Runner-Up
Letters About Literature 2003
Level I

Dear Gary Paulsen,

When I read your book Hatchet, it inspired me to be like Brian. He had to make a bow and arrows to hunt and stay alive, and after I read that book, I made a bow and arrow for myself. If I hadn't read Hatchet, I wouldn't have about an hour of fun every day shooting my bow at my homemade target.

Brian inspired me to always be aware of everything in the Alaskan wilderness. Now, whenever I go fishing or hunting, I'm always aware of every sound out there. Before reading Hatchet, I hardly noticed the unique details of nature, even though I do a lot of outdoor activities.

I told two of my friends that they should read the book and try making a bow. A few of them read your book and thought it was great, and, after shooting my bow, one bought one for himself. Hatchet affected him the same way as me!

I think about Brian a lot and about what he did to survive in the cold winter. Gary, you and Brian really made me enjoy the outdoors, and I'm thrilled that you described exactly how to make a bow-mine really works well!

I am a Boy Scout, and whenever we go on camping trips, I always bring my bow and arrows and shoot it and let others shoot it. Then, at night, when we sit around the campfire, somebody asks me, "Did you make that bow yourself?" and I answer, "Yes I did, and I learned how from Gary Paulsen's book called Hatchet."
Sincerely,
Adam Miller

Adam Miller
5th Grade
Family Partnership Charter School, Anchorage
Teacher/Parent: Nancy Meade