Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (4/5)

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen is a realistic fiction novel about a plane that crashed in Canada, with a young boy named Brain who must survive and fight for as long as he can until he is either saved… or dies. In this 200-page story, we follow Brian who is a young middle school boy who goes on a flight that soon crashes in the middle of nowhere. Brian must persevere through many challenges like other animals, finding food, and keeping a secure shelter. This book is appropriate for all ages but is geared toward middle school readers. The content is age-appropriate because there is no foul language and minimal violence. As I was reading this novel, I was surprised at how hooked I was throughout the story. I just had to keep reading! The cliffhangers leave you thinking no matter what part you are on. All Brian has to keep him alive and pushing is his trusty hatchet that his mother gave him shortly before his flight. This hatchet helps Brian with many tasks, like collecting wood, to even hunting. Brian has days where he feels horrible, but he continues to persevere to stay alive. He continues to make mistakes and continues to learn from them and get back up again. He must fend off other animals from stealing his food and must get food every day to stay alive. The struggles of his journey have humbled me and awoken me to the dangers of surviving on your own with nothing but a single tool. One day, Brian decides to try to retrieve some of the stuff from the plane crash that had sunk to the bottom of the lake. He eventually retrieves it after multiple tries, and it pays off. He gets a couple of MREs which saves energy and time. As I turned to the final page of Hatchet, I was at a loss for words. This book brought me along with Brian on his whole adventure. I felt like I had experienced it side by side with him. As I close the book I hope to see this type of story evolve and I hope to read many more like this. I recommend this book to all teens and preteens who want to be taken on an exciting thriller side by side with Brian.