adult novels usually about nature. He has written over 200 books, short stories, magazine articles, and plays. He enjoys dog sled racing and has participated in many Iditarods.
I feel that Gary Paulsen has achieved his goal with flying colors. You could read this book over and over again and still find inspiration from it.
This book can sometimes get sidetracked from the story but is a great read and has a great side plot.

It was slightly better than I expected, though still pretty uninteresting with large gaps filled with nothing but boredom. (Comparable to Deathly Hallow's camping scenes) However, I did like Gary Paulson's narration style quite a bit, it came off as very natural and conversational. The one thing that bothered me about the narration was the repetition. There were lots of ideas that were repeated for no apparent reason ("He would have to find something to eat. Before he did anything else, he would have to have something to eat." (57)) This is neither realistic nor simplistic, and just ends up annoying the reader tremendously. I also thought that Brian was not a very consistent character, sometimes showing traits of a boy well beyond his age, and sometimes acting like a five year old would. Brian's repetitive TV/movie related realizations were really getting irksome as well. I suppose it's just hard to relate to this book and some of the things Brian had to do to survive simply due to the fact that I've never been placed in such a situation, so it's very hard to relate. I did not like the convenience of the emergency kit at the end, and the fact that there was no resolution about The Secret was probably the most irritating part of all--why mention it in the first place if you won't solve it?

I've been on the biggest reading kick of my life here lately and I've been a bit nostalgic as well, so when I decided to re-read some of the books from my grade school years, I chose "Hatchet" first based on its inspirational tale of one lone pre-teen boy's survival.

Brian Robeson is a 13-year old boy on his way to visit his father up north. At the peak of summer, he boards a Cessna 406 in Hampton, NY bound for oil fields in Canada where his father is working as a mechanical engineer. The Cessa carries with it oil drilling cargo but before they can reach their destination, the pilot unexpectedly has a heart attack and dies at the wheel, leaving Brian to land the plane all by himself. Miraculously surviving the crash, he is now faced with trying to survive in the Canadian wildnerness with what little he has in wits and supplies. He will later realize that his mother, despite his anger toward her for his parents' sudden and vicious divorce, saved his life when she gave him a rubber-handled hatchet just before his departure. It would prove to be one of two preeminant tools that kept him alive for a total of fifty-four days before he was rescued.

I can remember reading this book back in elementary school but never really appreciating the story. I am so glad I revisited this tale, for now I truly appreciate the power of the story and the power of Brian's will to survive. During his nearly two-month exile, Brian is subjected to the unmerciful climate, swarms of bloodthirsty mosquitos, dangerous wildlife (moose, black bears) and truly WORKING for his meals. In the process of his survival, he becomes incredibly innovative and learns how to trap swarms of fish at a time for easy meals. He quickly tires of fish and soon moves on to bigger game, figuring out how to trap and kill native grouse through trial and error. Paulsen even has Brian dying a metaphorical death and being reborn, the rigmarole of everyday tasks in order to survive creating in Brian a champion and expert in the hunter-gatherer sense.

Most important was Brian's power of positive thinking, a thing drilled into him from a former English teacher named Perpich. As he assesses everything in his possession that he can use toward things like trapping/hunting and shelter, another mantra from Perpich enters his head, that second of his two tools that would ultimately keep him alive: "You are your most valuable asset. Don't forget that. You are the most valuable thing you have." (pg. 51)

Much of how Brian adapts and excels at his primitive way of life can remind one of the 2000 film "Castaway" in which the marooned Chuck Noland (played by Tom Hanks) at first clumsily and not without many mistakes learns to survive on his own; by the end he is extremely resourceful, expertly spearing fish, building a raft and making fires with the greatest of ease.

Bottom line: "Hatchet" is a classic coming-of-age tale that teaches perseverence, the power of mind over matter and the irrepressibility of the human spirit. I hope that this book is a part of schools's curriculums for many years to come and I certainly plan to share this story with my children as they come of age.

Of course, like many of the reviewers, I had to read this for school. And it has turned out to be one of my most favorite books of all times! I LOVE this book!

