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hatchet (Audio CD)
by Gary Paulsen
| Category:
Fiction, Children's book, Adventure, Ages 9-12 |
| Market price: ¥ 168.00
MSL price:
¥ 148.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
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MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
A spectacular novel of survival and adventure, Hatchet has been a long-time favorites of children and adults. |
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AllReviews |
1 2   | Total 2 pages 12 items |
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kochie (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-16 00:00>
Stranded in the Canadian wilderness after his two-passenger plane crashes, thirteen-year old Brian Robeson is forced to tap into reserves of resourcefulness and determination that he never knew he had in order to survive. In Hatchet, Gary Paulsen has managed to take the classic idea of a survival story and with it create an original and engaging masterpiece. This is definitely a book that everyone should read sometime in their life, and is one that especially every teenage boy must read. Paulsen's writing style and creativity are sure to capture and keep the interest of every young reader. This book is written especially for teenage boys, and they are extremely able to connect with it. In Hatchet, Gary Paulsen makes excellent use of characterization and realism to effectively connect with and captivate male young adult readers.
One of the first instances in which Paulsen uses characterization effectively to connect with readers is when, while Brian is flying north in the bush plane, the pilot asks Brian if he would like to try taking the controls of the airplane. Brian at first responds the invitation doubtfully: "He had never been in any kind of plane, never seen the cockpit of a plane except in films or on television" (4). This example reveals to the reader that Brian is just an ordinary thirteen year-old boy just like them. He has not had any special upbringing or training that would prepare him to meet the challenges that he will face; he is just a regular teenager. Before the action of the book has even begun, similarities are presented between Brian and the reader. As the reader begins to identify with Brian, they become interested in how a person that is like them will respond to the challenges are put in his way, and so become more involved in the book.
Another example of characterization is when Brian is reflecting on the recent divorce of his parents: "How he hated lawyers who sat with their comfortable smiles and tried to explain to him in legal terms how all that he lived in was coming apart" (Paulsen 2-3). This example shows again that Brian is just a normal teenager with his own struggles and difficulties. While many readers may not be going through a divorce, they have their own problems in their lives that are hard for them. This struggle gives Brian's character more depth and allows the reader to more fully identify with him. As a stronger connection forms between Brian and the reader, the reader becomes more interested in what will happen to Brian and becomes more fully invested in the book.
This connection is strengthened further through Paulsen's use of characterization when Brian tries to light a fire without matches for the first time. He has a very difficult time getting the fire started, and finds himself thinking: "If only I had matches ... How did they used to do it? he thought. Rub two sticks together?" (65). Many times throughout the book, Brian finds that nothing in his earlier life has prepared him to solve the problem that is before him at that instant. Again the reader sees that Brian is a normal person with a background that is probably very similar to their own. They see that this is just a regular boy who is used to life in the city, but who now has these challenges thrust upon him. Once again, the reader becomes concerned with how Brian will overcome his challenges, because perhaps they would make choices similar to the ones made by this boy who is so like them.
Paulsen uses effective characterization again when describing Brian's emotional responses to his challenges. On the second day that Brian is stranded alone in the wilderness, after a particularly difficult night, Brian is "almost overcome with self-pity. He was starving and bitten and hurt and lonely and ugly and afraid and so completely miserable that it was like being in a pit, a dark, deep pit with no way out" (70). This response to his trials is a very normal and human response. The reader recognizes that it is very ordinary to have such feelings when going through such a hard time, and indeed realizes that they themselves would most likely feel much the same way. Once again, the connection that the reader has with Brian and the story is strengthened.
In addition to using effective characterization, Paulsen also successfully uses realistic and believable events to connect with the reader. One of the most significant ways in which Paulsen makes the plot of the story believable is that bad things happen to Brian. When Brian finds some berries to eat on his first day in the wilderness, he thinks that he has finally had some good luck, but the berries end up making him extremely sick: "Never anything like this. Never. It was if all the berries, all the pits had exploded in the center of him, ripped and tore at him" (67). This is just one example of the many misfortunes that come to Brian throughout the book. This makes the story seem very realistic because bad things do in fact happen to everybody. Brian does not have any extraordinary luck or fortune; he is just like anybody else. Anybody who reads this book will know that misfortunes are a fact of life. This allows the reader to form a connection with the book because it reflects what the reader has observed in his own life.
Another way in which this book is realistic is that events occur suddenly with little or no warning. Only a few days into his isolation, Brian goes to sleep feeling good about the day's success only to be woken up the next morning being injured by a porcupine: "So fast, he thought. So fast things change. When he'd gone to sleep he had satisfaction and in just a moment it was all different" (81). Throughout the book, Brian experiences many other sudden changes in his fortunes. Again, this makes the story seem realistic. In real life, events occur without any warning. There is rarely any foreshadowing to signal that something bad is about to happen. Once again the reader sees truths from real life reflected in the book, and the story becomes easier to believe and to connect with.
