I had high expectations for Hatchet by Gary Paulsen before even picking up the book. Hatchet had been highly recommended to me by my Grandpa, who is an avid reader and enjoys the outdoors like me, so I was eager to take it off the shelf and begin the thrilling survival story. You aren’t just “along for the ride,” as Brian Robeson, a 13-year-old boy, experiences a horrific plane crash, leaving him stranded in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a hatchet… You are Brian Robeson. You taste, hear, and feel everything Brian Robeson does. You are exposed to the elements, going through natural disasters, starvation, animal attacks, and more. You learn Brian’s emotional pain when he witnessed his parents’ divorce. While reading this book, you become so focused on one thing, and one thing only — survival by any means necessary.

Written by Gary Paulsen and published in 1986, Hatchet took the world by storm, winning two awards (John Newbery Medal in 1988 and the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award in 1986). Paulsen is by far the most qualified person to create a survival book like Hatchet, as he was an Army veteran, field engineer, trapper, dog musher, and a proud Luddite. This allowed Gary Paulsen to easily paint life’s harsh realities honestly and without speaking down to his audience, giving an out-of-body experience to the reader. Hatchet is often referred to as Paulsen’s greatest work and one of the best books for young teenagers to read. You won’t find many people who say they haven’t read or (at least) heard about Hatchet.

Hatchet is a well-crafted book that includes survival tricks, such as fieldcraft tips, firebuilding, and lean-to building tactics. The book also has intense moments, including a tornado and moose attack. But the protagonist’s fight for survival isn’t just about the unforgiving weather and dangerous animals; it’s about surviving one’s youth.

It’s that greater truth that makes Hatchet so memorable. Paulsen ran away from home in his youth to join the circus and later joined the army. Once finished with the army, he opted to live deep in the forest with only a couple of dogs. Gary Paulsen, having often ditched the “normal life” and choosing to escape the cage that is society, is shown within the essence of Brian — the want to be a teen again and explore.

As the book progresses, Brian matures quickly, and what seems like fear at the start of the book slowly transforms into resolution. The book represents the progression of oneself entering their teen years, searching for challenge and independence. Brian slowly learns how to survive by himself, creating a stable means of life that lets him survive for over 60 days and overcome challenges, such as wolf attacks, tornadoes, starvation, and disease.

Paulsen’s way of writing is short and sweet. His sentences add up to tiny chapters that give the reader a quick sense of accomplishment, so much so that you feel as if you finish the book in a matter of seconds. The character progression of Brian Robeson as he evolves from a boy to a man is mesmerizing; there’s no better author to have created a character like Brian other than Gary Paulsen. Hatchet’s plot, various themes, and extremely descriptive (but short) chapters make the book an amazing read. The book more than exceeded my expectations, and I would surely recommend this book to someone else. All and all, I would give the book a solid four out of five stars. Hatchet is truly a one-of-a-kind book.