May 15, 2012

1. Hi 72 / Low 55 May 15, 2012 Your regional New York newspaper Bear Attacks Local Youth Hampton Boy Survives Plane Crash and Weeks in the Canadian Wilderness by Andrew KrivanOne day, in the afternoon, Brian Robeson was peacefully sitting down enjoying his campfire, until all of a sudden he saw a bear. He started running through the woods, faster than he ever had, but the bear kept up with him. In seconds, Brian noticed that he was running at the lake and thought he would be safe in there. When he got in, he realized that was a big mistake! The bear was so fast in the water that he easily reached Brian within seconds. Both Brian and the bear battled in the water. They kicked and hit each other and the bear tried to bite Brian. It was complete chaos. In moments, Brian got very lucky because not only did he not die, but the bear gave up and swam to shore, leaving Brian alone. Brian learned a valuable lesson to never underestimate a bear and try to always be prepared to prevent a similar attack. by Andrew Krivan On the way to see his father in the oil fields in northern Canada, 13-year-old Brian Robeson, from Hampton, NY, survived a plane crash almost two months ago. Unfortunately, the pilot was not so lucky. Both the pilot and Brian were peacefully riding a plane and then something terrible happened – the pilot had a heart attack and died! Fortunately, the pilot had briefly taught Brian to fly the plane, but Brian had another problem. The fuel eventually ran out and the plane crashed into some trees and then a L-shaped lake in Canada. As the water quickly filled the plane, it took all of Brian’s strength to save himself. The only other object Brian saved was the hatchet that his mother recently purchased for his trip. When Brian arrived in the woods, he faced hunger, wild animals and harsh weather and still was able to survive. The survival skills Brian used and learned were making fires, catching fish, making shelters, and making weapons. On the 54th day in the wilderness, Brian was standing by the lake and all of a sudden, he dropped his hatchet in the water. When he swam down to get it, he realized it dropped in the plane. The plane was easier to access after a tornado churned up the lake. Then, Brian had a memory of the pilot saying there was an emergency kit in the plane. After he retrieved his hatchet, he searched the plane for the kit. When he found it, he swam ashore and opened the kit up. Inside of it, he found a emergency transmitter, many packs of food, a first aid kit, some cooking utensils and a .22 caliber rifle. Brian activated the transmitter but could not figure out how to use it. Then, a miracle happened. When Brian was cooking the food packs, a fur buyer arrived in a float plane because he caught the signal of the activated transmitter. After 54 days in the Canadian wilderness, this courageous young man was rescued. He has been reunited with his parents and is trying to get back to a normal life. Local Hero Brian Robeson “Hatchet”, based on Local Boy’s Story, Wins Prestigious Newbery Award by Andrew Krivan “Hatchet”, by Gary Paulsen, is an award-winning book because it is interesting and exciting. There are many key events like animal attacks, tornados, starvation, and more that make the reader never want to stop reading. This book could even be an influence on people to camp by themselves in their woods using tips and skills from the book. I chose this book because I knew right from the beginning that it was going to be an adventurous and exciting novel. This is why you should read the book, “Hatchet”. The Newbery Award is annually given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.