Hatchet by Gary PaulsenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Brian Robertson, sole passenger on a Cessna 406, is on his way to visit his father when the tiny bush plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness. With nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present, Brian finds himself completely alone.
Challenged by his fear and despair -- and plagued with the weight of a dreadful secret he's been keeping since his parent's divorce -- brian must tame his inner demons in order to survive. It will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed.
I read this book alongside my son for a school project and I actually really enjoyed it. While carrying the burden of a secret about his mother's affair, 13 year old Brian is the sole survivor of a plane crash who has to survive in the harsh Canadian forest. He learns how to spear fish, gather turtle eggs and make fire, all with the help of a small hatchet that his mother gave him before he left on his ill-fated journey. The universe throws heaps at poor Brian, but eventually he is able to salvage a survival kit from the wreckage of the plane. He unwittingly sets off the emergency locator transmitter and is rescued shortly after. The lessons he learns over his 54 day survival effort will stand this lad in good stead. A great little book that is aimed at young adults and has a strong message of determination and keeping your head in tough times.
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