Hatchet truly is a classic.  It inspired me at the age of 9 to go into my wilderness survial obsession, and its charm has not been lost on me over the years.  Paulsen weaves a clever story and metaphor through Brian’s adventures, leaving the reader to wonder and wince as Brian tries to survive and come to grips with his situation.  Not only this, but Paulsen also sets up a character who is complicated and multi-layered, not just some puppet or figure that goes through the motions of surviving in the wilderness.  For those that want more of Paulsen’s magic, The Hatchet is the first in a series.   A classic for all ages, The Hatchet will inspire generations to come.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  3 religious exclamations; 1 mild obscenity.

Violence/Gore:  There is a report of violence; a character dies from a heart attack; characters are in a plane crash; a character suffers numerous but non-life threatening injuries from plane crash and wild animals.

Sex/Nudity: A character reports seeing his mother kiss a man who is not his father.

Mature Subject Matter:

Divorce, survival, death, responsibility.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None