Hatchet

Book Description

Critics

• Hatchet By Gary Paulsen

  Gary Paulsen's Hatchet, a Newbery Honor book that sparked a whole series of follow-up novels, has been fascinating even the most reluctant readers for 20 years. The story of a boy stranded alone and unprepared in the Canadian wilderness has perennial ... (read full critics)

  bookpage published on Thu, 16 Sep 2010

6 Reviews

• 

  An interesting book about a teenager surviving a planecrash in the Canadian forest by a lake. This book is about survival in the wild.

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  James Chen said on Jan 14, 2010 | Add your feedback

• I think this book is an interesting book to read if you have the chance.

  I like this story because I got to think about if I was in this kind of situation what would I do? Also the funny thing is that earlier my mom kept nagging me to read it and I liked it after all! This book is short, interesting, and makes you feel like you're in his boots. It also makes you feel ... (continue)

  I like this story because I got to think about if I was in this kind of situation what would I do? Also the funny thing is that earlier my mom kept nagging me to read it and I liked it after all! This book is short, interesting, and makes you feel like you're in his boots. It also makes you feel like when you're in the front of a fire or when you're fishing in the rain. It even teaches you skills about fire making, hunting, carving, and using the things around you that you might not know. Overall, I think this book is an interesting book to read if you have the chance.

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  SAAS MS said on Sep 25, 2008 | Add your feedback

• 

  Hatchet is only just an okay book. It was exciting at the start of the book, but started getting really boring after a few chapters, with the constant repertition of things already pointed out in clear detail.

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  GabeXorn said on Apr 12, 2008 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• 

  One of the Top

  Besides "The Little Prince", this is the book that i have reread the most often. I passed along a copy to my godson a few years ago too. Being in the woods, surviving on your own, learning to trust yourself, communing with animals, this is definitely one of my favorite books. I think i should rea ... (continue)

  Besides "The Little Prince", this is the book that i have reread the most often. I passed along a copy to my godson a few years ago too. Being in the woods, surviving on your own, learning to trust yourself, communing with animals, this is definitely one of my favorite books. I think i should read it again soon too.

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  Beeridgett said on Mar 30, 2008 | Add your feedback

• *** This comment contains spoilers! ***

  

  Brian, a thirteen year old boy en-route to his father’s home in Canada, survives a plane crash that kills the pilot. Injured, alone, relying on his wits, memories of wilderness survival programs he has seen and hints he has been taught, and with only a hatchet given to his by his mother, he must fin ... (continue)

  Brian, a thirteen year old boy en-route to his father’s home in Canada, survives a plane crash that kills the pilot. Injured, alone, relying on his wits, memories of wilderness survival programs he has seen and hints he has been taught, and with only a hatchet given to his by his mother, he must find food, shelter, inner courage to prevail. He does and his story, though rushed and simply told, is effective.

  Brian learns about his environment through observation and error. He notes the day he transitions from the old Brian – a city boy, ill-bred for the hostile wilderness and destined to succumb to his surroundings – to an intuitive, attuned being whom is at-one with nature, able to hunt, interpret, evade.

  At the conclusion of the story Brian retrieves the survival pack from the plane, a feat made possible by a violent storm. The pack provides a bounty of equipment, dehydrated food, provisions that would see him survive much longer, if not for the onset of winter, and a fortuitous rescue.

  At the beginning of the story the reader is informed that Brian’s parents are divorcing. He focuses on this, replaying the preceding events over in his mind, trying to attribute blame, and to understand it. This aspect of the story seems forced, inserted to strengthen Brian’s character maybe, except to me it felt awkward. The story would have been stronger without it.

  In all a quick, entertaining read. ** out of ***** stars.

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  Caroline said on Mar 26, 2008 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• 

  This book has a fabulous opening chapter. If one is not drawn to the story by the excitement read in the first 12 pages, I imagine he will not ever find excitement in the written word. Awesome!

  The story is very compelling. I found the ending a bit disappointing. It felt as though time w ... (continue)

  This book has a fabulous opening chapter. If one is not drawn to the story by the excitement read in the first 12 pages, I imagine he will not ever find excitement in the written word. Awesome!

  The story is very compelling. I found the ending a bit disappointing. It felt as though time was up and the ending was imposed. Beforehand, however, this is a must-read.

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  Batona said on Mar 28, 2007 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

Book Details

• Rating:
  (50)
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• English Books
• Paperback 289 Pages
• Edition: Rev. Cover Ed
• ISBN-10: 0689826990
• ISBN-13: 9780689826993
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
• Pub date: Jul 01, 1999
• Dimensions: 1161 mm x 710 mm x 65 mm Just how big is that?
• Also available as: Mass Market Paperback, Hardcover, Audio CD, Audio Cassette, Library Binding, School & Library Binding, Unbound, Others and eBook
• In other languages: other languages 繁體書

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