The Camel's Hump Library, Season 2

Hatchet, Gary Paulsen Selection read by hunter, fisherman, contractor, Willem Lange. Willem Lange When the plane Brian Robeson is in crashes into a lake in the Canadian wilderness, he has to muster his strength to survive nature’s many obstacles. This isn’t easy: his only tool is a hatchet his mother gave him as a going-away present. How does he do it? Find out in Gary Paulsen’s marvelous adventure. THINGS TO DO ONLINE Read about author Gary Paulsen Gary Paulsen, when he’s not off sailing around the world is always working on a new book. He lives in La Luz, New Mexico. Here’s a short biography of the guy who flunked 9th grade. Eating turtle eggs? How do you research a wilderness adventure story? By eating a raw turtle egg, of course. Paulsen says, “It got hung up about halfway down my throat and I had to work really, really hard to get it all the way down. It tasted something like old motor oil or tired Vaseline.” Paulsen’s website let’s you ask him questions, lists all his books and tells of his latest adventures. Illustrate! Hatchet is a great book to illustrate. Here’s one kid’s version of the part when a tornado nearly kills Brian. If you have a scanner at home, do an illustration and send it to us Build a Shelter? Listening to the story, it’s easy to start picturing a shelter to build oneself. What would yours be like? Here are some nifty shelters built by kids at the Barnard Elementary School in Greece, New York. FROM THE CHR LIBRARIAN More by Gary Paulsen There are 2 sequels to Hatchet: Brian's Song and Brian's Winter. Some other good family reads from Gary Paulson: Dogsong, Tracker, The Rifle, Dancing Carl, The Voyage of the Frog, The Winter Room and The Island. He also has a recent guide to the outdoors: Father Water, Mother Woods. The older Hiking and Backpacking, one of his many early Raintree Press books, might turn up at a book sale. Summer Wilderness Camps Summers can be an introduction to real-life wilderness experience. A fishing trip to Canada with the whole family is one way to go. And here are some established summer wilderness camps for kids (from about 12 up). Keewaydin Farm and Wilderness Camp Chewonki Camp Dudley