Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

Ratings Explanation

Language: The Lord’s name is taken in vain 3 times.  One mild swear word.

Violence: The plane crash is described.  Brian is attacked by wild animals.  He kills small birds, animals and fish for food to survive.  There is a brief mention of Brian trying to kill himself with his hatchet after it seems all hope of rescue has gone.  Later in the book, a tornado strikes the area and destroys all of Brian’s work.

Sexual Content: Brian is a witness to his mom’s Secret—she is dating a man other than his father.  He sees her kissing him.  Kissing details given. Brian repeatedly replays this scene in his mind and is very disturbed by it. The rating of 3 in this category is based on a 6th grade reader, it would probably be lower for the older reader.

Adult Content: There are plenty of emotions described in this book.  Throughout the book Brian deals with the emotional trauma of his parent’s divorcing.   Brian then watches the pilot die from a heart attack.  This leads to his fear of dying while the plane crashes.  The rest of the book has Brian dealing with the emotional trauma of survival–being injured several times, living alone, being attacked by wild animals, and fearing death by starvation.  Brian sees the dead pilot’s gruesome body that has been submerged in the lake for two months. Brian’s mother has an intimate relationship with a man other than her husband.

Synopsis

13-year-old Brian Robeson is flying over the Canadian wilderness in a single engine airplane when the pilot, the only other person on board, has a heart attack and dies.  Miraculously, Brian survives the crash into a small lake.  Brian must quickly learn to survive in this harsh new wilderness environment.  Patience, tenacity, ingenuity, and common sense are all mental skills Brian develops as he struggles for daily survival.  Brian soon realizes that his hatchet, a present from his mom as he boarded the plane, is invaluable in building a shelter and making a fire, tools and weapons.  He gathers berries and hunts fish, birds and small animals for food, but after 54 days of relying on his wits and skills, Brian finds the survival pack from the airplane, uses the transmitter and is rescued.  The boy who returns home is a changed Brian—one who has discovered his own inner strength.

This Newbery Honor novel appeals to boys who long for outdoors-style action and adventure.  The author used his own personal knowledge to give a realistic portrayal of what it would take to survive in the wilderness.   It also explored the emotional aspects of survival more than I had expected.  Both my teenage boys have been fans of this book and the rest of the “Brian” series for years.   It would be a great movie, but would definitely be PG-rated.