Hatchet [Paperback]

Gary Paulsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 26, 2006

ALONE

Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single-engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a tattered Windbreaker and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present -- and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart since his parent's divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self pity, or despair -- it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive.

For twenty years Gary Paulsen's award-winning contemporary classic has been the survival story with which all others are compared. This new edition, with a reading group guide, will introduce a new generation of readers to this page-turning, heart-stopping adventure.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This Newbery Honor book is a dramatic, heart-stopping story of a boy who, following a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness, must learn to survive with only a hatchet and his own wits. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

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. Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming, Laramie
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416936475
• ISBN-13: 978-1416936473
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,638 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,081 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gary Paulsen is one of the most honored writers of contemporary literature for young readers. He has written more than one hundred book for adults and young readers, and is the author of three Newberry Honor titles: Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room. He divides his time among Alaska, New Mexico, Minnesota, and the Pacific.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#45 in Books > Teens

#45 in Books > Teens

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

156 of 173 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Children's Classic! April 25, 2000

By Ryan Costantino

Format:Hardcover

This story about a young boy stranded in the Canadian wilderness will never lose it's affect on me. Being a child of divorce I can totally empathize with Brian's struggles to cope. And I appreciate Gary Paulsen's comparing that struggle with actual survival. But this book is in no way a sermon on how to deal with divorce. It's about learning to co-exist, and to overcome any obstacles. The descriptions of how Brian went about ensuring his survival, only with the use of his hatchet (hence the title) were awe inspiring when a pre-teen and the book still retains a sentimental hold over my heart as an adult. the encounters with wildlife range from comical to downright horrifying. Hatchet made me appreciate the things I had and also allowed me to realize that I shouldn't seek too hard the things I desired to have but didn't. Overall this is a great book to give your 10-13 year old, a book about respect for nature, appreciation for life, and above all understanding that you can make it through the toughtest of situations as long as you have the right tools and are willing to learn how to use them.

44 of 51 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing story of the epic battle, man versus nature. October 16, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Imagine being stranded in the wilderness alone and learning to survive. We all think about it at least once in our life, learning to hunt, getting shelter, and staying sane. In the book, Hatchet, Brian Robeson, age thirteen, is stranded in the Canadian wilderness, after his plane crashes, with only a hatchet and the clothes on his back. Brian was on that plane to his dad's house because of the Secret... This survival-fiction book tells how Brian undergoes a complete character change. When he first arrives he is relatively weak, but eventually Brian has keen, alert, senses, and he is a stronger person. In the book, Brian must deal with insane moose, and making a new friend; fire. Hunting and food gathering is a major part of the book, which makes it seem very realistic, but will Brian ever make it home alive? This book is a Newbery honor book and I believe it is very deserving of that prestigous award. Gary Paulsen's portrayal of someone in that predicament is very accurate. He puts you right in the action and in the struggle. I recommend this book to people of all different ages and backgrounds. You will feel every moment of hope and rejection in this amazing Paulsen novel.

41 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hatchet - Josh November 13, 2002

A Kid's Review

Format:Paperback

My favorite book that I've read is the very well known novel entitled, Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen. The novel is about a regular boy named Brian Robeson, and he goes to meet his father in Canada, but as he's in the plane heading to his father, something goes terribly wrong; the pilots of the plane gets a sudden heart attack! As the plane goes down in the story, the stakes rise for Brian. That's one example of why this book is so great! Gary Paulsen explains Brian's troubles in simple words, yet he uses lots of those words to describe Brian's troubles well. One other example is, it sparks your mind into reading or makes you start reading Gary Paulsen's nooks. I assure you, give this book to a person that doesn't like reading, and after a week, they'll come to you asking for books written by Gary. In this novel, the question is," How will the main character, Brian, survive?" So it's obvious that this book is an adventure and a "man against nature" conflict novel. As you have probably guessed, Brian suffers from hunger and searches for food and shelter. When Brian finds any kind of food, Gary describes Brian to feel like he just found money []off the street! The third reason why this book is so well thought out is because of the creativity Gary has put into Brian. Brian uses a lot of things in his environment around him in every way; a common stick can be a spear or an arrow. To sum it up, when you start this book, you won't stop reading it until Brian is rescued. I feel that Gary Paulsen gave Brian Robeson life, and that's what
made, Hatchet a great book.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars brings a new appreciation for life and respect for nature January 3, 2011

By Julia Shpak

Format:Hardcover

Thirteen year old Brian is on his way to visit his father when the pilot of a small, two-person plane has a heart attack and dies. Brian crashes the airplane into a small lake in the middle of a Canadian wilderness. Sore and shocked from the crash, the boy finds himself on a sandy tree-lined shore with only his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the belt-attached hatchet his mother had given him as a present.

At first, Brian hopes to be rescued in a couple of days, but later he realizes that his life depends only on him - the rescue is not near, since the plane drifted off course significantly soon after the pilot died. Now Brian has to learn how to survive, to toughen up, and to let go of self-pity: "...he learned the most important rule of survival, which was that feeling sorry for yourself didn't work."

Gary Paulsen effectively describes how Brian learns to watch, listen, and think before he acts, learning to co-exist, and to overcome any obstacles. The reader sees 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 - he attempts to build a fire, to fish and hunt, and to make his home under a rock overhang safe and comfortable.

An epilogue of the book describes the lasting effects of Brian's stay in the wilderness -
his character have changed from the "city boy" mentality to enlightened and being as one with nature. "None of that used to be Brian and now that was a part of him, a changed part of him, a grown part of him, and the two things, his mind, and his body, had come together as well, had made a connection with each other that he didn't quite understand...."

"Hatchet" is a heart-stopping tale of accomplishment, sadness, anger, and happiness that brings a new appreciation for life and respect for nature. This particular 20th Anniversary edition has a bonus feature of author's notes and some truly great pencil drawings.

P.S. I'm sure Brian wished he had seen Bear Grylls' show Man vs. Wild :) LoL

Julia Shpak
Author of "Power of Plentiful Wisdom". Available on Amazon.
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