Gary Paulsen: Hatchet

Long before the reality television series Survivor was even a twinkle in a producer's eye, Gary Paulsen wrote a book about a boy's amazing survival in the Canadian wilderness.

Hatchet, first published in 1987, was so convincing that the National Geographic contacted Paulsen looking for the boy's name and address so that they could also do a feature on him. This compelling adventure story continues to fascinate young readers today and features on the Whitcoulls Kids' Top 50 List.

Brian Robeson is a typical 13-year-old city boy who is finding it extremely difficult to cope with his parents' divorce. His father is an engineer working in the oil fields of Canada, and Brian is to spend the summer break with him. Initially Brian is excited to find himself in the cockpit of a two-seater plane heading north, but then the pilot has a heart attack. Lucky for Brian, the pilot had explained to him the basic rudiments of flying and so, while he cannot land the plane himself, he is able to ensure that it crash lands over water, rather than land. Suddenly this ordinary boy finds himself in an extraordinary life-or-death situation.

A bruised, battered and concussed Brian only just makes it to shore. But how will he survive alone in the wilderness until he can be rescued? All he has with him are his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, useless money, nail clippers and a small hatchet which his mother gave him as a parting gift.

Brian is no Robinson Crusoe or Daniel Boone _ he is just a kid. However he is determined, and suddenly all those hours he spent watching documentaries on television prove worthwhile. He finds food that will at least keep him alive, although it will not appease his constant hunger, and he builds a primitive shelter.

Eventually he also discovers that he can use his hatchet to make fire and suddenly his predicament is no longer so grim. However, Brian is always at the mercy of nature, the elements and waves of loneliness.

Each day presents new challenges and Brian quickly realises that the most important rule of survival is "feeling sorry for yourself doesn't work". He also learns that attitude is as important as ability. Over a period of 54 days we see Brian's forced transformation from insecure boyhood to competent young manhood.

Thanks to Paulsen's vivid, detailed descriptions the reader comes to experience Brian's successes and his failures. Paulsen reveals how Brian's continued survival is dependent on his willingness to learn from his mistakes, his keen awareness of the environment around him and his sheer refusal to give in. His time in the wilderness also allows Brian to finally come to terms with his parents' divorce and with his mother's terrible "secret".

Hatchet is written in a terse, "you-are-there" style that quickly pulls you into the story. Paulsen's use of short sentences and short chapters make this book appealing to those with reading difficulties, while the subject matter is guaranteed to capture the attention of boys, in particular.

Brian has proved such a popular hero that Paulsen has gone on to write three other books about his subsequent adventures.

Publisher: Macmillan

Price: $16.99

Age: 8-12 years