The story is also realistic because it is hard for Brian to find solutions to his problems. For example, when Brian tries to make a bow to use to catch fish, his first attempt is a failure: "He put an arrow to the string, pulled it back to his cheek, pointed it at a dirt hummock, and at that precise instant the bow wood exploded in his hands sending splinters and chips of wood into his face" (124). This failure comes after he has already failed at making and using a spear to catch fish, and even after he later successfully makes a bow it is difficult for Brian to learn how to use it effectively. Brian must figure out solutions to his problems by himself just like people in the real world must find their own answers to their difficulties. Those answers are not magically presented to him. The reader realizes that this is the way that things actually happen, and so again the story becomes more believable and reader becomes more interested in it.
Paulsen also uses excellent imagery and details to make the story seem tangible and realistic. When Brian stops for a few moments to pay attention to his surroundings, he hears things that he has never experienced before: "When he started to listen, really listen, he heard thousands of things. Hisses and blurks, small sounds, birds singing, hum of insects, splashes from the fish jumping--there was great noise here" (41). Details and images like this are found throughout the entire book. These descriptions allow the reader to form picture of where the events described in the book are taking place. The details that are given make the setting seem richer, fuller, and more tangible. This firm setting allows the reader to sink deeper into the action of the book because they now have a place established in their minds where the events are taking place.
All of these instances of characterization and realism, as well as the countless others found throughout the entire book, work together to effectively attract the interest of male young adult readers, as well as other readers of all ages. Paulsen is able to masterfully use these techniques to create a story that is engaging and captivating. This is one of the best books for young readers that I have come across. I would strongly recommend it for anyone who is looking for a good book to read, and if somebody is not looking for a book I would recommend it to them anyways. This book is a must-read for everybody! |
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-16 00:00>
Hatchet is a great adventure story about a 13 year old boy who crashed in an air plane in the wilderness. He had to learn how to survive by himself with only his hatchet. Brian was 13 and going to visit his dad in northern Canada. While they were flying, the pilot showed Brian how to fly the plane. The pilot had a heart attack during the flight and died, so Brian had to crash land the plane by himself in a lake. This was a terrible experience for him. It reminds me of the time I was on a river raft going down the rapids, and I thought I might die if we flipped in the boat. Once it was over, I told my mom I never wanted to do anything like that again. When he woke up from the crash, Brian built a shelter to protect himself. He realized he was all alone with no food or supplies. He felt scared. Then he remembered what his teacher had told him about staying positive and staying focused. I can relate to this by trying to be positive on the tennis court. When I am playing a big match, I am alone. I know I have to depend on myself. In this situation I try to stay positive and calm. Once when Brian was sleeping, a porcupine came into his shelter. When Brian woke up, the porcupine swung his tail and hit Brian's leg. This made him cry and feel sorry for himself. Then he realized that feeling sorry for himself would not help him to survive. During my tennis matches, I try not to get down on myself if I am losing. I try to be confident instead of feeling sorry for myself if I get behind. Finally after about two months Brian was rescued. His time in the wilderness had taught him to be more cautious. Now he also noticed more things around him. He had learned how to survive on his own. He knew he could take care of himself, and he felt confident. I loved this book because it showed how a boy could grow when he had to face big problems by himself. I think every person in our class could benefit from reading this story . |
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Jenny (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-16 00:00>
book. Brain's parents' divorce forces him to visit his parents at different times of the year. The summer is the time for him to fly to see his father in Canada. He takes the trip in a small Cessna sky plane with two passengers, the pilot and himself. After several hours the pilot suffers a heartattack and the plane goes down. This marked the beginning of Brain's survival time. Paulson's discription of the plane, the accident and the setting leave a true picture of the events. Because of his style of writing I was able to invision everything in clear detail. Time and again as Brain was faced with a bear attack, finding food, and other obsticles, pictures and scenes from the book appeared vividly in my mind. I am not a true reading fan but I felt like i couldn't put this book down. It is a great story with a good plot and Paulsen's words and desciptions kept me reading. This book flows and keeps a constant push to read. It is one of the best books that I have read and I will be reading it again. I would recomend this book to anyone who loves adventure and suspense. It is a good book for both kids and adults, its easily understood and fun to read. It is an all around a good book and great for anyone. |
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Jennifer (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-16 00:00>
A must read for the adventure seeker and wilderness lover!Brian Robeson, thirteen, boards a small bush plane along with thepilot. He is going to visit his father in Canada, after his parent's separation, knowing the secret, the reason for their divorce. Brian leaves New York with a hatchet, a parting gift from his mother. Most of the book is about Brian's experiences on his own, learning to take from nature to find food and shelter, learning to hunt and fish and protect himself. Does he live? Is he saved? These questions keep the reader intrigued for all 195 pages of the text. Brian is a strong, well developed character. He evolves, learns and matures from his experience. His story is one of bravery, determination, and the power of positive thinking. Gary Paulsen's writing style is naturally flowing, highly descriptive, and easy to read. The book is a fast read, but is easy to set down and pick up again without losing one's place in the story. A Newbery Honor Book that deserves to be read! |
