Summary of THE HATCHET

The Hatchet by Gary Paulsen is about a thirteen-year-old boy named Brian Robeson. He is flying in a bush plane to visit his father when the pilot has a heart attack and crashes into the Canadian wilderness. With no radio and no food, Brian must use his knowledge of the wilderness to survive. He uses a hatchet his mother gave him to build shelter, hunt, and fend off wild animals. In the process of surviving, he discovers his own inner strength and learns to appreciate the beauty of nature. He also comes to terms with his own family issues as he contemplates the plane wreckage and his lost parents.