Hatchet

As Brian's little prop aircraft pilot passes away from a heart attack, he is his route to Canada to see his father, who he has been alienated from. With only his clothes and the hatchet his mother bought him as a gift before he left, Brian is forced to crash-land the aircraft in a lake and ends himself stuck in the isolated Canadian wilderness.

Brian is now really alone and miserable, having been tormented about his mother's secret and his parents' upcoming divorce. Brian, who is afraid, hungry, and exhausted, tries to create a shelter for himself and obtain food. He is unfamiliar with the woods and has to develop a fresh sense of patience and awareness to overcome the obstacles he faces every day. Is it safe to drink the water? Are the berries that he discovers toxic?

Brian gradually gains the ability to use hardship to his advantage. For example, a destructive storm teaches him how to get supplies out of the flooded planes, and an invading porcupine teaches him how to build fire. Most importantly, as he musters the will to survive, Brian puts behind the self-pity he had been feeling over his situation.

This captivating novel, which tells the tale of survival and change, has inspired many readers to go into the wild.