I was so excited when I saw that I'd get to read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen for my Children's Lit course. I haven't read that book since I was thirteen, the same age as the main character Brian.
Brian Robeson has been cursed with a secret: knowing what caused his parent's nasty divorce. Though Brian spends most of his time living with his mum in a big city in the States, his father works up in the far reaches of Canada. When the pilot of the Cessna Brian's flying in suffers a heart attack and dies, Brian finds that the only way he can stay alive is to take care of himself.
I think the biggest reason why I really enjoyed Hatchet is because I could connect with it. When I was an Air Cadet, we used to go on survival weekends a few times a year, and we'd learn all the tricks and techniques that Brian must use to survive. Also, I spent just under a year living in Northwestern Ontario, where the bulk of the story takes place, so it brought back many memories for me too.
Though Hatchet lacks dialogue (it's not like Brian has anyone to talk to but himself), it's still highly engaging, and is never boring. I'd be quite shocked and surprised if someone said that they didn't like this story.
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