After nearly 25 years, the paperback version of Gary Paulsen's classic tale of a boy surviving alone in the wilderness, is still selling in Amazon's Top 3000. (#2063 as this posts)
Its rather an amazing feat, which I think says something about the power this book holds on the imaginations of children. And it's because of this kid-tested longevity that I'm going to not only recommend Hatchet to you as a read for your children, but as a purchase for your home shelves.
The story is about Brian, a boy who suddenly finds himself alone in a Cessna after the pilot dies of cardiac arrest. After drifting off-course for hours, Brian decides to attempt a landing on a lake before the plane runs out of gas. The good thing about this decision is that he does survive the crash; the bad part is that all of the emergency survival gear, plus the plane itself sinks deep into the icy waters. Without food, and even without matches, he has to make his way, armed only with a hatchet and the tattered clothes on his back.
Talking Points:::
This book came to my attention when the entire 4th grade class at my daughter's school read it. When she kept talking about it at the dinner table, I became intrigued and tracked it down. What I found, as an adult, was a darn good tale about a boy struggling to survive in the woods. I think it also resonates with kids because it's a coming of age story. Brian, you see, not only has to overcome his own self-doubts, loneliness, and lack of knowledge, but also has to come to grips with his parents recent divorce and his mother's infidelity.
Hatchett has been kid-tested and approved over the decades. I think the illustrations in this book, while not numerous, help younger readers to visualize what is happening. For example, there's a picture of what an old Cessna 206 looks like.
Similarly, I thought the author's notes about how elements of the story came from his own life were interesting... and funny. In one case, he talks about how he forgot toilet paper while camping and ended up with poison ivy blisters in a most unfortunate place. In several places he also talks about the dog-sledding his did in the far north.
I recommend few books for the home shelves, but this is one of them. Check it out at the library if you are unsure... but do try this illustrated version if they have it. I think the drawings by Drew Willis, and Gary's own author notes, which are dispersed as asides throughout the book, make this anniversary version worth the extra money.
I think Hatchet is likely to be a book that your children will keep and hand down to their own children, another 20 years from now.
Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs
Hatchet
Accelerated Reading level : 5.7
- Hardcover: 192 pages
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; 20 Anv edition (September 25, 2007)
- ISBN-10: 1416925082
- Take-a-Peek
related posts:
- Our Master Gary Paulsen list
- Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen (2010)
- Review of Woods Runner audiobook
- Mr. Tucket by Gary Paulsen (Book 1 - Tucket Series)
- Call Me Francis Tucket by Gary Paulsen (Book 2 - Tucket Series)
- Tucket's Ride by Gary Paulsen (Book 3 - Tucket Series)
- Tucket's Gold by Gary Paulsen (Book 4 - Tucket Series)
- Tucket's Home by Gary Paulsen (Book 5 - Tucket Series)
- Tucket's Travels by Gary Paulsen (Books 1 thru 5 in a collection - Tucket Series)
- See our post on the 2 new Gary Paulsen books that are coming out in 2011
No comments :
Post a Comment