Hatchet
Reading Guides
Each Digital Download Includes:
- Student Reading Guide- chapter guided worksheets with comprehension questions, creative reflections, chapter activities, vocabulary/glossary if applicable and historical content page if applicable.
- Teacher Guides- includes book summary, sensitive content note, suggested reading age, grading rubric, sample answers, extension questions/projects.
Each guide may differ in structure, depth, and style depending on the content of the book.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen is a gripping survival novel about Brian Robeson, a thirteen-year-old boy who crash-lands in the Canadian wilderness after the pilot of his small plane has a heart attack. Alone with only a hatchet his mother gave him, Brian must learn how to find food, make shelter, build fire, and survive the wild.
The book blends survival, courage, problem-solving, loneliness, resilience, nature, and emotional growth. It has that “one kid, one tool, and a whole wilderness that does not care about excuses” feeling. 🪓
Best fit: Readers ages 10–14, especially kids who enjoy wilderness survival, adventure, realistic fiction, outdoor danger, and stories about grit and independence. Great for reluctant readers who like high-stakes, fast-moving books.
Content note: Includes a plane crash, injury, animal encounters, hunger, fear, isolation, and some emotional stress related to family conflict.