If you do not like wilderness, don't read it

If you do not like very vivid detail and description, don't read it

If you do not like to believe that a child at the age of 13-14 could survive on their own, don't read it.......

I've read almost all of the 1 star reviews and a lot sound like they came from really immature people, or people who don't like really good descriptions of things (ie the repitition in the book)

I for one really appreciated the detail that Gary put into the book. It really makes the story come to life. I went on to read the sequels, and while not QUITE as good, they are still good. I would recommend this to any child that has a very vivid imagination

I was pre-reading this book for my 10-year-old who enjoys adventure stories (along the lines of "My Side of the Mountain") and was glad that I did. Some of the content of this book is NOT appropriate for this age -- for example, when the boy recalls the details of witnessing his mother engaged in an adulterous passionate kiss with her lover, which became "the Secret" his father did not know about. I'm not saying it is a bad book for an appropriately aged reader -- but I do want to warn parents looking for an innocent adventure story for their children -- this is not it.

Gary Paulsen's adventures of Brian are the only books my 15 year old son has ever ASKED me to buy for him. Apparently theyre a really good read.

This is a riveting novel. The character is alive, breathing and hanging on for life the whole bumpy ride. This was my second (possibly third) reading of Hatchet, and as an adult there is a lot I didn't remember and feel I missed in my previous pass of the deep language and concept that is this novel.

[...]

This is definitely a book that you don't want to put down!
For kids keep in mind that there are several references to his parents' divorce and his mother's seeing another man. Also, the boy attempts suicide.
My only complaint is that the main character, Brian, is a bit too...what...emotional? The writing is stream-of-consciousness and Brian is afraid of a lot, e.g. bird guts, dead people, he can't quite say "threw up" - has to say "got sick"...He comes across as delicate, but he isn't - he survives again and again. He just seems too introspective - and that really put me off.

My grandson and I are reading it and find it very interesting and informative. There is no foul language. I would recommend it for young people that may be going through a similar situation.

Gary Paulsen "paints with words" as he writes a descriptive story about a fifteen year old boy contending with his parent's divorce. This book is rivoting. The reader wants to read on as a young boy learns through discovery about how to survive in the Canadian wildernes. I read this book to my students and they were lined up in the library to check out Gary Paulsen books. Gary Paulsen writes passionately with no holes barred, which is what makes the story believable, exciting and compelling.

Great book for young boys!

Hatchet is a classic, its often required reading for grade school.

Its the original man vs. wild story.

Its also the 1st book in the series=

Hatchet
The River
Brian's Winter
Brian's Return
Brian's Hunt

Highly recommended for boys interested in the outdoors/survival!

After the divorce of his parents Brian Robeson a thirteen year old boy is getting on a plane to visit his father in Canada. His parents divorce is weighing heavily on his mind, especially when he knows the secret that split them apart. Boarding a small engine plane in which he is the only passenger, Brian questions the gift his mother has just given him, a hatchet. With the new hatchet attached to his belt, Brian sits next to the pilot and waits on the plane as it flies swiftly over the Canadian wilderness. Suddenly the pilot begins to groan and clench his chest in extreme pain. The pilot suffers from what appears to be a severe heart attack and Brian is the only other person left to land the plane. With a great amount of luck, Brian crashes the plane into a pond and emerges from the wreckage bruised by alive. With only the clothes on his back and the hatchet his mother has given him Brian must find a way to survive in the Canadian wilderness until help arrives.
For readers who have never read Gary Paulsen this is a must read. This novel is the utter definition of an adventure tale that is loaded with constant action and suspense. In true Paulsen fashion this novel captures every intricacy of the Canadian wilderness from the plant and animal life to the always pesky insects. This book can be utilized with upper elementary students all the way to eighth grade, and with its high level of interest and low readability this book is perfect for struggling readers.

