The Brian Saga, Book 5
I’ve apparently read these Gary Paulsen books out of order—but never mind. They’re each so engrossing in their own right that I’ll probably read them all again. And then again. And probably again after that.
Although I began with Hatchet (Book 1) by myself several years ago, I reread it to my kids more recently and have kept my eyes peeled for the others in the series. We’ve since enjoyed The River (Book 2) together and only recently grabbed a copy of this, Brian’s Hunt (Book 5). We’re only missing Brian’s Winter (Book 3) and Brian’s Return (Book 4) and then we’ll know the full saga—though to be honest, we’ve pieced together much of his story from his memories in this final book.
The Story
This book takes Brian on a solo voyage by canoe up into the north country, away from civilization and back into the nature he’s grown to respect. While canoeing in a lake one night, he spies a dog onshore that’s wounded and seeking help from the only human around. Brian lands his canoe, gains the dog’s trust, dresses her wounds, and begins the long wondering about where she’s from and what in the world had happened to her.
As the two new friends push further north, an instinct that Brian can’t explain drives him—a compulsion to make better time, to push through the rest times, to make his way to the big Cree lake up north. He ultimately discovers that the wounded dog had run theses dozens of miles away from a vicious attack on an encampment of Cree whom Brian had once known—by what, he can only guess. The rest of the tale is quick but powerful, edge-of-your-seat reading that forced me to read aloud the final 40 pages all in one sitting.
How My Kids Took It
While I was a bit concerned about my kids (ages 11 and 13) having nightmares through the gore of this tale, I think they’re finally over that hump. They know that stories don’t generally end too badly, so whatever the main character has to endure in the middle pages will mean nothing compared to their victory in the end. Of course, I honestly thought that this formula might fail me this time, as all seemed pretty hopeless for Brian even to the bitter end. It really was a thriller.
It’s good to know that my kids are growing up, and that we can read more dangerous books like this—but at the same time, it also feels a bit like the end of innocence. My son just turned 13, so innocence is going out the window anyways. I know for a while they’re going to want harder, faster tales like this and that “kids’ books” will be anathema.
But I also know that (if they’re anything like me) their love for stories and reading will circle them back to the books we’ve enjoyed together in childhood, the Roald Dahl stories and the Astrid Lindgren novels, etc. I’m just happy to be on the journey with them while I can! Friends and cars and jobs and responsibility will eventually get in the way of our mornings and evenings together, but for the time being, I’ll enjoy it while I’ve got it.
©2024 E.T.
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You are a great dad who is doing it right. My own 2 kids, I did the same thing with them….we shared adventures through books even up to their sophomore/jr year in highschool. Yes, friends, sports, jobs and moving on happened, but we still talk about those adventures and both of them love to read to this day. They are both in their 30’s now. Best investment of love and time is what you are doing.
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