Brian's Winter is a novel by award winning writer Gary Paulsen. As a result of many letters sent to Mr. Paulsen by fans of Hatchet and The River, Mr. Paulsen writes this novel in which he pretends Brian is not rescued after fifty-four days lost in the woods with only a hatchet. Instead, Brian must face the winter alone. Brian discovers flint and makes arrowheads so he can kill larger prey, uses rabbit and moose skin to make himself warm clothing and even finds a way to make snowshoes so he will not sink in the snow while hunting. Brian's Winter is a "what if" scenario that takes a beloved character back to the woods and shows readers why he survives the woods in the first place.

The shooting pin on the gun Brian finds in the survival kit on the plane breaks, forcing him to return to his reliance on his bow and arrows. Brian lives on rabbit, foolbird, and fish stew for weeks as fall comes on. Brian misses the signs until it is nearly too late. A week long rain storm leaves Brian only too aware of the coming winter and the difficulties he is about to face.

One morning Brian sees two wolves mark their territory on a log near his camp. Brian decides to mark the same log in the hopes of keeping the wolves out of his camp. A short time later, Brian wakes to find a bear in his camp searching for an easy meal. Brian hits the bear to make it move, causing it to become angry. The bear knocks down the wall of Brian's shelter and knocks him down to the river and steals his fish bait and some of his fish.

Brian continues to survive on his own, hunting each day for rabbit or foolbird. One night, Brian hears the wolves again. In the morning, Brian goes to remark the log and sees two wolves walking away with fresh meat. When he is sure they are gone, Brian searches for their kill. Brian finds a deer that still has most of the meat on its shoulders. Brian cuts it away and takes it back to his camp. Brian finds that he has enough meat to last weeks, making it possible for him to concentrate on winterizing his camp.

Drawn by the smell of the meat, a skunk shows up at Brian's door. Brian feeds it and discovers that it has built itself a home under a rock that forms a wall of his shelter. Brian befriends the skunk and names it Betty. One night, also drawn by the smell of the meat, the bear returns. Just as it looks like the bear might kill Brian, the skunk arrives and sprays the bear. Afterward, Brian decides he must find a better way to protect himself than his bow and arrow. Brian makes a spear using the same flint he used for the arrowheads on his larger bow and arrows.

Brian goes hunting shortly afterward and comes across a moose. Brian shoots an arrow at the moose, but this only makes her angry. The moose charges Brian twice and he manages to kill it with his spear. Brian takes the moose meat back to his camp and leaves it out in the snow where it freezes. The meat lasts Brian a long time.

As winter grows colder, Brian makes himself snowshoes and begins exploring the woods further away from his camp. One night Brian hears gunshots. The next morning, Brian goes to explore the area where the shots came from. Brian stumbles upon the camp of a Cree trapping family. Brian stays with them for three weeks until their supply plane comes. Finally Brian goes home.