195 pages
English language
Published Nov. 1, 1988 by Puffin Books.
After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness, learning to survive with only the aid of a hatchet given him by his mother, and learning also to survive his parents' divorce.
I re-read this on a whim when my brother mentioned he was teaching it to his class; I'd read this when I was a child. It's still a fun little story, worth the 30 or 40 minutes it took to read.
is this the first time you'll be reading a narrative about survival and man against the combined forces of both fate and nature? you'll enjoy it. if not then it'll be okay.
not going to lie, i lowkey didn't want brian to get rescued at the end because paulsen did manage to ignite that feeling of liberation that comes with being left to your own devices with no societal pressure or responsibility other than to keep yourself alive and sane. sounds terrible? yes. liberation always did come with a price.
Good young adult outdoor adventure, offers valuable perspectives.
Minecraft: The Book.
