Gary Paulsen -- A Bibliography

RC = cassette | BR = braille | DB = digital book

Alida's Song - RC 49237, DB 49237
In this companion to The Cookcamp, the boy's loving grandmother, Alida, once again rescues him from his intolerable home life by arranging for him to spend the summer working on the farm where she cooks for two bachelor brothers. For grades 5-8.

Boy Who Owned the School: A Comedy of Love - RC 38433
High school student Jacob Freisten thinks of himself as a loser, a wimp, and a nobody, who's perfected the art of near invisibility. But his attempts to avoid notice at all costs are foiled when his English teacher, Mrs. Hilsak, gives him the chance to earn extra credit and pass English by working on the school play. He will control the fog machine. Maria Tresser, on whom he has an intense crush, has a starring role. For grades 6-9.

Canyons - RC 36800
In 1864 young Apache brave Coyote Runs, cornered in a canyon, is shot by U.S. soldiers during the raid that was to make him a man. Over one hundred years later, his skull, with a hole through its forehead, is discovered by Brennan Cole, a 15-year-old loner who is camping in the canyons outside El Paso, Texas. Brennan is compelled to learn the story behind the skull and to bring peace to Coyote Run's restless spirit. For grades 6-9 and older readers. Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award nominee.

Car - RC 44997
At fourteen, Terry Anders is alone: he awoke one morning to find both parents gone. Terry assembles a car kit his father owned, and soon he is headed to Oregon in search of an uncle. Before going far, Terry is joined by a Vietnam vet and later the vet's friend. The two adults mentor Terry as they travel America. For grades 6-9.

Christmas Sonata - RC 36494, DB 36494
World War II. The narrator and his mother travel to rural Minnesota to spend Christmas with relatives, including his terminally ill cousin, Matthew. The narrator has many worries: his father's safety on the European front, Matthew's impending death, and most of all, his recently shattered belief in Santa Claus. He confides in Matthew, who becomes as distressed as he, until their faith in the magic of Christmas is restored. For grades 4-7.

Cookcamp - RC 37370
1944. A young boy travels alone on the train from Chicago to northern Minnesota to stay with his Norwegian grandmother, who is the cook for a crew of road builders. The boy's father is a soldier, and his mother has brought home a man she says is an uncle-but the boy knows better. Grandmother shows him how to help her in the cook trailer, and the large, loud men take him on their huge road-building machines. This book is followed by Alida's Song. For grades 5-8 and older readers.

Crossing - RC 31818, BR 7701
Manny is a 14-year-old homeless boy in the Mexican border town of Juarez. Always hungry and struggling to survive, he dreams of making the crossing to the U.S. Robert, an alcoholic American sergeant, is haunted by the memories of friends who died in Vietnam. When Manny tries to steal from Robert, they begin a strange relationship that leads to Robert's death and Manny's chance for survival. For high school and older readers.

Dancing Carl - RC 22628
Two boys in McKinley, Minnesota, idolize a man they're told to stay away from. Carl, their hero, comes to town in the dead of winter, drunk and maybe crazy, but he soon commands the attention of the whole town with his power and his strange dance. For junior and senior high readers. Best Books for Young Adults.

Dogsong - RC 24450, BR 6535, DB 24450
The only dogsled in 14-year-old Russell Susskit's village belongs to Oogruk, an older Eskimo who keeps it as a remembrance. After listening to stories from Oogruk about the traditional way of life, Russell takes the dogsled on a 1400-mile journey across the tundra and mountains to learn how to survive the age-old methods. For junior and senior high readers. 1986 Newbery Honor Book.

Dogteam - BR 9919
The author, who has twice participated in the Iditarod dogsled race across Alaska and who trains dogs for the race, writes of the night run. Under the full moon, the dogs run for the joy of running in this prose poem that describes the danger, excitement, and beauty of a night run. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2.

Father Water, Mother Woods: Essays on Fishing and Hunting in the North Woods - RC 40683
Drawing on personal experiences as a boy hunting in the woods and fishing along rivers in northern Minnesota, the author describes solo and shared adventures and traditional year-round pastimes he enjoyed outdoors as a child. Paulsen and his friends had fun, shared secrets, developed useful skills, and learned valuable lessons about life from nature. For grades 5-8 and older readers.

