Hatchet
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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What you might want to know about Hatchet
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Brian Robeson is the only passenger on a small plane to visit his father when the pilot has a heart attack. Brian crash-lands the plane in a lake and has to live on his own in the Canadian wilderness.
Hatchet is middle grade, recommended for readers 9 to 13. It is widely taught in fifth and sixth grade as a survival novel. The single-character structure and short chapters make it accessible to younger readers.
Yes. A 1990 film adaptation titled A Cry in the Wild was released, with Gary Paulsen credited as the source novelist. The film is generally considered a faithful adaptation of the book's survival premise.
Hatchet was written by Gary Paulsen, published in 1986 by Puffin.
Hatchet is 192 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Hatchet takes most readers 3 to 4 hours to finish.
Hatchet is a standalone novel by Gary Paulsen, not part of a series.
Hatchet is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
