My 10 year old son has read this book repeatedly over the last year, even though he usually does not read very often. I was first introduced to this book when it was required reading for my daughter. I decided to read the book as well and absolutely loved it. The story is very believable and completely draws you in. The descriptions make you feel like you are there. It's very interesting to see how Brian learns to survive.
I also highly recommend the sequel, Brian's Winter. However, I did not enjoy the rest of the books in the series. Once Brian has learned to live in the wilderness, I find that the books no longer hold my interest.

I didn't read this children's classice till I was about 25 and I loved it anyway. This is a multiple award winner, and the classic tale of survival in the wilderness, and discovery of oneself, deserved all awards given.

Had to read for Children's Literature Course; Great for middle school student! Story is about a child who has to survive on his own after his plane goes down... very compelling ... about coming of age. Great read!

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First Line: Brian Robeson stared out the window of the small plane at the endless green northern wilderness below.

Thirteen-year-old Brian's parents have just gotten divorced. Brian lives with his mother in New York State, and is allowed to stay with his father, who works in the Canadian oil fields, during the summer. This will be his first summer with his father, and Brian's mother sees him off at the airport, giving him a gift that he feels is a bit silly: a hatchet.

Flying in the small plane takes some getting used to; it's very noisy, it's cramped, and at first the pilot doesn't talk very much. After a while, the pilot does begin to talk with Brian and even lets him take control of the plane for a bit. Then the absolute worst possible scenario occurs: the pilot has a massive heart attack and dies, leaving Brian at the controls of an aircraft that he really doesn't know how to fly.

Brian survives the crash, and then realizes that the plane has flown so far off course that he probably won't be found any time soon. He now has to survive the Canadian wilderness. He's a kid, and he does wallow in self-pity, but not for long. Brian isn't a typical soft city kid. Somehow he's able to put together bits and pieces of things he's learned in school, and he's able to carve out a place for himself on the shore of a remote lake. He takes pride in each accomplishment, as well he should. But the longer he lived in his lakeside home, the more nervous I got. Summers don't last all that long in Canada.

This was a captivating read, and I can understand why it was a Newbery Honor Book in 1988. Paulsen had me on the shore of that lake right at Brian's side. I was slapping mosquitoes and taking pride in Brian's level-headedness and ability to survive. If you're looking for a quick read that's well-written and puts you right in the middle of the action, Hatchet is an excellent choice.

Gary Paulsen's life is as interesting as the books he's written. In reading about the author, I learned that there are a whole series of books about Brian. I wouldn't be at all surprised if you see reviews for more of Paulsen's work here at Kittling: Books!

I enjoyed the story of a kid who learned to survive after a plane crash but the author didn't do all their research-a female moose does not have horns. I checked with the state of Maine.

Well-paced, suspenseful, descriptive, exciting.

Those of us with sons know that there isn't a lot of literature out there geared for boys. I've read several of Paulsen's books with my son, and would recommend many of them.

Hatchet is not merely an adventure book. Brian is an adolescent boy dealing with his parents' recent divorce when he is stranded alone in the Canadian wilderness, to survive on his wits and the hatchet his mother thought an appropriate gift. Although the emphasis is on how he survives, there are moments of reflection that ultimately bring him a sense of acceptance of his parents' frailities and failures.

I'm a 40+ adult woman who enjoyed this book herself, and not just because my preadolescent son liked it.

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