Hatchet
by Gary Paulsen · first published 1986
55% recommend45% neutral
Why HN recommends it
A survival story for younger readers following a teen who gets through hardship on their own, told in age-appropriate language. Middle school readers often remember it, and it is a good fit for young readers.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Brian Robison, a teenage boy struggling through his parents divorce, is flying up north to stay with his dad for the summer. However, his plane crashes and he is forced to survive the Canadian wilderness. Now living in a world completely opposite of his own, he is now able to discover himself in this forsaken and misunderstood beautiful world. The story is continued in "The River" "Brian's Winter" "Brian's Return" and "The Hunt"
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Hatchet by Gary Paulsen Far and away, the best for a young person coming into adulthood. In an age appropriate manner and wording (vocab, tenses, allusions to other works, etc) Hatchet explore what it takes…
on “What Would You Recommend to a Bright 14 Year Old?” ↗…story is wild.): https://app.thestorygraph.com/browse?button=&search_term=fis... Fiction: -The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/abd1c172-fbba-469d-a99c-... -Hatchet by Gary Paulson: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/8a8b0f34-bdec-4e08-bad8-... -The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (This one is kind of a rough read.): https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/8a740c2e-a536-47c8-8d67-...…
on “Ask HN: Books about people who persevered when no one else believed in them?” ↗Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen. I must have read that book over a dozen times in middle school.
on “Ask HN: What book had a big impact on you as a child or teenager?” ↗"Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatchet_(novel)
on “"Frost crack" sounds may come from sky, not trees” ↗Hatchet (Gary Paulsen)
on “Ask HN: What book had a big impact on you as a child or teenager?” ↗…sign of the Beaver Charlotte’s Web Because of Winn Dixie Tuck Everlasting (sad at end) Ruby Holler The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Treasure Island The Pushcart War Maniac Magee Rascal Frindle Hatchet (Gary Paulsen) Mr. Popper’s Penguins (young) Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing (Juy Blume) Pippi Longstocking Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (young) A Wrinkle in Time Moccasin Trail Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of…
on “The original “Bambi”” ↗…1987 should be entering the public domain in the upcoming year. * Predator * Robocop * The Princess Bride * Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, by Douglas Adams * Watchmen, by Alan Moore * Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen These should all be open cultural works, ready for new writers to use as a basis. Ready to be used as the backdrop for new stories. Instead, they are locked universes, only containing…
on “Writers who will be entering the public domain in 2015 in many countries” ↗…one way or another, technological. Even when it’s written by people who don’t know what the word means. I think this goes too far and then everything is science fiction? She talks about low tech. Is Hatchet science fiction?
on “Ursula K. Le Guin: A Rant About "Technology" (2005)” ↗…are set in areas you are not familiar with, your brain still has to build the environment and imagery. Something like One Man's Wilderness. I enjoyed that book. I used to read and listen to books like Hatchet and this was along the same lines but non-fiction. I'd also say to be careful about these. For me, it makes me want to quit and live on a farm.
on “Ask HN: I only read tech/business books – recommend me some fiction?” ↗…to adjust the learning to make it something that the kids can learn from while paying attention and not disrupting the class. One of my favorite things my teacher once did after we read Gary Paulsen's Hatchet was have a 'survival expert' come in and talk about some of the things that Brian had to do and how some others (real people) had to do the same thing. The size comparison he showed us between a full…
on “Building a real-time AI tutor for 5-year-olds” ↗…Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli Hatchet by Gary Paulsen Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco Mastery by Robert Greene…
on “Show HN: I've compiled a list of the top books for men according to 56 blogs” ↗