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Wilderness Hacks
Not yet published
Expected 31 Mar 26Hatchet meets Survivor in this high-action, humor-filled middle grade adventure about two kids stranded in the wilderness, whose annoyance with each other rivals the roaring rapids and ferocious predators they must face.
12-year-old Sadie Hahn didn’t plan to eat grubs on camera to win a contest. And she definitely didn’t plan to win first prize—a guest appearance on a Youtube show hosted by America’s favorite 13-year-old survivalist Radley Shaw. But she’ll do anything to cheer up her little brother Silas, who’s too young to qualify.
Rad has millions of followers and exactly zero real-life friends, so the contest is a great chance for him to hang out with kids his own age. But it’s hate-at-first-sight when Silas throws a wrench in his plan and Sadie decides Rad is just a clueless poser who doesn’t know the first thing about survival.
Disaster strikes when their scripted rafting trip turns into a real fight for survival. Lost in the mountains, Rad and Sadie must find shelter, build a fire, forage for food and try not to become food for a hungry predator. But can they stop bickering long enough to hack it in the wilderness? And will that be enough to keep them alive?
12-year-old Sadie Hahn didn’t plan to eat grubs on camera to win a contest. And she definitely didn’t plan to win first prize—a guest appearance on a Youtube show hosted by America’s favorite 13-year-old survivalist Radley Shaw. But she’ll do anything to cheer up her little brother Silas, who’s too young to qualify.
Rad has millions of followers and exactly zero real-life friends, so the contest is a great chance for him to hang out with kids his own age. But it’s hate-at-first-sight when Silas throws a wrench in his plan and Sadie decides Rad is just a clueless poser who doesn’t know the first thing about survival.
Disaster strikes when their scripted rafting trip turns into a real fight for survival. Lost in the mountains, Rad and Sadie must find shelter, build a fire, forage for food and try not to become food for a hungry predator. But can they stop bickering long enough to hack it in the wilderness? And will that be enough to keep them alive?
- GenresMiddle Grade
336 pages, Library Binding
Expected publication March 31, 2026
29 people want to read
About the author
Joslin Brorsen
1 book3 followersJOSLIN BRORSEN lives in Oklahoma with her husband and five kids, and loves writing the kind of high-stakes stories that kept her younger self up all night reading with a flashlight. She wants her own children and the next generation of readers to have the same great stories, but with a few added elements she realizes now she was always searching for. Going through childhood with both an invisible disease (Celiac) and an invisible difference (neurodivergence) makes her strive to write books that make kids want to read “just one more chapter,” while normalizing neurodivergence and other unseen struggles within its pages. Her ultimate aim is for her readers to realize that each of us is unique, and all of us are equally worthy of being main characters.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 26, 2025
4.5
This was great! Your adventure lovers & survivalists will eat this up!
Sadie enters a competition on her brother's behalf. This lands her with a social media star who is famous for his survival tips and videos. What she finds, though, is a lot of selective editing.
The two go rafting for a video, and an earthquake that causes a dam to break turns it into a real survival adventure and forces them to work together.
So good! This one will go in my classroom for sure!
E-Arc provided by Netgalley.
This was great! Your adventure lovers & survivalists will eat this up!
Sadie enters a competition on her brother's behalf. This lands her with a social media star who is famous for his survival tips and videos. What she finds, though, is a lot of selective editing.
The two go rafting for a video, and an earthquake that causes a dam to break turns it into a real survival adventure and forces them to work together.
So good! This one will go in my classroom for sure!
E-Arc provided by Netgalley.
