Hatchet (novel) facts for kids
First edition cover
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| Author | Gary Paulsen |
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| Original title | Hatchet |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Brian's Saga |
| Genre | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | Bradbury Press |
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Publication date
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September 1987 |
| Media type | Hardcover and Paperback and Ebook |
| Pages | 195 p. (first edition, hardback) 186 p. (second edition, paperback) |
| ISBN | 0-02-770130-1 (first edition, hardback) |
| OCLC | 15366056 |
| [Fic] 19 | |
| LC Class | PZ7.P2843 June 1987 |
| Followed by | The River |
Hatchet is an exciting adventure novel for young adults, written by American author Gary Paulsen. It was first published in September 1987. This book is the first of five stories in the popular Hatchet series. It even won the Newbery Honor Award in 1988, which is a special prize for great children's books. The story is all about survival in the wild.
Contents
The Story of Hatchet
Brian's Journey Begins
Brian Robeson is a thirteen-year-old boy. His parents are divorced. One summer, Brian is flying in a small Cessna 406 plane to visit his father. His father works in the oil fields of Northern Canada. During the flight, the pilot suddenly becomes very ill and can no longer fly the plane. Sadly, the pilot passes away. Brian is now alone in the sky. He tries his best to control the plane and land it safely. However, the plane runs out of fuel. Brian has to make an emergency landing in a large lake surrounded by a huge forest. He survives the crash with only small injuries.
Learning to Survive in the Wild
Brian finds himself completely alone in the huge wilderness. He has only his windbreaker jacket and a special hatchet. This hatchet was a gift from his mother just before his trip. He quickly learns many important survival skills. Brian figures out how to make a fire using his hatchet. He also learns to find food. He eats rabbits, ruffed grouse (which he calls "fool-birds"), turtle eggs, fish, and different kinds of berries.
The wilderness is full of challenges. Brian faces many dangers, like annoying mosquitoes and a prickly porcupine. He also encounters two large bears, a group of three wolves, a skunk, and even a grumpy female moose. One day, a powerful tornado rips through the area.
As days turn into weeks, Brian becomes very skilled at living in the wild. He builds a bow and arrows for hunting. He also makes a fishing spear to catch fish. For shelter, he finds a safe spot under a rock overhang. While he is alone, Brian often thinks about his family and some difficult memories from before his parents separated. These thoughts make his time in the wilderness even harder.
A Storm and a Discovery
The powerful tornado that hit the area moves the tail of the crashed plane closer to the lake shore. Brian realizes there might be a survival pack inside the plane. He builds a small raft using broken tree branches to reach the plane. He cuts his way into the tail section of the plane. While doing this, he accidentally drops his precious hatchet into the lake! Brian quickly dives into the water to get it back.
Inside the plane, he finds a special survival pack. This pack contains many useful things. It has different tools, extra food, an emergency transmitter, and a small .22 AR-7 rifle.
Back on the shore, Brian tries to use the emergency transmitter. He doesn't know how it works and thinks it's broken because it got wet. So, he puts it aside. But the transmitter is actually working! Its signal is picked up by a pilot flying by. This pilot then rescues Brian. The story ends by explaining that Brian spent the rest of the summer with his father. He kept his difficult family memories to himself. Living alone in the wilderness for fifty-four days changed Brian forever, making him stronger and more resourceful.
More Adventures with Brian
Author Gary Paulsen wrote four more books about Brian Robeson's adventures.
- The River (1991): In this book, Brian goes back to the wilderness. He helps the military learn about survival skills.
- Brian's Winter (1996): This story imagines what would have happened if Brian wasn't rescued. It shows how he might have survived a harsh winter alone.
- Brian's Return (1999): Here, Brian talks about how his life changed after the plane crash. He struggles with fitting back into his old life.
- Brian's Hunt (2003): Brian is canoeing when he feels danger nearby. He finds a hurt dog and faces new challenges.
The series also includes Guts: The True Stories behind Hatchet and the Brian Books. This book shares real-life stories and facts that inspired the Hatchet series.
Hatchet on the Big Screen
The exciting story of Hatchet was also made into a movie. The movie is called A Cry in the Wild and it was released in 1990.
Images for kids
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First edition cover
