When his roommate, Raymond Providence, a native from a remote Dene village, chooses to leave the boarding school and return home, Gabe is invited by his pilot buddy, Clint, to fly along. 6))įifteen-year-old Texan Gabe Rogers decides to attend boarding school in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories so that he can be near his father, who is working at a diamond drilling project. ( )ĭiane Tuccillo (VOYA, February 1997 (Vol. Still, the search for excellent fiction with Native American characters written by Native Americans should not end here. Fiction that touches on these subjects is difficult to find, so keeping a copy in a library system is recommended. Native American cultural and issues are looked at from the outside by our European American main character, who does not judge or appropriate them. There is lots of action for Hatchet fans and the characters are solidly drawn. Both boys, but especially Raymond, receive a bush education from the elder, who gets to live some of his last wishes before a sudden death that leaves the boys on their own. Some summaries and reviews of the book make much of the clashing cultures, while, really, it seems that all involved are respectful of each other. The two share an easy acquaintanceship before a fateful plane ride that leaves them stranded in the wilderness with a Dene elder who does not speak English. His boarding school roommate, Raymond, is from a Native American village. Gabe leaves his grandparents and a promising high school football career in Texas to be near his father in the Northwest Territories. Reading about the icy, snowy conditions was almost a physical relief as we in the British Columbia interior still suffer from record high temperatures, drought, and wildfires. I appreciated that Hobbs portrayed the respect Dene have for living creatures and the environment. It was interesting to see the difference in characters and how they approached problems, of which there were many. Although the old man knew little English he was able to share his knowledge and using his old skills for Arctic living gave him some satisfaction and spiritual comfort. The boys, one from Texas, the other one aboriginal as well as his elderly uncle, had to spend the winter in the frigid conditions with little in the way of necessaries. The passengers were able to reach the river bank but the plane and pilot went over the falls. The inexperienced pilot landed the plane on a river near the top of a waterfall and then the engine stalled. This is a terrific adventure story set in the Northwest Territories where two sixteen year olds and the uncle of one take a plane ride out of radio range.
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