Title: The Hatchet
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
Author: Gary Paulsen
Date: 1987

Reading Level: Flesch Reading Ease: 82.9, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 7.2
Number of Pages: 181 (+ 5 pages about the book and author)
Genre: Realistic Fiction

All Middle School readers should buy themselves a copy of The Hatchet by Gary Paulson because it is a completely mesmerizing book! You will not be able to put it down and can learn so much from this precise and moving story. Read this review by yourself or with your parent to find out more:
The Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, is a must read for all Middle School students coming of age and figuring out a true sense of self. Brian Robeson was a child of divorce. He was burdened with the secrets of his Mother and was living an in-between life so painful and typical of adolescent children in divorced household. The book opens as he is traveling to the Canadians backwoods for the summer to live with his father who was on site as a mechanical engineer in the oil business. When the pilot of the two-seater aircraft has a fatal heart attack, Brian quickly learns his true survival instincts. He is able to land the plane and survive for fifty-four days in isolation in the Canadian backcountry with only a hatchet, given as a gift by his mother, to help him along the way. Through Brian's life threatening struggles and incredible discoveries, such as figuring out a way to make a fish pond and making fire from flint stones, he is transformed into a young man. He becomes a survivor and brings the reader with him through all of his life changing experiences.
The only potential negative I could foresee, is how well young ladies could relate to a wilderness story where essentially the only character is an adolescent boy. To this critique I would say that girls I've seen are equally gripped by this story. I've seen female students reading this book independently while walking through the halls oblivious to the rest of the school. One young lady in my class actually was in trouble for reading while the lesson was going on. It speaks to anyone who is growing into maturity, male or female, and hits at deeply human emotions that transcend the male/female divide.
My personal appraisal of this book is that it is completely gripping and spun in a tight narrative that stays fresh and interesting. It is one of the few books that I actually remember specific scenes from as a child, and rereading it brought back vivid reading memories that only a select number of books have ever given me. Brian is a personal character and a thoughtful, confused boy. The simplicity of the writing makes the moments deep and fresh. The repetition and descriptive language accentuate Paulson's moving story. When Brian triumphs in creating his shelter and discovering how to make fire you will pump your fist with him. When the tornado takes everything he has worked for away in an instant you will feel his deep crushing despair. When Brian is discovered, he takes the reader with him. Just like Brain you'll be changed.

Most modern 13 year olds alone in the Canadian wilderness would die pretty fast, even with a hatchet. A lot of people don't know that many of the berry patches found in seeming strange places were planted by Indians.
Even the Indians are pretty spoiled by modern life : in the past , before the white men nearly wiped them out, they lived all over and survived on what nature provided.
Spring and summer were spent in gathering and drying and smoking
food for the long cold winter. If you got behind it could mean a very hard winter.
The moose attack was the most surprising thing: I had never heard of them being dangerous like that.
Most adults with wilderness training would have a hard time surviving with just a hatchet.

Brian Robeson finds himself in a predicament! As he is on his way to see his father for the summer, the pilot of the plane has a heart attack and dies. He crash lands the plane in a lake in the Canadian wilderness. Instead of feeling sorry for himself he remembers what his English teacher once told him: "You are your most valuable asset". Brian learns how to survive in the wilderness...he has no other choice. Brian is a character who is full of hope; not to be rescued...just hope about life and survival. It is this hope that changes Brian forever into a person who sees the world now in a different way.

Paulsen has done a great job in portraying realistic fiction in this story. He parallels the divorce of Brian's parents to life in the wilderness. Brian will get through both of these situations through his perserverance and determination. The tone of the story is serious and the character of Brian is believable. This kind of survival story would be great for upper elementary, middle school and high school age children. When done reading this story, it makes the reader think about what could have possibly happened to Brian if he was not rescued. Since many readers felt this way, it is no wonder why Paulsen continued this series with the many adventures of Brian.

To me, this is one of the essential novels for any kid interested in the wild outdoors. I became entranced by this in elementary school, for it is a haunting story of survival, even if the character is not necessarily the most believable of children's literary characters. Still, Paulsen's melodic detail and pacing paint a terrifying and yet wondrous picture of the wilderness, and the reader becomes obsessed with Brian's trek of survival. In a way, it is the dark twin of Jean Craighead George's "My Side of the Mountain". Paulsen, a naturalist himself, gives plenty of surprisingly practical ideas for survival (though there are some I would not recommend). Either way, Brian's adventure is an admirable one indeed.

Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson knows the Secret. His mom is seeing another man, and his dad doesn't know. See...his parents are divorced -- his mom lives in the States, and his dad lives in Canada.

That's why Brian is on an airplane is flying to Canada. He's going to visit his father. But when something goes wrong aboard the small Cessna bushplane, Brian finds himself in the worst possible situation.

Crashed.

In the middle of the woods in Canada. A dead pilot. The only survivor is Brian.

The story that follows is pure adventure and growing up as Brian learns what he's made of. "You are your most valuable asset. Don't forget that. You are the best thing you have." In the face of wild animals, extreme weather, hunger, sickness, and all the doubting voices in his head, Brian discovers the beauty of the outdoors, the quiet noise of nature, and a deeper courage than he ever imagined he had.

HATCHET is dedicated to the students of Hershey Middle School and is certainly fit for middleschoolers, but readers of all ages will enjoy Brian's struggle with nature and himself and will root for him the whole way.

--- Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

Brian Robeson, who is 13, is the only survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness. Now, alone in a green forest near a blue lake, he finds himself in a situation where he is forced to survive on his own. Brian finds out he can learn to do new things in order to survive and take care of himself. He learns to make fire with a hatchet, catch fish with a spear, and hunt animals for food.

The author wrote Hatchet in a way that made it very suspenseful. He described the setting with a lot of detail that made the reader feel like they were there in the wildnerness. He also helped the reader understand what Brian was thinking and how he was feeling about his situation. This made it easy for the reader to picture the story in their mind and kept them interested in the book.

There was nothing that I didn't like about this book. I strongly recommend it to anyone who likes a good adventure story. This is a book you can read again and again if you want. I definitely will. Hatchet is one of the best books I have ever read. In fact, it might be the best book I have ever read. Read it! It's great! It's no wonder Hatchet won a Newbery Award.

Hatchet by Gary Paulson is a tragic adventure of a young boy named Brian Robeson. Brian Robeson is a fourteen-year-old boy that lives with his mother in northern United States. He is traveling by a Cessna 406 airplane to visit his father. Before leaving the airport, Brian's mother gives him a hatchet that will later save his life. While flying to Canada, the pilot shrieking, "Chest! Oh God, my chest is coming apart," said the pilot. Brian knew now that the he was having a heart attack. The pilot was put to death making Brian crash land the plane in a lake. Brian has been stranded in as southern Canadian forest for about two months. This is not one of my favorite books. I would prefer this book to people that like intense reading. The only bad thing about this book is that Paulson repeats himself a lot. On a scale on one to five, I would give this book a three.---Nick Angell

Hatchet is about a kid named Brian Robinson. Brian was on his way to Canada to see his dad when suddenly the pilot has a heart attack and the plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness. Brian must learn to survive with nothing but the clothes on his back and a hatchet. I like all of Gary Paulsen's books like The River and Brian's Winter.
I like this book because it's a story of survival and I love survival books. This is one of my favorite books. Hatchet is a story of survival, courage, and bravery. This book teaches us that nothing is impossible. Gary Paulsen writes his books out of experience surviving in the wild. He is my favorite author. So, please read this amazing book by the great Gary Paulsen.

The book I am reviewing is Hatchet by Gary Paulsen and I give this book a five star rating.
I gave this book a five star rating because of the plot and the details of the book. The plot is one that no one would think of. Who would make a book about a thirteen year old boy that is in a plane crash and is stranded out in the Canadian wilderness? Now he must survive with just a hatchet. I find this book so fascinating because Gary Paulsen wrote this book about past experiences. He actually did some of the survival skills in this book in real life!
The other reason I love this book is because of the details Gary Paulsen uses. When Gary Paulsen writes about mosquitoes biting the main character, it is so descriptive I actually start to itch! This is what makes Hatchet such a fantastic book.
Other titles I would recommend are Brian's Winter, Woodsong, and Brian's Return. I am an eighth grader at Harris Road Middle School.

