Hatchet

By: Gary Paulsen

Narrated by: Peter Coyote

13-year-old Brian Robeson learns to survive alone in the Canadian wilderness, armed with his hatchet and resourcefulness.©1992 Gary Paulsen; (P)1992 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint of Random House Audio Publishing Group

Whole family was in on it

Where does Hatchet rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

For the first time, we found an audible story that riveted my husband, son, myself and even (at times) my 5 year old daughter. As family listening goes, this was the best book we've listened to on a long car trip, and Brian's story was discussed on hikes, at meals and long after the exciting conclusion.

What did you like best about this story?

The gradual development of Brian's grit and character through problem-solving, persistence and patience. The gentle repetition of words and ideas in the text works well in an audible format, both dramatically and because you don't miss any crucial points in the story. The words are repeated several times, but with building intensity.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

After the storm, when Brian realizes nature's indifference to his survival, and realizes he can survive it with what he continues to learn in the wilderness.

One of the Best Family Listens

What made the experience of listening to Hatchet the most enjoyable?

I chose this book based on the reviews primarily for my 12-year-old son, but our entire family loved it. My son in particular loved it so much he e-mailed one of his former teachers to tell her he wished he had listened to her recommendation and read the book years ago when she first suggested it to him. The story is so fast-paced and action-packed from the beginning, that it leaves you breathless from the first paragraph. We listened to the majority of the book in the car, and had several "driveway moments," where we sat transfixed at our destination, desparate for just a few more minutes of listening so we could find out what happened next. This is a great book for the entire family to enjoy together.

Great book - had to listen to the sequels

This book is so much better than the movie. The details of how badly he failed at the beginning and how much he learned gave me a feeling of a true survival story. Anyone that dreams of living off the land will enjoy this book. It was so good I had to listen to all the sequels. Awesome reader too.

short but sweet!

it's a little weird to marathon through my favorite children's series in a matter of a few days but I loved it!

Reminiscing with this story

I remember reading this as a kid. It's a good story of survival and is well read! Good book for young adults.