Hatchet

by Gary Paulsen

13-year-old Brian Robeson has led a pretty easy life. Well, until he discovered the Secret. The Secret is the reason for his parents’ divorce, and it has been eating away at Brian since its discovery.

But there’s no time to wallow about the Secret because Brian has a bigger problem. A much bigger problem. On his way to visit his father for the summer, the tiny plane in which Brian is riding suddenly crashes.

Alone in the Canadian wilderness, Brian experiences independence for the first time. He is forced to solve problems. He is forced to survive.

Can this immature boy rise to the occasion? Will he be able to overcome the burden of the Secret?

All will be revealed in less than 200 pages. Thank goodness! I couldn’t read any more pages than that. The writing is very repetitive, the protagonist is not particularly appealing, and the story seems to be just a bit far-fetched.

On the plus side, it reminds me of a book I read back in the sixth grade, My Side of the Mountain.

5/3/11