Module 7- Hatchet

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Book Summary:  
Hatchet is a book about a boy named Brian who is traveling by a plane to visit his father after his parents get divorced.  Brian is the only passenger with the pilot as the only other person on the plane.  The pilot suffers a heart attack over the Canadian wilderness and dies, leaving Brian to try to navigate and/or land the plane by himself.  Brian attempts to use the radio to connect with someone who could help him navigate or land the plane or at least let someone know that the pilot has died and that he needs help.  He is able to connect with someone by radio, but he is unable to make a clear communication with them due to poor reception.  The plane eventually runs out of gas and Brian is able to steer the plane into a lake instead of landing in the trees of the forest.  He escapes the plane and the water of the lake with nothing except what he has on his body, which he thinks is only his clothes until he remembers the hatchet his mother gave him is still in his belt.  He knows he must find food and shelter, and soon finds berries and finds a cave for shelter.  He faces many different perils such as a bear, and a porcupine who attacks him in his cave, but he also accomplishes great feats such as making a fire, and catching fish using a spear made from a tree branch.  He thinks about his family and the recent divorce while facing the solitude of the wilderness and the reader learns that his mother was seeing another man, which was the cause of the separation.  Brian reaches his lowest point when a plane flies overhead but he is unable to signal them and he has to watch the plane fly off away from him, not knowing how long it will be before he sees another plane, if ever.  Having a plane that close and having to watch it leave is devastating to Brian and he actually succumbs to the emotions that have been pressing on him since his parents divorce and he cries and falls into a state of depression.  It doesn't take long before he is able to pull himself out of this dark hole and he becomes determined to be stronger and tougher than he was before and to not lose hope like that again.  As time passes he begins working on improvements to his shelter and also makes a bow and arrow for hunting animals such as rabbits.  He still is having to face the dangers of living in the wild and soon has experiences with a skunk, a moose and a tornado.  While the tornado is a devastating event most of the time, it actually moved the plane that Brian crashed in what seems like ages ago to where part of it is visible.  Brian decides to return to the plane to retrieve what items he can from inside, and with the help of his hatchet he brings the pilot's bag up to the surface.  Within the bag he finds a rifle, compass, sleeping bag, cooking tools and other basic first aid and survival tools, as well as an emergency transmitter.  A plane soon appears after Brian turns the transmitter on and off a few times and assumes that it is broken.  The plane had picked up the transmitter and lands and Brian is finally rescued.  Brian returns home and though he is forever changed by his time in the Canadian Wilderness, everything else about his life and his family remains the same.  

APA Reference of Book:
Paulsen, G. (1987). Hatchet. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Impressions: 
This book made me instantly think about all of the survival type shows that are on television that so many people, especially guys, seem to really like, and I wondered how many of the fans of those shows had even heard of this book.  This story line is exciting from the first line of the book and there is action and danger at almost every turn of the page.  In fact, the dangers and events that Brian faces makes Bear Grylls's adventures look like a simple nature hike through different terrains.  The dangers in the book are realistic to what one could expect if lost in this setting which makes this story, even though it is fictional, seem very intense and pulls the reader into Brian's struggles.  This is a book many different types of readers would enjoy, but it would appeal especially to boys and men who enjoy more realistic fiction or even nonfiction works, especially those who enjoy watching the survival type shows.

Professional Review:

 Gr 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 patience to watch, listen, and think before he acts as 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.

Chatton, B. (1987, December). Hatchet (book review).School Library Journal, 34, 103. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/

Library Uses:
This would be a great book to have a comparison of a television show with a book suggestion within the library.  A display with one of the survival shows listed with Hatchet listed as a book that they would like.  "Like 'Man vs. Wild'? Then you'll love Hatchet" as a display or poster.