Cover of Hatchet

Hatchet

by Gary Paulsen

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen is assigned in US schools at grades 5–8, with a Lexile measure of 1020L. It appears across 8 curriculum references and 10 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Hatchet is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Lexile
1020L
Grade range
Grades 5–8
Difficulty for grade
Above the grade 4–5 band (740–1010L)
Age range
Ages 10–14
Pages
192
Reading time
about 3h 30m (est.)
First published
1987
Genre
Adventure
ISBN-13
9781416936473

Reading difficulty: At 1020L, Hatchet reads above the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 5th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a stretch text that may need scaffolding for the youngest assigned readers.

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About this book

Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is the sole survivor of a small plane crash in the Canadian wilderness. Armed only with a hatchet his mother gave him as a parting gift, he must learn to find food, build shelter, and survive. A Newbery Honor book and a fixture of 6th-8th grade pacing guides in over 30 states, including Common Core Appendix B exemplars.

Why widely assigned

This Adventure title, reads at young-adult to upper-middle-grade complexity, typically at grades 5–8. Written in the 1980s; pairs with curriculum units on survival and resilience; cited across 8 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

survival · resilience · self-reliance · nature · growing up

Content notes

mild violence · parental divorce

Common Sense Media recommends age 11+.

Where this book is assigned

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Hatchet→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is Hatchet?
Hatchet is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–8, with a Lexile measure of 1020L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What is the Lexile level of Hatchet?
Hatchet has a Lexile measure of 1020L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
How long does it take to read Hatchet?
It takes about 3h 30m to read Hatchet (192 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 210 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
Is Hatchet hard to read for 5th grade?
At 1020L, Hatchet reads above the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 5th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a stretch text that may need scaffolding for the youngest assigned readers. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
What curricula assign Hatchet?
Hatchet appears on reading lists for Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award, Common Core State Standards (ELA), Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Book Award, and 5 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Why this book is on this list

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
1020L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
Grade band
Grades 5–8 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 8 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 10 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, book-club, summer.