Adventure and Survival Stories in Memory of Gary Paulsen

The first thing that came to mind when I’d heard that Gary Paulsen passed away was sitting in my fourth grade classroom listening to Mr. Taibbi introduce us to the unit on Hatchet. Right away I was hooked on the adventure and survival genre. I blew through the Hatchet books and a few other Paulsen titles before turning to The Call of the Wild, Kavik the Wolf Dog, and A Week in the Woods. This probably also explains my later fascination with shows like Survivorman and Man vs Wild, and also why I was mildly disappointed when my Girl Scouts troop went glamping instead of roughing it in the woods.

To this day I still see Paulsen’s books, especially Hatchet, at the top of summer reading lists. The genre he was most famous for writing in – the ‘character encounters the harshness of nature and has to survive with their wits and/or a single tool at their disposal’ – is still incredibly popular. I’ve put together this list of old and new favorites to share with readers looking for that next wilderness survival fix.

Do you know a kid who loves stories about adventure and survival? Were you (or are you still) that kid? Leave a message in the comments!


Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling

Across the Desert cover by Dusti Bowling

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Alone by Megan E. Freeman

Alone cover by Megan E. Freeman

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Backwater by Joan Bauer

Backwater cover by Joan Bauer

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Chickadee by Louise Erdrich

Chickadee cover by Louise Erdrich

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


The Disaster Days by Rebecca Behrens

The Disaster Days cover by Rebecca Behrens

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Earthquake Shock by Marlane Kennedy and Erwin Madrid

Earthquake Shock cover by Marlane Kennedy and Erwin Madrid

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Hear the Wolves by Victoria Scott

Hear the Wolves cover by Victoria Scott

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79 by Lauren Tarshis

I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79 cover by Lauren Tarshis

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Kavik the Wolf Dog by Walt Morey

Kavik the Wolf Dog cover by Walt Morey

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate

The Last Kids on Earth cover by Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Mary and the Trail of Tears: A Cherokee Removal Survival Story by Andrea L. Rogers and Matt Forsyth

Mary and the Trail of Tears: A Cherokee Removal Survival Story cover by Andrea L. Rogers and Matt Forsyth

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Ninth Ward cover by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


The Raft by S. A. Bodeen

The Raft cover by S. A. Bodeen

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Refugee by Alan Gratz

Refugee cover by Alan Gratz

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


The Skeleton Tree by Iain Lawrence

The Skeleton Tree cover by Iain Lawrence

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers by Lee Francis III

Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers cover by Lee Francis III

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Three Feathers by Richard Van Camp and K. Mateus

Three Feathers cover by Richard Van Camp and K. Mateus

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements

A Week in the Woods cover by Andrew Clements

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


Wild River by Rodman Philbrick

Wild River cover by Rodman Philbrick

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat


A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry and Mónica Armiño

A Wolf Called Wander cover by Rosanne Parry and Mónica Armiño

Bookshop | IndieBound | Amazon | WorldCat

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