Paulsen, Gary., Hatchet, Aladdin Paperbacks, New York, 1987, 181p
Summary: Brian’s parents have recently gotten a divorce. Brian’s entire world is changing and now he is having to travel to Canada to see his father for the first time after the split. Brian is mad at his mother and is unhappy about the entire situation. Brian knows a secrets about his mother he plans to tell his father when he sees him. His father works in the Canadian oil field so in order to get there Brain takes a small bush plane only being accompanied by the pilot. The pilot and Brian only share a few words when suddenly the pilot has a heart attack and dies. Brain is overtaken with fear. The plane is still in the air, but for how long? Brain frantically tries the radio…show more content… The plane crashes into the lake with Brian barely making it out. Shockingly Brian survives the crash but he is in shock. It takes him almost three days to gather himself together. In the beginning Brian places all his faith into being found. He is sure they will come looking for him and he will be out of there shortly. Days turn into weeks and this vision slowly fades from his mind. Brian now is learning to survive in the wilderness. He builds a shelter and also quickly learns which berries he can and cannot eat. With the help of his hatchet clipped to his pants his mother gave him moments before he boarded the plane, Brian creates fire and teaches himself to make a bow and spear. Brian is able to prosper in the wilderness. He runs into mishaps here and there but Brian is surviving. He catches fish and birds to eat and fashioned his shelter to be safe. A tornado sweeps through and sadly destroys most of his hard work but the tornado sparked a new thought in his it. Its winds blew the plane over in the lake with its tail jutting out of the water. The survival pack inside the plane is the only think on Brains mind. He fashions himself a raft and sets out to locate this survival pack. He uses his