Lizzie Bordon had an Ax, not a Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

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Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Aladdin, 1987.

Simple, straightforward prose and a moving tale of survival.

The prose is almost poetic in its stripped-down simplicity; it mirrors the thoughts (as I imagine them) of a young boy, yet hints at depth in his character that make me willing to spend almost 200pgs with him and no one else.

Very little dialogue, but Paulsen’s quick, easy, evocative prose makes the pace dance.

Details are fabulous. I was surprised to read in the author bio that Paulsen actually tasted turtle eggs as part of his “research” for the book. His background as a survivalist and naturalist show in the intimacy with which he writes about Brian’s struggles.

Rebecca Grabill

Rebecca has been writing since childhood, her first book about a kitten published between homemade cardboard covers in second grade. Although she studied religion and philosophy in university, she continued writing, earning an MFA from Hamline University and publishing multiple picture books (no longer with homemade covers) and a collection of poetry with a variety of New York and independent publishers. She has also published a wide array of fiction, essays, and poetry in magazines and journals and photographs for Getty Images. She balances writing with homeschooling the younger of her six children, launching her young adults, church activities, and overseeing a small flock of chickens in rural West Michigan.

www.rebeccagrabill.com
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A GREAT Book about a Great Girl - The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson