Common Sense Media Review
Hold on tight for an intense tale of survival.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
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Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 49 parent reviews
Based on 134 kid reviews
Kids say this book is a polarizing read, with some finding it incredibly engaging and inspiring, while others deem it boring and overly repetitive. Many appreciate the survival themes and character development, though criticism arises around its darker elements and heavy subject matter, making it a challenging read for younger audiences.
- polarizing opinions
- survival themes
- darker elements
- character development
- repetitive plot
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
A city boy is stranded in the Canadian wilderness, equipped with nothing but a hatchet and the clothes on his back. Readers get a riveting view of Brian's struggle to survive for the next two months, forever changing his attitude toward 20-century civilization.
Is It Any Good?
Muscular prose, plus an accurate depiction of the necessities of survival from an author who has lived the details, makes this a riveting, intelligent read. HATCHET has won dozens of awards and appears on many summer-reading lists -- and for good reason. In the end, the book is a fascinating thrill that will keep readers mesmerized to the last page.
Gary Paulsen does not romanticize the difficulties Brian faces. Readers witness his gut-wrenching sickness from eating too many berries and his shock when he realizes he has never before heard total silence. His failures and triumphs are also presented as equal parts of one life-altering experience. In the two months he spends in the wild, Brian undergoes countless emotional and physical changes. But Paulsen keeps the reader at Brian's side as he discovers how strong he has always been.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Brian's failures and triumphs and how they change his attitude and viewpoint.
Do you think you could survive if you were in the same situation?
Is there anything Brian did that you might have done differently?
What was the most terrifying part of his experience, in your opinion?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Adventure
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster
- Publication date : January 1, 1987
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
- Number of pages : 195
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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