Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson, haunted by his secret knowledge of his mother’s infidelity, is traveling by single-engine plane to visit his father for the first time since the divorce. When the plane crashes, killing the pilot, the sole survivor is Brian. He is alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present. At first consumed by despair and self-pity, Brian slowly learns survival skills—how to make a shelter for himself, how to hunt and fish and forage for food, how to make a fire—and even finds the courage to start over from scratch when a tornado ravages his campsite. When Brian is finally rescued after fifty-four days in the wild, he emerges from his ordeal with new patience and maturity, and a greater understanding of himself and his parents. Hatchet is book one of five in the Brian's Saga  Product details Publisher : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reissue edition (December 26, 2006) Language : English Paperback : 192 pages Reading age : 12 - 14 years Grade level : 5 - 9 Item Weight : 4.8 ounces Dimensions : 5.13 x 0.6 x 7.63 inches ISBN-13 : 978-1416936473