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Quick answer: If you remember Hatchet, read Into the Wild, Alive, Endurance and The Revenant. All are gripping survival stories about people pushed to their limits in harsh environments.
Gary Paulsen's Hatchet follows thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson, who survives alone in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash with only a hatchet. It is simple, gripping and often read in school. Adult readers can enjoy survival stories with more depth and scale in the books below, mixing fiction and true accounts.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Into the Wild | Jon Krakauer | Adult | young man in Alaska |
| Wild | Cheryl Strayed | Adult | long-distance hike |
| Alive | Piers Paul Read | Adult | true survival |
| Endurance | Alfred Lansing | Adult | polar survival |
| Unbroken | Laura Hillenbrand | Adult | war and survival |
| The Revenant | Michael Punke | Adult | frontier revenge |
| Into Thin Air | Jon Krakauer | Adult | mountain disaster |
| Touching the Void | Joe Simpson | Adult | mountaineering |
| Lord of the Flies | William Golding | Adult | island survival |
| Robinson Crusoe | Daniel Defoe | Adult | original castaway |
| Life of Pi | Yann Martel | Adult | survival at sea |
| The Old Man and the Sea | Ernest Hemingway | Adult | man versus nature |
| The Call of the Wild | Jack London | All ages | wilderness classic |
| Adrift | Steven Callahan | Adult | lost at sea |
| The Wager | David Grann | Adult | shipwreck history |
1. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
The story of Chris McCandless, who walked into the Alaskan wilderness. Thoughtful and controversial.
Best for: young man in Alaska.
2. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
A woman hikes the Pacific Crest Trail to recover from grief. Honest, funny and moving.
Best for: long-distance hike.
3. Alive by Piers Paul Read
A Uruguayan rugby team survives for weeks in the Andes after a plane crash. Harrowing and unforgettable.
Best for: true survival.
4. Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Shackleton's crew is stranded in Antarctica for months. A classic of exploration.
Best for: polar survival.
5. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
An Olympic runner survives a plane crash, drifting at sea and a prison camp. Gripping and emotional.
Best for: war and survival.
6. The Revenant by Michael Punke
Hugh Glass is left for dead after a bear attack. Raw and fast.
Best for: frontier revenge.
7. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Krakauer's account of the 1996 Everest tragedy. Tense and unsparing.
Best for: mountain disaster.
8. Touching the Void by Joe Simpson
Simpson survives a terrible fall and crawls off a mountain. Brutally honest.
Best for: mountaineering.
9. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Boys stranded on an island descend into savagery. Dark and thought-provoking.
Best for: island survival.
10. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
A man survives for years on a deserted island. The model for later survival stories.
Best for: original castaway.
11. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
A boy shares a lifeboat with a tiger. Imaginative and moving.
Best for: survival at sea.
12. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
An old fisherman battles a giant marlin. Short and powerful.
Best for: man versus nature.
13. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
A dog is taken to the Yukon and must survive. Short and gripping.
Best for: wilderness classic.
14. Adrift by Steven Callahan
Callahan survives seventy-six days in a small raft. A calm, detailed account.
Best for: lost at sea.
15. The Wager by David Grann
A British warship is wrecked and the survivors turn on each other. Gripping narrative non-fiction.
Best for: shipwreck history.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Hatchet: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
If you want a fast adventure pick The Revenant, The Call of the Wild or Alive. For real-life endurance choose Endurance, Touching the Void or Adrift. For reflective stories try Wild or Into the Wild. For literary classics read Robinson Crusoe, Life of Pi or Lord of the Flies. Some of these include disturbing scenes of death and hardship, so check content before gifting. Younger teens who loved Hatchet can try Brian's Winter, The Call of the Wild, or Island of the Blue Dolphins. Adults who want the same simple drive can pick Alive, Endurance or Touching the Void. If you want to try a fictional narrative, The Revenant and Life of Pi are the best. Survival books also make excellent audiobooks. A word on safety: these books are inspiring, but they are stories, not manuals. Real survival depends on training and preparation, so treat them as entertainment rather than instruction.
Related: 15 Books Like Hatchet by Gary Paulsen You’ll Love: Survival Adventures for Young Readers · What Age Is Hatchet Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hatchet about?
A boy survives alone in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash.
Who wrote it?
Gary Paulsen.
When was it published?
1987.
Is Hatchet only for kids?
It is a middle-grade novel, but many adults enjoy it.
Is there a sequel?
Yes, several, including The River and Brian's Winter.
Which of these is closest?
Alive and Endurance give the same sense of survival against the odds.
Are the books very graphic?
Some include harsh details, so choose based on your comfort level.
What should I read next?
Try Into Thin Air or Endurance.
Is there a sequel to Hatchet?
Yes. Paulsen wrote several, including The River and Brian's Winter.
Are survival stories good for teens?
Yes, they often show resourcefulness and resilience.
Is Into the Wild accurate?
It is a reported account, though readers still debate McCandless's choices and cause of death.