GREAT STORY !! ENJOYING IT MORE NOW THAT IT'S OUT IN CD FORMAT AS WELL AS CASSETTE. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SEQUALS... BRIAN'S RETURN, THE RIVER AND BRIAN'S WINTER TO COME OUT IN CD FORMAT !!

My son's school selected this book for the Battle of the Books competition, where children compete in teams of three on plot and character questions by correctly naming title and author. Everyone in our family read this book and we all thought that it was exceptional and hard to put down. I recommend that other families do the same. It will lead to great conversation about survival, relationships, and appreciation of our own creature comforts!

Is it no surprise that Paulsen has sold millions of books? I have read several Paulsen books and would say this is his best work. Yes, the follow ups of Brian's Winter and Brian's Return were good, but this one set the bar pretty high. Reading it as an adult I was of a different mindset than say a 6th or 7th grader. I felt at times circumstances were a little unrealistic, especially for a kid in the CANADIAN WILDERNESS. It's not exactly the woods behind the house. However, giving it some latitude I decided to look deeper at the character not the setting, and there I found a young boy who epitomized survival. The great thing about fiction is the departure aspect, where we can shed the reality of our world and venture off into the woods. It's a delightful story that should resonate with young readers.

As a writer I try not to be too critical of other writers because I know how hard it is to sit down and write, revise, edit, revise, edit, etc. There are avid readers who are not writers, and though they may criticize or praise, as is their prerogative, one should consider the difficulty in delivering a story that will stand the test of time. It's been 20 years now since the release of Hatchet and it still sells. I believe Paulsen delivered on this one. Well done Gary, well done.
Scott A. Reighard, author: Jamestown: Journey Back in Time

Overall great book, I found it hard to put down. It had everything from adventure to some funny parts. The way Gary Paulsen describes what Brian had to endure while being stranded after surviving a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness was a true inspiration. The book shows you how a young city boy who knows nothing about the woods can learn through mistakes and become a survivalist. This is a good book for all ages, and you can really use your imagination in this book!!

Stranded in the Canadian wilderness after his two-passenger plane crashes, thirteen-year old Brian Robeson is forced to tap into reserves of resourcefulness and determination that he never knew he had in order to survive. In Hatchet, Gary Paulsen has managed to take the classic idea of a survival story and with it create an original and engaging masterpiece. This is definitely a book that everyone should read sometime in their life, and is one that especially every teenage boy must read. Paulsen's writing style and creativity are sure to capture and keep the interest of every young reader. This book is written especially for teenage boys, and they are extremely able to connect with it. In Hatchet, Gary Paulsen makes excellent use of characterization and realism to effectively connect with and captivate male young adult readers.

One of the first instances in which Paulsen uses characterization effectively to connect with readers is when, while Brian is flying north in the bush plane, the pilot asks Brian if he would like to try taking the controls of the airplane. Brian at first responds the invitation doubtfully: "He had never been in any kind of plane, never seen the cockpit of a plane except in films or on television" (4). This example reveals to the reader that Brian is just an ordinary thirteen year-old boy just like them. He has not had any special upbringing or training that would prepare him to meet the challenges that he will face; he is just a regular teenager. Before the action of the book has even begun, similarities are presented between Brian and the reader. As the reader begins to identify with Brian, they become interested in how a person that is like them will respond to the challenges are put in his way, and so become more involved in the book.

Another example of characterization is when Brian is reflecting on the recent divorce of his parents: "How he hated lawyers who sat with their comfortable smiles and tried to explain to him in legal terms how all that he lived in was coming apart" (Paulsen 2-3). This example shows again that Brian is just a normal teenager with his own struggles and difficulties. While many readers may not be going through a divorce, they have their own problems in their lives that are hard for them. This struggle gives Brian's character more depth and allows the reader to more fully identify with him. As a stronger connection forms between Brian and the reader, the reader becomes more interested in what will happen to Brian and becomes more fully invested in the book.