Foxman - RC 38442, BR 9530
A boy is sent by a judge to live with the boy's uncle on a farm in northern Minnesota. While fox hunting, the boy and his cousin, Carl, take shelter in the shack of a man with a horribly mutilated face-so hideous that he keeps it covered with a mask. Happy to leave the next morning, the boy remains curious about the man, who is kind and generous, and returns to learn more about him. For grades 6-9 and older readers.

The Glass Cafe, Or, The Stripper and the State: How My Mother Started a War with the System that Made Us Kind of Rich and a Little Bit Famous - BR 15303
Twelve-year-old Tony is almost taken away from his mother when Social Services discovers that she is an exotic dancer. For junior and senior high readers.

Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books - RC 54072
The author of Hatchet and other books featuring Brian Robeson describes the experiences that inspired him to write. These include surviving plane crashes, working as an ambulance driver, hunting for subsistence, and starving for food. For grades 5-8.

Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered - RC 45249, BR 10574
In the 1950s, two boys on a farm find all kinds of trouble and adventure. Told by one boy, whose parents are drunk a lot, the story begins when he goes to stay with his cousin Harris's family. The first day, he gets kicked in the groin and head by a demonic cow, battles a manic rooster, wrestles a pig in manure, rides monstrous horses, loses a bout with a lynx, and eats around twenty meals. Some strong language. For grades 6-9. Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award nominee 1998.

Haymeadow - RC 36646
14-year-old John Barron must take 6,000 sheep up to the summer pasture where he's to care for them by himself for three months. Although he is not sure he can handle the job, John feels he has no choice: his father must remain in town, and the hire man must tend the rest of the ranch. John's father made the trip at age 15, and his great-grandfather claimed their vast spread when he was only 18. For grades 6-9 and older readers. Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award nominee 1995.

How Angel Peterson Got His Name: And Other Outrageous Tales about Extreme Sports - RC 56528, DB 56528
Author of Hatchet and other survival adventures recalls his own escapades at age twelve. Describes how he attempted to shoot a twelve-foot waterfall in a barrel, how a friend on skis was pulled by a car at high speed, and other daredevil feats. For grades 5-8.

Lawn Boy - RC 65342, BR 17582, DB 65342
A twelve-year-old boy decides to put his unusual birthday gift-his late grandfather's riding mower-to use by cutting his neighbors' lawns for money. Soon business is booming and he has his own employees, his own stockbroker, and sponsorship of a prizefighter. For grades 5-8.

The Legend of Bass Reeves: Being the True and Fictional Account of the Most Valiant Marshal in the West - RC 63851, DB 63851
Weaves together fact and story to discuss the life and times of the African American Western hero Bass Reeves (1824-1910). Describes his boyhood as a slave, escape to Indian territory, success as a rancher, and role as a federal marshal in taming the Oklahoma territory. For grades 6-9.

Monument - RC 37068
Figuring she'll never get adopted because of her caramel-colored skin; tight, curly hair; and disabled leg, Rocky is surprised to be chosen by Emma and Fred, a kind, alcoholic couple from Bolton, Kansas. In Bolton Rocky finds her devoted dog, Python, who leads her to Mick, the rumpled artist hired to design a monument to the town's war dead-and the person who changes Rocky's view of life, art, and the world. For grades 6-9 and older readers.

My Life in Dog Years - RC 48269
Paulsen proudly refers to himself as a "dog person," someone who loves dogs, and always has at least five or six. He writes about eight of the dogs that shared his life through the years that have been especially memorable. In the dedication to Cookie, he tells how she saved his life in 1980 when he had fallen through ice. For grades 5-8. Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' book Award nominee 2001.

Nightjohn - RC 38431
Sarny is a slave girl, twelve years old according to Mammy's notched stick. A new field hand, Nightjohn, is bought by the cruel plantation owner. Secretly, Nightjohn teaches Sarny to read, a gift she carries like a rare jewel until the master catches her writing in the dirt. As punishment she and Mammy are brutally beaten and Nightjohn is maimed. More determined than ever, they continue their lessons. For grades 6-9 and older readers. Some violence. The story is continued in Sarny: A Life Remembered.

Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers: Reflections on Being Raised by a Pack of Sled Dogs - RC 47869, BR 11420
In this companion to Woodsong, Iditarod racer Paulsen recalls his life on the trail and at home with his beloved team of dogs. Portrays his special relationship with the lead dog, Cookie, describing the births and rearing of her pups and the sadness of retirement for both man and dog. For grades 6-9 and older readers.

The Quilt - RC 59227, BR 16194, DB 59227
With his father in the army and his mother working when World War II breaks out, a six-year-old boy is sent to live with his Norwegian grandmother in Minnesota. There the boy learns about his extended family. Companion to Alida's Song. For grades 5-8.

Rifle - RC 42723
In 1768 gunsmith Cornish McManus crafts a "sweet" rifle, the masterpiece of his life's work. The story tracks the gun's ownership through two hundred years, including the Revolutionary War period. In 1993 a new owner displays the weapon over his mantel, where it accidentally discharges with tragic consequences. For junior and senior high and older readers.

Sarny: A Life Remembered - RC 45906
In this sequel to Nightjohn, Sarny is freed by Union soldiers and leaves the plantation to find her children. Discovering that they were sent to New Orleans to be sold, Sarny journeys there. Finding employment, she reclaims her children and continues to teach people how to read. For grades 6-9.

Schernoff Discoveries - BR 11442
Science whiz Harold Schernoff and his best friend, both fourteen years old, are the most unpopular students in their Minnesota junior high school. Harold devises schemes to boost their popularity but the plans usually backfire. When members of the football team break his slide rule, Harold takes revenge by making them a unique chocolate cake. For grades 5-8.

Sentries - RC 34573, BR 8842
The common theme of nuclear disaster and human vulnerability interweaves the lives of four young people with the lives of three veterans of past wars. The young people are Sue Oldhorn, a 17-year-old Ojibway Indian; David Garcia, a 14-year-old illegal immigrant; Peter Shackleton, a rock star and bandleader; and Laura Hayes, a sheep rancher's daughter. For junior and senior high readers.

Soldier's Heart: A Novel of the Civil War - RC 48672, BR 12076
When the war starts, fifteen-year-old Charley Goddard is eager to join up with the Minnesota Volunteers. The physical and mental agonies of combat change his attitude. Some violence. For junior and senior high and older readers.

Tent: A Parable in One Sitting - RC 42729
Steven's father, Corey, who is out of work, suddenly comes up with a way for Steven and Corey to make money-Corey will become a preacher. Steven is surprised since they have never been to church, and he has never seen his father reading the Bible. But they get a tent and a Gideon Bible from a hotel and set out to preach the word of God. They start to make a lot of money, and then Steven begins to see the wrong in what they are doing. For grades 6-9.

Tracker - RC 61479, BR 16563, DB 61479
Thirteen-year-old John Borne looks forward to hunting deer for food as time to spend with his grandfather. But this year his grandfather is dying of cancer and John will hunt alone. As he tracks a doe through the woods, John ponders taking life and comprehending death. For grades 5-8.

Transall Saga - RC 47218
When thirteen-year-old Mark Harrison persuades his parents to allow him to camp alone for a week, he feels he is well prepared. The fourth night out, however, he falls into a strange tube of blue light and awakens in a world of red foliage. There he needs all his skills to survive the terrain and the hunter/warrior society he encounters. For grades 6-9.

Voyage of the Frog - RC 31486, BR 8594
When David, fourteen and grieving over his uncle's recent death, goes out on his sailboat to scatter his uncle's ashes, he is caught in a fierce storm and carried 350 miles from home. He must survive on his own as he works out his feelings about life and death. For grades 6-9 and older readers. Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award nominee 1993.

Winter Room - RC 31556, BR 8380
Young Eldon describes his farm as it passes through the four seasons, plunging the reader into the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of his rural experience. Although set in the thirties, this view of life on a remote northern Minnesota farm bears the flavor of a much older era because of the folk tales and memories shared by the two elderly men who life and work with Eldon and his family. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 1990 Newbery Honor book.

Woodsong - RC 34757, BR 8849
Natural phenomena, chilling experiences, and exhilarating adventure are all part of Paulsen's personal recollections of sled-dog training and racing, including his participation in Alaska's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Contains eloquent, spare remembrances of the author's initiation, education, and unabashed awe of the wilderness and its inhabitants. This book is a companion to Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers: Reflections on Being Raised by a Pack of Sled Dogs. For grades 6-9 and older readers.

Brian series

Hatchet - RC 30535, BR 11525, DB 30535 1st
Brian, thirteen and troubled by his parent's divorce, is flying in a single-engine plane to visit his father. As Brian is the only passenger, the pilot casually shows him how to fly the plane. When the pilot has a heart attack and dies, Brian must take control. After the plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness. Brian has only the hatchet attached to his belt to help him survive. For grades 6-9 and older readers. Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award nominee.

River - RC 34751, BR 15353 2nd
Two years ago Brian survived a 54-day ordeal of being stranded alone in the wilderness. Now they want him to do it again! The government wants to learn more about the psychology of survival. Derek, a psychologist, will accompany Brian. Shortly after they are dropped off in the wilderness Derek is struck by lightning, and their radio transmitter is knocked out. For grades 6-9 and older readers.

Brian's Winter - RC 42558, BR 12117, DB 42558 3rd
Thirteen-year-old Brian was rescued from the Canadian wilderness at the end of summer in Hatchet. But what if his distress call had not been heard and he had faced the harsh winter in the woods? This survival story pits the stranded young outdoorsman against the cold, loneliness, and worst of nature. For grades 6-9 and older readers.

Brian's Return - RC 48214, BR 12210, DB 48214 4th
Back in society, going to school and trying to fit in, Brian savagely beats a bully who attacked him. With the help of Caleb, a blind counselor, Brian realizes that he needs to go where he belongs-in the wilderness again. For grades 6-9 and older readers.

Brian's Hunt - RC 57823, BR 15296, DB 57823 5th
When sixteen-year-old Brian from Hatchet returns to the wilderness two years after his plane crash he finds a wounded dog and the bodies of a Cree couple killed by a rogue bear. Tracking the animal, Brian is pursued as its prey. For grades 6-9 and older readers.

Tucket Series

Mr. Tucket - RC 43949, BR 10438 1st
In 1848 Francis Alphonse Tucket turns fourteen while he and his family are traveling from their Missouri farm to Oregon by wagon. As he shoots his new rifle, the wagon train rolls out of sight. Francis is kidnapped by Pawnees and held captive until one-armed mountain man Jason Grimes rescues him. Now Mr. Grimes has to teach Mr. Tucket to survive in the wild as he searches for his family. For grades 5-8.

Call Me Francis Tucket - RC 43950, BR 10437, DB 43950 2nd
In this sequel to Mr. Tucket, young Francis Tucket has parted ways with the mountain man who rescued him from the Pawnees. Francis is now heading alone to Oregon to find his family's wagon train. Along the way he is accosted by a thieving duo and makes three new friends: a mule and two orphaned children. For grades 5-8.

Tucket's Ride - RC 46884, BR 11810 3rd
Francis Tucket is only a few years older than Lottie and Billy; the orphans he rescued in Call Me Francis Tucket. Searching for Oregon they end up in Mexico territory, right in the middle of the war. Francis kills an American soldier in self-defense, landing himself in a mess of trouble. For grades 5-8.

Tucket's Gold - RC 49864, BR 13123, DB 49864 4th
Fifteen-year-old Francis Tucket and Lottie and Billy, the two children he has adopted, are still traveling in the Old West. Managing to evade ruthless outlaws, they discover ancient Spanish treasure but may not live to enjoy it. For grades 5-8.

Tucket's Home - RC 51419, BR 13403, DB 51419 5th
Francis, Lottie, and Billy carry along the Spanish treasure of gold and silver found in Tucket's Gold as they survive a series of hair-raising adventures while heading west. Francis never doubts that he will find his family again. Some violence. For grades 5-8.

Last Update: 1/14/09