Whenever I think back to growing up, the book that comes to mind is Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. I don’t really remember much about the story, other than the kid was stuck out in the woods by himself and survived because he had a hatchet.

I always thought the survival aspect of the story was so cool. I think that is part of why I enjoy movies, stories, and shows with similar aspects, like Alaskan Bush People or Alaska: The Last Frontier. Sure, these shows are produced and played up a bit, but you still get to see people out in remote areas surviving on a lot less than we have here.

I’ll bet it has also shaped some of how I like to repurpose things or make things on my own. It can all lead back in some part to this book I read as a boy. I still remember trips out to the woods with my dad to scout deer and how much I enjoyed taking his hatchet with us to cut branches or small trees. I think I need to buy myself an old hatchet when I see one at an estate sale!

Is there a book you remember reading as a kid?