December 11, 2025
E ARC available through Netgalley
After the death of her father, Sadie tries to take especially good care of her younger brother Silas, who is on the autism spectrum and is also struggling with recently diagnosed celiac disease. He is a big fan of social media influencer Radley Shaw, a boy her age who posts wilderness and survival content. There's a contest to be featured on Radley's show, but Silas is too young. Sadie steps in, and has Silas film a video of her finding, cooking, and eating a grub. When Radley sees the video, he thinks that Sadie is smiling at an off camera boyfriend, since she has such a fond look on her face, and doesn't pick it. Radley's team (which includes tutor Juliana and her father, manager Marcus) thinks Sadie's forthright demeanor would mean a lot of likes, and include her in the voting. She wins, and she and Silas are soon traveling to meet Radley, so that they can introduce him to some of the joys of the Colorado wilderness. While Radley has reservations about Sadie, Sadie also isn't a fan of Radley, whom she thinks doesn't really know how to survive, but is in the business just to promote products. Sadie is struggling with being outside, since that was her father's favorite place to be. When Silas starts a fire with some off-camera help, Sadie's suspicions are confirmed. Still, Rad and Sadie take off with guide Chuck to get some footage on the rapids, but things go terribly wrong when there is an earthquake. This causes a local dam to overflow, and the flooding also leads to landslides. Chuck manages to keep everyone safe for a while, but eventually sacrifices himself in order to get Rad and Sadie to safety. They manage to get off the raft onto dry land, and climb as fast and as far as they can to get away from the water. They have to set up camp, dry off, and see if they can find any food. Sadie does have a backpack that Silas packed for her that includes a personal locator beacon (PLB), which gives them hope, and a Life Straw so that they can drink water. There are some issues with food; even though Sadie doesn't have celiac disease, she has the genetic markers, and because her father's death was tied to the same issue, she doesn't want to eat anything with gluten. Rad, on the other hand, is leery of most meats, and they manage to find a common ground to help them communicate in order to survive. There are plenty of challenges in the wilderness, and Rad is concerned that the PLB might not be helping; he had promoted it, and his father hadn't let him raise awareness when the device was proven to be problematic. Rad tries to protect Sadie from seeing a dead body, and the kids also come across an abandoned bike left because a mountain lion killed the rider. Luckily, by the time they are in a critical situation, Rad and Sadie are near help. Rad sets up a donation page to help the victims of the earthquake and posts a retraction about the PLB, and Sadie makes some peace about her father's death.
Strengths: Sure, we all think we could survive in the wilderness with a friend, but what about someone we just don't like? The friction between Sadie and Rad is completely believable, and I loved how long into their trek they still didn't get along! The survival details about good as well, and there is some good celiac disease and autism spectrum representation. Younger readers will be enthralled with Radley's social media empire, even though he doesn't really enjoy the fact that something he enjoyed has now become a job. This moved quickly, and the action scenes were interspersed with Radley and Sadie coming to terms with each other in an effective way. The ending was hopeful and upbeat, despite the devastation that the earthquake caused.
Weaknesses: This was my favorite read of December 2025, but there were a lot of survival fiction tropes that made it seem less than fresh. However, I've read hundreds of survival tales, and my students have not, so they will not notice. At least the children were attacked by a mountain lion and not a bear. The ending was a bit abrupt. For sensitive readers, there is an on page death that is not at all graphic, and also a dead body.
What I really think: Good survival tales are always popular with my students, and the fact that this blends some drama and the tiniest sprinkling of romance will assure that this is rarely left on the shelf. The Suzanne Lee cover is fantastic and bright! Hand this to readers who loved Teagan's Survivor Girl, Hashimoto's Off the Map, or Behrens' Alone in the Woods.
Excuse me while I go hunt down a PLB and LifeStraw to keep with my survival pack that I feel like I should take even on my two mile suburban trek to work!
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
After the death of her father, Sadie tries to take especially good care of her younger brother Silas, who is on the autism spectrum and is also struggling with recently diagnosed celiac disease. He is a big fan of social media influencer Radley Shaw, a boy her age who posts wilderness and survival content. There's a contest to be featured on Radley's show, but Silas is too young. Sadie steps in, and has Silas film a video of her finding, cooking, and eating a grub. When Radley sees the video, he thinks that Sadie is smiling at an off camera boyfriend, since she has such a fond look on her face, and doesn't pick it. Radley's team (which includes tutor Juliana and her father, manager Marcus) thinks Sadie's forthright demeanor would mean a lot of likes, and include her in the voting. She wins, and she and Silas are soon traveling to meet Radley, so that they can introduce him to some of the joys of the Colorado wilderness. While Radley has reservations about Sadie, Sadie also isn't a fan of Radley, whom she thinks doesn't really know how to survive, but is in the business just to promote products. Sadie is struggling with being outside, since that was her father's favorite place to be. When Silas starts a fire with some off-camera help, Sadie's suspicions are confirmed. Still, Rad and Sadie take off with guide Chuck to get some footage on the rapids, but things go terribly wrong when there is an earthquake. This causes a local dam to overflow, and the flooding also leads to landslides. Chuck manages to keep everyone safe for a while, but eventually sacrifices himself in order to get Rad and Sadie to safety. They manage to get off the raft onto dry land, and climb as fast and as far as they can to get away from the water. They have to set up camp, dry off, and see if they can find any food. Sadie does have a backpack that Silas packed for her that includes a personal locator beacon (PLB), which gives them hope, and a Life Straw so that they can drink water. There are some issues with food; even though Sadie doesn't have celiac disease, she has the genetic markers, and because her father's death was tied to the same issue, she doesn't want to eat anything with gluten. Rad, on the other hand, is leery of most meats, and they manage to find a common ground to help them communicate in order to survive. There are plenty of challenges in the wilderness, and Rad is concerned that the PLB might not be helping; he had promoted it, and his father hadn't let him raise awareness when the device was proven to be problematic. Rad tries to protect Sadie from seeing a dead body, and the kids also come across an abandoned bike left because a mountain lion killed the rider. Luckily, by the time they are in a critical situation, Rad and Sadie are near help. Rad sets up a donation page to help the victims of the earthquake and posts a retraction about the PLB, and Sadie makes some peace about her father's death.
