Book Summary:
This is the story of Brian, and his survival in the Canadian wilderness after the plane he is traveling on crashes, leaving him stranded. Left alone with only a hatchet given to him by his mother, Brian must figure out how to survive with only one tool. The hatchet becomes his lifeline, allowing him to be able to collect materials to build shelter, skin food he manages to catch, and fend of anything that tries to hurt him. Brian also struggles with coming to terms with his parents divorce, and the terrible secret that he witnessed before the crash. I don't want to ruin it for you, so if you want to find out if Brian gets rescued, read it and find out!
My Thoughts:
Hatchet has long been one of my most favorite books. I can't even count the number of times that I have read it. As a character, Brian is so believable, and his journey is one that you take with him. It is impossible to not root for him in his times of difficulty, and rejoice with him in his triumphs. This book has so much to offer young readers, especially in the subject of perseverance, something that so many kids need to learn about.
Professional Reviews:
*Grade 8-12 Brian Robeson, 13, is the only passenger on a small plane flying him to visit his father in the Canadian wilderness when the pilot has a heart attack and dies. The plane drifts off course and finally crashes into a small lake. Miraculously Brian is able to swim free of the plane, arriving on a sandy tree-lined shore with only his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present. The novel chronicles in gritty detail Brian's mistakes, setbacks, and small triumphs as, with the help of the hatchet, he manages to survive the 54 days alone in the wilderness. Paulsen effectively shows readers how Brian learns patienceto watch, listen, and think before he actsas he attempts to build a fire, to fish and hunt, and to make his home under a rock overhang safe and comfortable. An epilogue discussing the lasting effects of Brian's stay in the wilderness and his dim chance of survival had winter come upon him before rescue adds credibility to the story. Paulsen tells a fine adventure story, but the sub-plot concerning Brian's preoccupation with his parents' divorce seems a bit forced and detracts from the book. As he did in Dogsong (Bradbury, 1985), Paulsen emphasizes character growth through a careful balancing of specific details of survival with the protagonist's thoughts and emotions.
(1987). [Review of the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen]. Reed Business Journal. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Hatchet-Gary-Paulsen/dp/1416936467
(1987). [Review of the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen]. Reed Business Journal. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Hatchet-Gary-Paulsen/dp/1416936467
* A prototypical survival story: after an airplane crash, a 13-year-old city boy spends two months alone in the Canadian wilderness. In transit between his divorcing parents, Brian is the plane's only passenger. After casually showing him how to steer, the pilot has a heart attack and dies. In a breathtaking sequence, Brian maneuvers the plane for hours while he tries to think what to do, at last crashing as gently and levelly as he can manage into a lake. The plane sinks; all he has left is a hatchet, attached to his belt. His injuries prove painful but not fundamental. In time, he builds a shelter, experiments with berries, finds turtle eggs, starts a fire, makes a bow and arrow to catch fish and birds, and makes peace with the larger wildlife. He also battles despair and emerges more patient, prepared to learn from his mistakes--when a rogue moose attacks him and a fierce storm reminds him of his mortality, he's prepared to make repairs with philosophical persistence. His mixed feelings surprise him when the plane finally surfaces so that he can retrieve the survival pack; and then he's rescued. Plausible, taut, this is a spellbinding account. Paulsen's staccato, repetitive style conveys Brian's stress; his combination of third-person narrative with Brian's interior monologue pulls the reader into the story. Brian's angst over a terrible secret--he's seen his mother with another man--is undeveloped and doesn't contribute much, except as one item from his previous life that he sees in better perspective, as a result of his experience. High interest, not hard to read. A winner.
(15, August 1987). [Review of the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen]. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/gary-paulsen/hatchet/
Suggested Activities:
This book would be perfect as part of a unit on survival books. I would definitely use it with kids in middle grades because the content is a little graphic for younger ages. I would have them discuss what item they would like to be stranded with, and why. They would also discuss the difficulties of survival, and what they would do in Brian's situation.
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