13 Wilderness Survival Books Like Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen is one of my all-time favorite books. I must have read it a thousand times as a young teen. I also gobbled up all the books like Hatchet I could get my hands on. Considering the area I grew up in, this isn’t a surprise.

I was raised in rural Canada. Outdoor education (a broad term for survival skills, animal identification, and gun safety) was an annually required class at my junior high. Every student (all 10 of us!) received their Hunter’s Safety Certification at school. I grew up surrounded by the vast Canadian Rockies and the few people who carved out a life there.

Brian’s story of crash-landing a plane in the middle of the Canadian wilderness and surviving on nothing but his wits was real to me as a kid. Even now, I love wilderness survival stories. Give me a book that can portray the strength of the human spirit, the will to survive, and the ability to beat the odds—and I’m all over it.

Recently, I’ve seen an upward trend in young adult books about wilderness survival. I’m thrilled to see more books like Hatchet on the market, and I hope this trend continues.

Here are 13 books to read if you loved Hatchet. I haven’t read every book on this list, but the ones I have read will have a “Content Advisory” listed. You’ll find both middle grade and young adult survival stories on this reading list, along with the recommended age range for each book.

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11 Books Like Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Lost in the Antarctic: The Doomed Voyage of the Endurance by Tod Olson

First on our list of Hatchet read-alikes is a nonfiction book about a team of British explorers who made an ill-fated attempt to hike across the Antarctic in 1914. Before they reached land, ice closed in and stranded them in the Antarctic. They dealt with extreme weather, plunging temperatures, and perilous ice. It’s a gripping tale of survival set in the most inhospitable place on Earth. The book is illustrated with photographs from the actual voyage.

Content Advisory: *Spoilers!* The crew had to kill all their sled dogs and puppies in order to survive. No details were given. Perilous situations. Movie rating would be PG.

Ages 8-12

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Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Butterworth

When her parents get taken in for questioning by Chinese soldiers, Tash, her best friend Sam, and two trusty yaks flee Tibet and head for India. In order to get there, they have to cross mountains, dodge snipers, and survive blizzards. For kids interested in books like Hatchet, this is a must-read.

Content Advisory: Perilous situations and violence. Movie rating would be PG.

Ages 8-12

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Alone by Megan E. Freeman

This book is a little different than the others on this list. It’s written in verse, which makes for a unique and compelling reading experience. When Maddie wakes up to find herself completely alone and her town abandoned, she has to learn how to survive on her own. Thankfully, she has her neighbor’s dog for companionship, but surviving is a struggle each day. She must forage for food and escape danger at every turn. This novel is both thoughtful and adventurous and will keep kids glued to the page.

Ages 10-14

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Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry

Branded a coward for fearing the sea, Maftu decides to conquer his fear. So he sets off in a boat, alone except for his dog and an albatross, to prove himself. This slim book is a classic survival adventure that kids will easily get absorbed in for a couple of hours.

Content Advisory: Perilous situations, cannibals, hunting. Movie rating would be PG.

Ages 10-14

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The Skeleton Tree by Iain Lawrence

After their boat sinks on an ill-fated sailing trip, two boys find themselves stranded in the wilderness of Alaska. They must put aside their differences and work together to survive. This fast-paced and often spooky survival story is great for kids that like family secrets, superstition, and suspenseful stories.

Ages 10-14

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Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

No list of young adult survival stories would be complete without Island of the Blue Dolphins on it. I loved this book as a teen and now my daughter loves it as well. It’s the fictionalized account of Karana, an Indian girl left behind on her island home when her entire tribe leaves on a ship. It’s a beautiful story of survival and the resilience of the human spirit that fans of Hatchet will adore.

Content Advisory: Perilous situations, survival, off-page violence. Movie rating would be PG.

Ages 10-14

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Ice Dogs by Terry Lynn Johnson

On a routine outing with her sled dogs, 14-year-old Victoria loses her way in the Alaskan wilderness. She stumbles across a mysterious boy in the woods and together, the two of them struggle to survive the harsh elements and find their way back to civilization. This thrilling survival story is about the unending devotion between a girl and her dogs and an unlikely friendship.

Content Advisory: Perilous situations, innuendo, and sexual tension (the teens strip down to their underwear and huddle together to prevent hypothermia.) Movie rating would be on the milder side of PG-13.

Ages 10-14

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Falcon Wild by Terry Lynn Johnson

On the way to return a falcon to its rightful owner, Karma and her family get into a car accident. She sets out to find help and gets hopelessly lost in the Montana wilderness. Along the way, a boy named Cooper shows up and the two of them battle the elements and fend off wildlife until they can reach help.

Content Advisory: Perilous situations. Movie rating would be PG.

Ages 10-14

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Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by John Schoenherr

Miyax lives in a small village in Alaska. Outside her village, she is known as Julie. When her home becomes dangerous for her, Julie runs away and gets lost in the Alaskan wilderness. To survive, she befriends a pack of wolves and grows to love them as a family. But when it’s time for her to rejoin civilization, Julie isn’t sure who she is or where she fits in anymore. Kids that loved reading Hatchet will enjoy this wilderness adventure novel as well.

Ages 10-14

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Born Scared by Kevin Brooks

Born Scared is a bizarre, weird twist on the standard YA survival story. If you like Hatchet but want something kind of strange, pick this one up. Elliot is terrified of everything. Stranded at home in a blizzard without his medication, he decides to strike out alone in the snow. Full of monsters—both real and imagined—this highly suspenseful survival thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Content Advisory: Scary scenes, suspense, violence, and perilous situations. Some language. Movie rating would be PG-13.

Ages 12-18

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I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall

Survival and revenge collide in the Canadian wilderness in this tense YA novel. When Jess finds herself alone and injured, she must forage for food and shelter, survive the elements, and plot her revenge against the person that killed her father.

Ages 15+

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Bad Call by Stephen Wallenfels

When four teens play hooky and go on a hiking trip in Yosemite for the weekend, none of them are prepared for the danger that awaits. Through a series of bad decisions, pointing fingers, and boiling tempers, the teens find themselves hopelessly lost and struggling for their survival. Full of secrets and suspense, this is a YA survival thriller that older Hatchet lovers will enjoy.

Content Advisory: Language (f-bombs), innuendo, violence, kissing. Movie rating would be R for language, PG-13 for everything else.

Ages 15+

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Deadfall by Stephen Wallenfels

Breaking Bad meets Hatchet in this book about a pair of teenage twins, drug dealers, an injured girl, and a secret hideout. Told through alternating timelines, readers will get swept into this complex story of betrayal, trust, and survival. You won’t be able to set this one down!

Content Advisory: Strong language, lots of f-bombs, kidnapping, violence, murder, and child abuse. Movie rating would be R for language, PG-13 for everything else.

Ages 15+

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Have you read any wilderness survival books recently? Tell me about them in the comments!

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