Hatchet

Title: Hatchet
Author: Gary Paulsen
Published: 1988
Awards: Newbery Honor Book
Reading Level: 6th grade
Interest Level: 5-8th grade
Genre: adventure, survival
Other Books in the Series: The River, Brian's Winter, Brian's Return, Brian's Hunt
Characters: Brian
Plot Summary: Brian's parents have recently divorced and Brian is now splitting time between his parents. Brian is sent to Canada to spend the summer with his dad but when his pilot suffers a heart attack and their single engine plane goes down in the Canadian wilderness Brian finds himself alone with only his hatchet. Stranded in the woods with no way to get help Brian learns to scavenge and hunt. Brian has to survive on the land around him but can he survive long enough to be rescued?
Review: The story highlights a boys fight for survival and how with will and determination a young boy can survive on his own. Considering that Brian is alone for most the story with very limited dialogue the story is still interesting. You wonder how long Brian will be trapped in the woods and if he will ever be rescued. The book makes you question whether or not you yourself could survive in Brian's situation. Watching Brian grow through the story is also really interesting. You see him become more confident in his own skills for survival. You also see him breakdown and struggle.
Reader's Annotation: Brian crash lands in the Canadian wilderness with only his hatchet for survival. Will he make it in the wilderness and will anyone find him?
Themes: survival, family
Read-alikes: Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
Why for tweens? This book has huge appeal to tween boys with Brian fighting for survival in the woods. He has to hunt and scavenge for food which boys will enjoy reading about.