Hatchet

Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, was my third book. Set in Canada's wilderness, this is a pure survival story. It's a classic of sorts, but I hadn't ever read it, so this seemed like a good enough time. This was a very easy and quick read, nothing too complicated- but powerful. It's about a 15-year old named Brian who was going to see his dad, stranded in the middle of Canada after the pilot of the airplane he was in dies and the plane crashes. Brian is left alone with nothing but a hatchet that his mom gave him before he left. He survives for *checks* 54 days- and only thinks to get into the plane's survival kit a day or two before the end. During those days, he encounters a bear, a porcupine, a tornado (which made me wonder, do they actually have tornadoes in Canada? *checks again* Apparently.), and a vicious moose (evidently, they can have some temper!). Although this book was really intended for a younger audience, I was glad I read it. Being a survival/nature story, of course, I had the opportunity to get a little familiar with the landscape and wildlife of at least a small part of Canada. This was really a book about courage and hope and struggles, and if you have a few hours, it would be worth it to give this one a shot.