Hatchet
1986 • 214 pages

Ratings195

Average rating3.6

15

Brian, a 13-year-old boy, is on his way to visit his father on a two-person plane. Suddenly, the pilot has a heart-attack and the plane crashes, leaving Brian to survive on his own in the Canadian wilderness. Armed with his trusty hatchet, Brian must figure out how to find food and shelter while he waits for help. All the while, he recalls painful memories of home, including his parent's recent divorce and his mom's affair.


This was a very engrossing book and I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering if Brian would survive. It was very entertaining to see how Brian used the things around him to the best of his ability, even though he didn't have much prior knowledge of survival. This book helps to illustrate how it can be an enthralling read with just one main character. The author did like to repeat a lot of phrases, though, which I found distracting.