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Debbi (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-16 00:00>
I picked this book because a boy in my 4th grade class did a book report on it and the story sounded interesting. And was it ever! Brian gets a hatchet as a gift from his mother, and when his little plane crashes in a lake in the Canadian wilderness, he finds many ways to use his new hatchet to keep himself alive. He uses his hatchet to protect himself from a porcupine that tries to attack him in the middle of the night; he also uses the hatchet to make firewood to keep himself warm at night. Brian spends 54 days in the woods, by himself. A twister turns the crashed plane so that the tail sticks out of the lake, and another plane, flying overhead, sees the tail sticking out of the water. The pilot lands his plane on the lake and when he sees Brian he realizes he's found the kid that searchers stopped looking for weeks ago. Remember this book when you go the bookstore, it's great! |
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Alex (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-16 00:00>
This book is actually kind of scary. It's about a boy named Brian who gets stuck in the Canadian wilderness when his plane crashes. During the flight, the pilot has a heart attack and dies. Brian "sucessfully" crashes the plane into a lake. Thereafter, Brian survives, using him, his most important attribute, and a hatchet ,given to him from his mother as a parting gift. Thoughts of his parents divorce, suicide, and death fill Brian's head as he stays by the lake, his home as he thinks of it.This story is so awesome and realisic, it's hard to believe it's fiction. Gary Paulsen's gift of writing shows greatly in this terrific (no...magnificent) book. |
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Ray (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-16 00:00>
This exciting solo adventure and Newbery Honor book has been one of the most popular titles in our elementary school library for many years. It is similar to "My Side of the Mountain," another award winning book about a boy who survives alone in the woods. The original sequel to "Hatchet," called "The River" was disappointing, but the newer sequel, "Brian's Winter," is almost as popular as "Hatchet." This book grabs the attention of young people, including kids who normally don't like to read. Highly recommended! |
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Oliver (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-16 00:00>
If you like the outdoors, you will love this book! Even if youdon't, this book still remains absolutely captivating! This is one ofGary Paulson's greatest, and is a must-read. The focus is Brian, a teen-age boy who is trying to get through the anger of his parents' divorce during a plane ride to visist his dad in Canada. But the pilot has a heart attack and leaves Brian stranded in the small plane with no flying skills and he can't reach anyone over the radio. The plane eventually runs out of gas and Brian has to crash land. From then on he has to learn to survrvive in the woods on his own trying to remember what he had learned in school about survival skills. This book is absolutely amazing and I would be lying to say that I haven't read this book several times! |
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Vicky (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-16 00:00>
Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen is an adventurous story about a teenager, Brian Robeson, and how he survives over two monthes in the woods. Brian's pilot dies in the plane, so Brian tries to fly the plane and finds a safe place to land. Brian has to try to survive in the woods with many setbacks. For example, Brian is a city boy. He relies on his parents, a store where he can easily get food, and his house. During this experience, he learns from trial and error, common sense, and a little bit of what he learned from watching television. Brian has encountered many wild animals including a moose, a wolf, a bear, and a skunk. Brian goes through so much and so many set backs, it's hard to believe he lived for more then two months in the woods by himself with only his brain and his hatchet. He matures greatly and quickly when he pays more attention to what happens around him. After one month, the police and his parents quit looking for Brian assuming that he is dead. Will Brian survive through the harsh winter, or will he be saved? I would recommend Hatchet because it let's you see what it is like to live in the wild with nature and wild animals. In this adventurous story, you see how Brian is able to survive in realistic events, as well as see how he matures throughout the book. |
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Carrie (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-16 00:00>
Imagine being stranded in the wilderness alone and learning to survive. We all think about it at least once in our life, learning to hunt, getting shelter, and staying sane. In the book, Hatchet, Brian Robeson, age thirteen, is stranded in the Canadian wilderness, after his plane crashes, with only a hatchet and the clothes on his back. Brian was on that plane to his dad's house because of the Secret... This survival-fiction book tells how Brian undergoes a complete character change. When he first arrives he is relatively weak, but eventually Brian has keen, alert, senses, and he is a stronger person. In the book, Brian must deal with insane moose, and making a new friend; fire. Hunting and food gathering is a major part of the book, which makes it seem very realistic, but will Brian ever make it home alive? This book is a Newbery honor book and I believe it is very deserving of that prestigous award. Gary Paulsen's portrayal of someone in that predicament is very accurate. He puts you right in the action and in the struggle. I recommend this book to people of all different ages and backgrounds. You will feel every moment of hope and rejection in this amazing Paulsen novel. |
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