Brian's Hunt

December 22, 2003
In Gary Paulsen's latest, Brian's Hunt, Brian has traveled back to his beloved Canadian wilderness. Although Brian's Return (2001) was to be the last in the series, here the acclaimed hero hunts for a bear that has attacked his friends. With an ever-reverent view toward the power of nature, the author delivers another suspenseful adventure.

December 1, 2003
Gr 6-9-In an author's note, Paulsen explains why he decided to reopen the story first begun in Hatchet (Bradbury, 1987). In this short installment, Brian, now 16, is back in the wilderness and encounters a savagely wounded dog. He makes his way to the lake island home of the Cree man he met in Brian's Return (Delacorte, 1999), where he discovers the tragedy that led to the dog's liberation. David and his wife have been partially eaten by a bear, which necessitates the hunt mentioned in the title and described in the final chapter. Throughout, the protagonist frequently remembers events from his original stranding, alludes to the problems he had faced trying to return to "civilization," and ultimately explains the special arrangement by which he has returned to the "bush" instead of high school. Although the story does stand alone, these many references will make the audience want to read (or reread) the earlier books. This story is not as well developed as the other episodes but it is a must-read for the hordes of existing Hatchet fans out there, and it may also serve to draw some new readers into the fold. An afterword discusses bear behavior and Paulsen's experiences with these animals.-Sean George, Memphis-Shelby County Public Library & Information Center, Memphis, TN

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2004
Gr. 6-10. Brian's back. And why not? After all, the hero of " Hatchet," " The River," " Brian's Winter, "and " Brian's Return "has by now become such a veteran survivor that even Paulsen's declaration (in " Brian's Return")" "that he was done with his durable hero wasn't enough to keep the kid from an encore appearance. Brian, now 16, seems older than his years, a mighty hunter worthy of Hemingway. He turns his back on the so-called "civilized" world of his parents and retreats to the Canadian wilderness, at one with nature again. This time he rescues an injured dog and nurses it back to health. Lucky pooch. Less fortunate, Brian soon learns, are the Cree friends he met in earlier adventures. Their fate is the catalyst for the hunt of Brian's life. Less a novel than a very long short story, Paulsen's latest will satisfy his many fans, though it may be too slow to start and too obviously structured to win new friends for Brian.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2004
In this sequel to "Brian's Winter", itself an "alternate sequel" to "Hatchet", Brian returns to the north woods more fully prepared, although still not ready for the horror he encounters after rescuing a stray, injured dog. This novel is really more of a short story padded with wilderness and survival lore, but Paulsen fans will enjoy the formula and forgive the sometimes wooden prose.

(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)