This connection is strengthened further through Paulsen's use of characterization when Brian tries to light a fire without matches for the first time. He has a very difficult time getting the fire started, and finds himself thinking: "If only I had matches ... How did they used to do it? he thought. Rub two sticks together?" (65). Many times throughout the book, Brian finds that nothing in his earlier life has prepared him to solve the problem that is before him at that instant. Again the reader sees that Brian is a normal person with a background that is probably very similar to their own. They see that this is just a regular boy who is used to life in the city, but who now has these challenges thrust upon him. Once again, the reader becomes concerned with how Brian will overcome his challenges, because perhaps they would make choices similar to the ones made by this boy who is so like them.

Paulsen uses effective characterization again when describing Brian's emotional responses to his challenges. On the second day that Brian is stranded alone in the wilderness, after a particularly difficult night, Brian is "almost overcome with self-pity. He was starving and bitten and hurt and lonely and ugly and afraid and so completely miserable that it was like being in a pit, a dark, deep pit with no way out" (70). This response to his trials is a very normal and human response. The reader recognizes that it is very ordinary to have such feelings when going through such a hard time, and indeed realizes that they themselves would most likely feel much the same way. Once again, the connection that the reader has with Brian and the story is strengthened.

In addition to using effective characterization, Paulsen also successfully uses realistic and believable events to connect with the reader. One of the most significant ways in which Paulsen makes the plot of the story believable is that bad things happen to Brian. When Brian finds some berries to eat on his first day in the wilderness, he thinks that he has finally had some good luck, but the berries end up making him extremely sick: "Never anything like this. Never. It was if all the berries, all the pits had exploded in the center of him, ripped and tore at him" (67). This is just one example of the many misfortunes that come to Brian throughout the book. This makes the story seem very realistic because bad things do in fact happen to everybody. Brian does not have any extraordinary luck or fortune; he is just like anybody else. Anybody who reads this book will know that misfortunes are a fact of life. This allows the reader to form a connection with the book because it reflects what the reader has observed in his own life.

Another way in which this book is realistic is that events occur suddenly with little or no warning. Only a few days into his isolation, Brian goes to sleep feeling good about the day's success only to be woken up the next morning being injured by a porcupine: "So fast, he thought. So fast things change. When he'd gone to sleep he had satisfaction and in just a moment it was all different" (81). Throughout the book, Brian experiences many other sudden changes in his fortunes. Again, this makes the story seem realistic. In real life, events occur without any warning. There is rarely any foreshadowing to signal that something bad is about to happen. Once again the reader sees truths from real life reflected in the book, and the story becomes easier to believe and to connect with.

The story is also realistic because it is hard for Brian to find solutions to his problems. For example, when Brian tries to make a bow to use to catch fish, his first attempt is a failure: "He put an arrow to the string, pulled it back to his cheek, pointed it at a dirt hummock, and at that precise instant the bow wood exploded in his hands sending splinters and chips of wood into his face" (124). This failure comes after he has already failed at making and using a spear to catch fish, and even after he later successfully makes a bow it is difficult for Brian to learn how to use it effectively. Brian must figure out solutions to his problems by himself just like people in the real world must find their own answers to their difficulties. Those answers are not magically presented to him. The reader realizes that this is the way that things actually happen, and so again the story becomes more believable and reader becomes more interested in it.

Paulsen also uses excellent imagery and details to make the story seem tangible and realistic. When Brian stops for a few moments to pay attention to his surroundings, he hears things that he has never experienced before: "When he started to listen, really listen, he heard thousands of things. Hisses and blurks, small sounds, birds singing, hum of insects, splashes from the fish jumping--there was great noise here" (41). Details and images like this are found throughout the entire book. These descriptions allow the reader to form picture of where the events described in the book are taking place. The details that are given make the setting seem richer, fuller, and more tangible. This firm setting allows the reader to sink deeper into the action of the book because they now have a place established in their minds where the events are taking place.

All of these instances of characterization and realism, as well as the countless others found throughout the entire book, work together to effectively attract the interest of male young adult readers, as well as other readers of all ages. Paulsen is able to masterfully use these techniques to create a story that is engaging and captivating. This is one of the best books for young readers that I have come across. I would strongly recommend it for anyone who is looking for a good book to read, and if somebody is not looking for a book I would recommend it to them anyways. This book is a must-read for everybody!

Edition Cited:
Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1987.

This story about a young boy stranded in the Canadian wilderness is an excellent recommendation for reluctant readers. As a middle school librarian, I always recommend this book to those students who just won't read. I am delighted when they report this is the "first book I ever finished." Most go on to read the entire Brian series by Gary Paulson.

I read this book in trying to find one that might interest my son. It was just what I needed. My son loves hunting and fishing. He enjoys reading when the right material comes along. Hatched grabbed his attention and we have had Gary Paulsen books in our home ever since. It is a book about living in the wilderness and all that that entails. There is no offensive language or explicit language which has ruined many a good book. I recommend this to those who love the outdoors.

My 15 year-old goddaughter suggested that I read Hatchet. Clearly it is written for a young audience. I thought it was very, very good, adventurous, and a page turner. It's a story of success under very adverse circulstances. I've since given Hatchet as gifts to youngsters.

Brian Robeson, a thirteen-year old boy, is traveling to visit his father who was recently divorced from Brian's mother. The small plane he travels in crashes, killing the pilot and leaving Brian as the only survivor in the Canadian wilderness. The book documents his struggle for survival and dealing with his emotions.



Hatchet remains one of my favorite children's books-one that I felt compelled to read every spare minute until finished. Teachers continually laud this book not only for it's enjoyable reading, but for its many themes-divorce, survival, courage, resourcefulness, determination, confidence, self-esteem. It's also a great learning tool to teach different reading comprehension strategies.

Brian Robeson, a thirteen-year old boy, is traveling to visit his father who was recently divorced from Brian's mother. The small plane he travels in crashes, killing the pilot and leaving Brian as the only survivor in the Canadian wilderness. The book documents his struggle for survival and dealing with his emotions.

Hatchet remains one of my favorite children's books-one that I felt compelled to read every spare minute until finished. Teachers continually laud this book not only for it's enjoyable reading, but for its many themes-divorce, survival, courage, resourcefulness, determination, confidence, self-esteem. It's also a great learning tool to teach different reading comprehension strategies.

And that about says it. Gripping narrative, a quick read, a book about discovery and growth into self-reliance. The Brothers Karamazov it ain't, but this is a book every child and every adult should read.

I read this when it first came out in 87 when I was a kid. I remember it being a great book. I would highly recommend for young readers as it inspires young people to believe in themselves.

Although I have enjoyed Peter Coyote's voiceover on many documentaries, I found this work to be on the boring side. The book has many exciting segments, begging for an excited narration. I was a bit disappointed in his oft monotone, soft voice. When used chapter by chapter in the English Language Arts classroom, this rendition suffices. I will use it again as a teaching companion to reading the novel.

Brian Robeson is a thirteen year old boy whose parents are recently divorced. He boards a small plane and is flying over the green of the Canadian forests. When his pilot has a massive heart attack and dies Brian attempts to fly the plane only to have it crash in a small lake. Brian surprisingly survives the crash and comes to out of the water to a sandy tree lined shore. Brian only has the clothes on his back and a hatchet that his mother gave him as a present. Brian about gives up but then realizes how to make fire and a new chance has been given he uses the fire as motivation and it inspires him to catch live food. In this story Brian learns to use all of his abilities to help him survive. He must learn to hunt and find food without panicking. I liked how this story line was put together there was nothing too unbelievable about it except when he finds a aid pack with a rifle in it he decides to not use it to get food. That is the only thing that I think would never happen. This is a good book and I recommend it to everyone who knows how to read. I have never met someone that did not enjoy this book and I think you would to.