Helpful Score: 2
The gripping sequel to 'Hatchet'. Great for reluctant boy readers.
Helpful Score: 2
A good book, nice sequel to Hatchet. Hatched was a million times better though. Brian's Winter is another good book in the Brian stories. If you like hatchet you'll find this a quick and enjoyable read.
Helpful Score: 2
First Line: Brian opened the door and stood back.
This book is the sequel to Paulsen's Newbery Medal-winning The Hatchet which I reviewed a few months ago. In this book, some men who run a government survival school want Brian to go back to the Canadian wilderness and show them how he survived. Derek Holtzer, the psychologist running the program, believes that the teaching will be much more successful if he's gone through the real thing.
After much talking with Brian's family, it's agreed that the young boy can go. When they reach the last leg of their journey, Brian puts his foot down: if Derek really wants to learn how to survive then the tents, food, guns, sleeping bags...everything must stay behind. If any of those items come along they will be used, and Derek won't be learning how to survive.
Derek knows that Brian is right and agrees to the plan, only bringing along communication gear. They don't even have time to set up camp properly when a rip-snorting storm blows through the lake area. Derek is struck by lightning; the communications are knocked out. The only thing Brian can do in an effort to save Derek's life is to build a raft and travel by river to a small trading post.
Brian is an exceptional character, and I enjoyed reading about him again. The problem with this book is that the premise is over within the span of five heartbeats. Zap! The lightning strikes. Bam! Derek is gravely injured. Pow! Brian builds the raft. Zowie! They're on the river. Oof! They're at the trading post. There's just not enough meat on the bone in which to sink your teeth.
Fortunately, this isn't the last book that Paulsen has written about Brian, so when I need a survival fix, I'll look up the other books in the series. This is a young character who has definitely gotten under my skin!
This book is the sequel to Paulsen's Newbery Medal-winning The Hatchet which I reviewed a few months ago. In this book, some men who run a government survival school want Brian to go back to the Canadian wilderness and show them how he survived. Derek Holtzer, the psychologist running the program, believes that the teaching will be much more successful if he's gone through the real thing.
After much talking with Brian's family, it's agreed that the young boy can go. When they reach the last leg of their journey, Brian puts his foot down: if Derek really wants to learn how to survive then the tents, food, guns, sleeping bags...everything must stay behind. If any of those items come along they will be used, and Derek won't be learning how to survive.
Derek knows that Brian is right and agrees to the plan, only bringing along communication gear. They don't even have time to set up camp properly when a rip-snorting storm blows through the lake area. Derek is struck by lightning; the communications are knocked out. The only thing Brian can do in an effort to save Derek's life is to build a raft and travel by river to a small trading post.
Brian is an exceptional character, and I enjoyed reading about him again. The problem with this book is that the premise is over within the span of five heartbeats. Zap! The lightning strikes. Bam! Derek is gravely injured. Pow! Brian builds the raft. Zowie! They're on the river. Oof! They're at the trading post. There's just not enough meat on the bone in which to sink your teeth.
Fortunately, this isn't the last book that Paulsen has written about Brian, so when I need a survival fix, I'll look up the other books in the series. This is a young character who has definitely gotten under my skin!
Helpful Score: 1
My brother hates to read, but this book got him interested in the entire Gary Paulsen series!
FROM THE PUBLISHER
"We want you to do it again."These words, spoken to Brian Robeson, will change his life. Two years earlier, Brian was stranded alone in the wilderness for fifty-four days with nothing but a small hatchet. Yet he survived. Now the government wants him to do it again -- to go back into the wilderness so that astronauts and the military can learn the survival techniques that kept Brian alive.
~~~~~
My 12 year old dd read this and loved it. She highly recommends Paulsen's adventure books.
"We want you to do it again."These words, spoken to Brian Robeson, will change his life. Two years earlier, Brian was stranded alone in the wilderness for fifty-four days with nothing but a small hatchet. Yet he survived. Now the government wants him to do it again -- to go back into the wilderness so that astronauts and the military can learn the survival techniques that kept Brian alive.
~~~~~
My 12 year old dd read this and loved it. She highly recommends Paulsen's adventure books.
Exciting read from the author of Newbury Medal Winner 'Hatchet' --Gary Paulsen. Great for any reader, especially ages 9-young adult.
My son enjoyed this one alot. :)
Sequel to Paulsen's "Hatchet"--slow start but eventually moves at an exciting fast pace!
though written for kids, i enjoyed it as an adult.
Sequel to Hatchet.
A sequel to "Hatchet," this book is very similar in content, and detail. A little bit too graphic about bodily functions for my taste. Might appeal to the "Outward Bond" types among you.
fifteen-year-old Brian returning to the Canadian wilderness where he had been stranded alone after a plane crash two years earlier
A quick, entertaining read.
The sequel to The Hatchet. We read this in my classroom. My students really enjoyed the suspense.
