A few years ago Handsome Hunk and I wanted to haul the brood over miles and miles of pavement so we could commune with another of our offspring. I love a road trip! Cramming a college Freshman, one high school coed and baby boy (2nd grade), into a car for 10 hours with their parental units is my reason for living. In order to prevent bloodshead, I shopped for snacks and then Eureka! I decided we needed a Book-On-Tape. We would eat squeezy cheese and be amused and enlighted while Handsome Hunk piloted us in style. I don't know if it was divine intuition, dumb luck or my uncanny ability to assertain the best books by speed reading them standing up in my local warehouse-o-books; but I scored! I bought Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. We listened. (I know that people add music to their blogs - I don't know how so you should now imagine heavenly choirs singing) Note all the wonders that flowed from this inspired act (and about 20 bucks US):
1. Peace and harmony prevailed the entire trip.
2. Handsome Hunk became converted to the whole Book-on-Tape concept. Every road trip taken by the brood must be accompied by a Book-on-Tape ( or now a CD). Our family may well be the reason this industry is florishing or that it still survives.
3. The 2nd grader is now Big Man On Campus (High School Senior) and a volunteer at the grade school (be still my heart). His first assignment - read to the kiddlets. He chose Hatchet. The big football lug got misty eyed about sharing the best book ever with short people.
4. Former college freshman is now a College Graduate. (I'm sure because he was exposed to fine literature).
5. Friends of the brood, broodlets (aka grandchildren) have played the tapes until the cover is tattered. I've got my +$20 worth.
6. Many book reports were written. Good grades received. ACT scores were raised.
If you haven't discovered Gary Paulsen, he's the award winning author of numerous books for kids. Hatchet may be his most famous book. If you've got a male child who's a reluctant middle grade reader - Hatchet is one of the best books to lure him in with. If your male offspring love to read - he'll still like it. Girls and Moms like Hatchet. Note that this was a tale that rivited the whole brood.
In real life the author, Paulsen, is a perfect guys guy. Racing dogsleds in the Artic, sailing around the world, living in the woods with only a hatchet and his brains are just a few of his real life accomplishments, so his numerous books are full of tough guys that do the same. But, he's a tough guy that WRITES CHILDREN'S BOOKS! It boggles the mind.
In Hatchet, 13 year old Brian becomes stranded in the Canadian woods with only his clothing and a small hatchet his mother had given him. His parents are divorcing and Brian has been sent via a small plane to visit his father. Everyone's worst fear is played out. The pilot suffers a heart attack, the plane crashes and this city boy is on his own in the wilderness. Brian has to learn how to survive. My favorite part is when Brian realizes that worrying, crying or being depressed are reactions that don't help. It's not that this is bad or evil, but it doesn't feed you, or keep you warm and safe. I preach and preach at my brood to not whine, but Brian does it so much better. The Brood and Handsome Hunk liked it because Paulsen packs this with heart-in-your mouth action and suspense.
Hatchet was so beloved Paulsen gave us sequels. In Hatchet Brian is saved after almost 3 months, but Brian's Winter is a retelling of the story with the premise that he wasn't saved and he has to survive in the woods through a Canadian winter. In The River Brian, now 15 is asked to return to the same wilderness to help researchers learn about the psychology of survival. Brian's Return and The Hunt continue his adventures in the outdoors.
Warnings and disclaimers:
I didn't have any problem with a larva as young as 7 or 8 reading (or being read) this story but when I recommended it to my sister for her son she was concerned about the story line of Brian's parent's divorce. She's a mental health specialist and more sensitive to a larval human's inner feelings than myself, your beloved critic.
If your kid liked this book they may like:
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. Another survival in the wilderness story but written in 1959. Also a Newberry book. This one also has spawned sequels.
Anything by Gary Paulsen or Jean Craighead George
1. Peace and harmony prevailed the entire trip.
2. Handsome Hunk became converted to the whole Book-on-Tape concept. Every road trip taken by the brood must be accompied by a Book-on-Tape ( or now a CD). Our family may well be the reason this industry is florishing or that it still survives.
3. The 2nd grader is now Big Man On Campus (High School Senior) and a volunteer at the grade school (be still my heart). His first assignment - read to the kiddlets. He chose Hatchet. The big football lug got misty eyed about sharing the best book ever with short people.
4. Former college freshman is now a College Graduate. (I'm sure because he was exposed to fine literature).
5. Friends of the brood, broodlets (aka grandchildren) have played the tapes until the cover is tattered. I've got my +$20 worth.
6. Many book reports were written. Good grades received. ACT scores were raised.
If you haven't discovered Gary Paulsen, he's the award winning author of numerous books for kids. Hatchet may be his most famous book. If you've got a male child who's a reluctant middle grade reader - Hatchet is one of the best books to lure him in with. If your male offspring love to read - he'll still like it. Girls and Moms like Hatchet. Note that this was a tale that rivited the whole brood.
In real life the author, Paulsen, is a perfect guys guy. Racing dogsleds in the Artic, sailing around the world, living in the woods with only a hatchet and his brains are just a few of his real life accomplishments, so his numerous books are full of tough guys that do the same. But, he's a tough guy that WRITES CHILDREN'S BOOKS! It boggles the mind.
In Hatchet, 13 year old Brian becomes stranded in the Canadian woods with only his clothing and a small hatchet his mother had given him. His parents are divorcing and Brian has been sent via a small plane to visit his father. Everyone's worst fear is played out. The pilot suffers a heart attack, the plane crashes and this city boy is on his own in the wilderness. Brian has to learn how to survive. My favorite part is when Brian realizes that worrying, crying or being depressed are reactions that don't help. It's not that this is bad or evil, but it doesn't feed you, or keep you warm and safe. I preach and preach at my brood to not whine, but Brian does it so much better. The Brood and Handsome Hunk liked it because Paulsen packs this with heart-in-your mouth action and suspense.
Hatchet was so beloved Paulsen gave us sequels. In Hatchet Brian is saved after almost 3 months, but Brian's Winter is a retelling of the story with the premise that he wasn't saved and he has to survive in the woods through a Canadian winter. In The River Brian, now 15 is asked to return to the same wilderness to help researchers learn about the psychology of survival. Brian's Return and The Hunt continue his adventures in the outdoors.
Warnings and disclaimers:
I didn't have any problem with a larva as young as 7 or 8 reading (or being read) this story but when I recommended it to my sister for her son she was concerned about the story line of Brian's parent's divorce. She's a mental health specialist and more sensitive to a larval human's inner feelings than myself, your beloved critic.
If your kid liked this book they may like:
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. Another survival in the wilderness story but written in 1959. Also a Newberry book. This one also has spawned sequels.
Anything by Gary Paulsen or Jean Craighead George
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