Strengths: Sure, we all think we could survive in the wilderness with a friend, but what about someone we just don't like? The friction between Sadie and Rad is completely believable, and I loved how long into their trek they still didn't get along! The survival details about good as well, and there is some good celiac disease and autism spectrum representation. Younger readers will be enthralled with Radley's social media empire, even though he doesn't really enjoy the fact that something he enjoyed has now become a job. This moved quickly, and the action scenes were interspersed with Radley and Sadie coming to terms with each other in an effective way. The ending was hopeful and upbeat, despite the devastation that the earthquake caused.
Weaknesses: This was my favorite read of December 2025, but there were a lot of survival fiction tropes that made it seem less than fresh. However, I've read hundreds of survival tales, and my students have not, so they will not notice. At least the children were attacked by a mountain lion and not a bear. The ending was a bit abrupt. For sensitive readers, there is an on page death that is not at all graphic, and also a dead body.
What I really think: Good survival tales are always popular with my students, and the fact that this blends some drama and the tiniest sprinkling of romance will assure that this is rarely left on the shelf. The Suzanne Lee cover is fantastic and bright! Hand this to readers who loved Teagan's Survivor Girl, Hashimoto's Off the Map, or Behrens' Alone in the Woods.
Excuse me while I go hunt down a PLB and LifeStraw to keep with my survival pack that I feel like I should take even on my two mile suburban trek to work!
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
September 17, 2025
What a fantastic debut by Joslin Brorsen! This book is not just a book about survival in the harshest of environments but also about surviving our own inner battles whether it be celiac disease or even learning how to interact appropriately and respectfully with someone who is on the spectrum. Seeing those characters, especially Sadie, advocate for those with celiac and Autism was so refreshing and LONG overdue in middle-grade books.
This story can help teach children and adults how to advocate for those who either cannot advocate for themselves or who feel like society won't allow them to. Watching Rad learn this and while also holding Sadie accountable was a very powerful moment and one I think will stay with a lot of middle grade readers.
Rad's ADHD diagnosis and inner thoughts will also resonate with many of my middle grade readers, and I am thrilled that they will see this on the page as well.
Rad and Sadie had excellent chemistry; their back and forth banter and competitive nature made for a great story. I loved that the chapters were short as well, aiding in the fast, suspenseful pace and nail-biting question of "will they" / "won't they" be rescued? The found family aspect of this story, especially in Rad's case was beautifully composed, showing that sometimes the strongest bonds we make are those outside of our family, but in the end, we still crave that familial compassion as well.
It is clear that Brorsen not only writes from experience but also research. As a mom of a gluten intolerant family and as someone who has multiple loved ones on the spectrum, I greatly appreciated the care and factual details provided in this story. I cannot wait to add this book to our library in the Spring, and I look forward to more titles from Brorsen in the future! Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy!
This story can help teach children and adults how to advocate for those who either cannot advocate for themselves or who feel like society won't allow them to. Watching Rad learn this and while also holding Sadie accountable was a very powerful moment and one I think will stay with a lot of middle grade readers.
Rad's ADHD diagnosis and inner thoughts will also resonate with many of my middle grade readers, and I am thrilled that they will see this on the page as well.
Rad and Sadie had excellent chemistry; their back and forth banter and competitive nature made for a great story. I loved that the chapters were short as well, aiding in the fast, suspenseful pace and nail-biting question of "will they" / "won't they" be rescued? The found family aspect of this story, especially in Rad's case was beautifully composed, showing that sometimes the strongest bonds we make are those outside of our family, but in the end, we still crave that familial compassion as well.
