The River [Library Binding]

Gary Paulsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 11, 2004 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

"We want you to do it again."



These words, spoken to Brian Robeson, will change his life. Two years earlier, Brian was stranded alone in the wilderness for 54 days with nothing but a small hatchet. Yet he survived.



Now the government wants him to go back into the wilderness so that astronauts and the military can learn the survival techniques that kept Brian alive. Soon the project backfires, though, leaving Brian with a wounded partner and a long river to navigate. His only hope is to build a raft and try to transport the injured man a hundred miles downstream to a trading post--if the map he has is accurate.


From the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a boxed review, PW praised the "terse, heart-stopping prose" of this follow-up to Hatchet : "The new adventure is as riveting as its predecessor . . . the psychological terrain of the sequel is fresh and distinct." Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Kirkus Reviews

A sequel to the most popular of Paulsen's three Newbery Honor books (Hatchet, 1987), based on an unlikely premise-- government researchers want Brian to reenact his northwoods survival so that his strategies can be observed and taught to others. Derek, a young psychologist, and Brian are dropped off at another Canadian lake, near the first one, equipped only with knives and a radio that Derek has promised not to use except in a dire emergency. Everything goes all too smoothly until their camp is struck by lightning, zapping the radio and leaving Derek in a coma. Brian manages to float Derek 100 miles down a river to a trading post, thus saving his life. The lyrically described details of Brian's adventure-- building a fire, making a raft--are of most interest here; for all its graphically evoked perils (rapids, the craft's unwieldiness, exhaustion), the journey's successful outcome seems less in doubt than did the outcome of the compelling autobiographical wilderness experiences described in Woodsong (1990). In Hatchet, Brian discovered his own strength, adding depth, complexity, and tension to the story; here, that strength is a given--as he himself points out. Perfunctory in design but vividly written, a book that will, as intended, please the readers who hoped that Paulsen, like Brian, would ``do it again.'' (Fiction. 11-14) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Library Binding: 144 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (May 11, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385902212
• ISBN-13: 978-0385902212
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (198 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,445,975 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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The River, February 22, 2005

By 

Cole Lundgren (Superior, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The River (A Yearling Book) (Paperback)

The river

By: Gary Paulsen

Review By: Cole Lundgren

The river is a sequel to the book, Hatchet. In this book Brian Robeson is asked by the government to go back and do the same thing he did in Hatchet. They wanted to have Brian go out in the middle of the forest with Derek Holtzer. Derek was a psychologist that was going to go with Brian and take notes on what he did to survive. Then Derek was going to re-teach these methods to people.

Of course when Brian got asked this he was a little skeptical if he wanted to go or not. His mom didn't really want him to go because she thought it would be dangerous. They had planned to bring pretty much everything besides the kitchen sink. His mom approved on letting Brian go on this adventure.

They set off to the lake that they had picked out. It was a big lake with a river flowing out of it. Brian was a little nervous of being in a plane again. The last time he was in a plane it crashed and he was stranded. This time he would just get dropped off in the woods. When Brian and Derek got to the lake Brian realized something. He realized that it just wouldn't be the same. If they had just about everything they needed it just wouldn't be the same. Brian told Derek that they needed to leave everything. Derek agreed with Brian. The only thing they kept was a radio for emergencies.

As soon as the plane left they set off around the lake searching for things to eat, make fire with, and a nice shelter. They found a nice shelter that was near the lake. It was an old tree that had grown into a hill and it left an overhang. They thought it would be perfect. The first night there they didn't have a fire. They got ate alive by mosquitos. Brian asked himself why he was living through this hell again. Then he thought of all the people he would be helping by doing this. The second day they found a great amount of food, and got a fire going. That night the sky was clear but Brian could hear off in the distance some rumbling. He realized it was going to rain.

While they were sleeping a huge CRACK woke Brian and Derek up! It was right on top of them. The lightning was striking all around them. Derek reached up to get the radio and at that instant he was stuck by lightning. It sent him into an instant coma.

Brian is thinking of what he is going to do. The radio was burned out because the lightning hit that too. The day before Derek had checked in on the radio and they said that they would only check in once a week. They had 6 more days to wait before anyone would even know that they were in trouble.

Brian then decides to make a raft and go take Derek down the river. The raft is made out of big logs that the beavers had cut perfectly for him.

Brian had to make it down the river in 2, or 3 days before Derek would get dehydrated. There are many obstacles on the way. If you want to see if they make it down the river with Derek still alive you will have to read this book and find out.

"That's exactly it. We have trouble. That's what this is all about. You want to learn, but if you have all that backup, it's just more games. It's not real. You wouldn't have that if the situation were real, would you?

-This is a quote from Brian. He is talking to Derek about leaving all the stuff on the plane. He is saying that if they had all of it the trip would be pointless and they wouldn't learn anything.

Characters

Brian- Brian is a smart athletic boy. He is about 15 years old. He has great common sense, and can react fast in critical situations.

Derek- Derek is a psychologist. He is in about his young 30's. He is not very athletic and he doesn't have the greatest common sense ever.

Pilot- The pilot is a young kid about in his 20's. When he is flying the plane it soothed Brian because he realized that he wouldn't have a heart attack like what happened in Hatchet.

Mom- Brian's mom is a nice woman who cares a lot for Brian. She doesn't really want to see Brian go on this adventure.

I think Gary Paulsen did a great job writing this book. I love reading his books about Brian being in the wilderness. They are all well written and they all go together with each other. I think this is my favorite book of his I have read yet.

If you like reading books about the wilderness and adventure this is the perfect book for you. I would suggest reading Hatchet before you read this book.

I felt The River was a very good book. Gary Paulsen did an excellent job at writing it. I love reading all of his books. So far this one is my favorite. It is a great adventure that I would suggest anyone to read.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Okay But Not the Best, January 28, 2008

By 

Ralf K. Kiehl - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The River (A Yearling Book) (Paperback)

Having read other books by Gary Paulsen like Tracker, Woodsong, Dogsong, The Monument, The Island, Night John,and the Hatchet series,ect, I realized that The River is not one of Paulsen's best work. The River seemed a little unrealistic and it had a very basic polt, Brian has to go back to the Woods, something goes wrong, he takes a trip down a river to a trading station and gets rescued. Its all very predictable. The part that seems un realistic is the part where Derek gets struck by lightning and Brian happens not to have been hit, and the radio happens to break. Also building a raft can be harder than Paulson makes it sound.

But to all Gary Paulsen fans, don't stop reading Gary Paulsen books just because this book has lowish ratings. Hatchet is the most wellknown book by Gary Paulsen and many who have read Hatchet haven't read many of the other great books by Gary Paulsen. I remeber a few years ago when I was in fourth grade, The River was the second Gary Paulsen book I read, But I still decided to keep reading books by him. I read Night John when I was in fifth grade adn it still is my favorite book by Gary Paulson now. You may have noticed that I'm not Ralf Kiehl, I'm his daughter, a 13 year old kid, but I still really like to read Gary Paulson.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Adventure, June 3, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The River (A Yearling Book) (Paperback)

The River by Gary Paulson is one of my favorite books. I can't believe that Brian Robeson would actually go back into the wild! Brian will be going with a man from the U.S government. He is also going with lots of equipment. When they get at the lake, Brian decides he will leave all the stuff on the plane. All was fine until a giant thunderstorm comes. The man gets hit by one and is put into a coma. Brian will have to travel down a river 100 miles to a trading post.

I liked this book because it had a ton of action and adventure. I hope you liked this book as much as I did!

Glen, R.I