It is clear that Brorsen not only writes from experience but also research. As a mom of a gluten intolerant family and as someone who has multiple loved ones on the spectrum, I greatly appreciated the care and factual details provided in this story. I cannot wait to add this book to our library in the Spring, and I look forward to more titles from Brorsen in the future! Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy!
September 15, 2025
This is one of the best MG books I’ve ever read, and I don’t say that lightly. I was fortunate enough to read an early copy, and I am not being hyperbolic when I say this is a modern-day American classic. It’s that good! I have a TikTok/Instagram addled brain and I tend to get fidgety while reading (even though I love it!) With Wilderness Hacks, I read as if it was air, the pages breathlessly passing beneath my fingertips. The stakes, the adventure, the emotion. As a baby writer, it inspires me. I want to write something this compulsively readable one day! So if you’re a teacher or parent or librarian or just a reader who appreciates the magic of MG, I promise you, this is the one you’ve been looking for, the book that only comes around once in a while and reminds you why you LOVE reading. Highly recommend, particularly for reluctant readers and readers who enjoy adventure/high thrills/excitement.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a fantastic adventure/survival book told through dual points-of-view. Rad posts survivalist videos and when he sponsors a contest, Sadie wins because her nine year old brother, Silas who has autism, is too young to enter. When she meets up with Rad, Silas comes to meet Rad. Sadie finds they will canoe and fish, and then go rafting with Chuck as their guide and then be back in the evening for parent pickup. So much happens along the way. While rafting, the water starts rising quickly, there’s an earthquake, and Chuck disappears off the raft. Sadie and Rad get off the raft and have to learn how to survive the night. Rad doesn’t want to tell Sadie that the personal locator beacon that Silas put in her backpack won’t work. The next day they still haven’t been rescued, and then a mountain lion appears and attacks Rad. What happens now? Will they be rescued? Kids will love their book!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
September 2, 2025
Wilderness Hacks is a fast paced book with dual points of view as Sadie, a twelve year old "smother hen," goes on an adventure with Rad, a thirteen year old YouTube survivalist influencer. Sadie's younger, autistic brother, Silas, finds a contest to spend a day with his YouTube hero, but there is an age requirement. He convinces his big sister to apply in his place and she wins by eating fried grubs. What starts out as a simple day rafting trip becomes a perilous fight for survival after an earthquake destroys a dam upriver. Sadie's initial bad opinion of Rad and his equally dismal view of her get in the way of their cooperation but over the course of their journey back to safety, trust and friendship form. I would recommend this book to middle grades on up. There are scenes of nongraphic death and peril.
I received a free advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.
I received a free advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After I finished reading "Wilderness Hacks" I turned to my kids and said, I think you should read this. The description mentioned the book Hatchet- one of my family's favorite series- and had a hinted of "what you see on the internet isn't always real." This was a very quick read with alternating narratives. Joslin Brorsen did a wonderful job of telling the story from both Sadie and Radley's perspectives. While there may be a few parts that could upset a sensitive reader, it's suitable for a large age range. The author also did a nice job touching on social media (what's real vs staged), grief, autism, and celiac disease.
While I do think the story wrapped a little quickly, it was not enough to change my positive experience and rating for the book!
Thank you to NetGally for the ARC.
While I do think the story wrapped a little quickly, it was not enough to change my positive experience and rating for the book!
Thank you to NetGally for the ARC.
October 29, 2025
WILDERNESS HACKS will fit right in for fans of Hatchet or similar survival stories - a well-done wilderness survival tale is hard to beat. Brorsen adds a fresh and relatably modern angle to the genre with Radley's character - I've always loved stories about what fame does to a person, and adding in a young YouTuber is such a fun take on the wilderness survival story. I also appreciated the depth in which Silas's autism and celiac are explored & Sadie's unflinching commitment to making the world as safe for him as she can. Overall, I'd recommend this for anyone who enjoys a survival story.
August 29, 2025
I could not put this book down. It’s funny, it’s adventurous, it’s suspenseful, it’s brilliant! If you liked Hatchet, you’ll love this dual POV middle grade story of survival. Sadie and Rad are super relatable as they learn to lean on one another for survival and friendship. Seriously, a must read!
August 26, 2025
This book was fun, it was captivating, and kept me on my toes anticipating what will happen next!
It is an exciting story of survival, ingenuity, and perseverance while navigating the family and friendship.
It is an exciting story of survival, ingenuity, and perseverance while navigating the family and friendship.
July 14, 2025
Couldn't put it down!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews