Books have an enormous presence in The Losers Club, with the sharing of books between characters creating the motif of books and reading as a means of forging connections. This is most evident in the way Alec and Kent become friends again once Alec makes Kent read Hatchet. Alec presents Kent with Hatchet because he believes Kent will genuinely enjoy it, and ends up being right: Kent loves the book so much that he reads the rest of the series. When Alec and Kent get a moment to talk in Chapter 33, Kent is happy Alec chose the book for him because it helped him deal with his parents’ divorce. The sharing of Hatchet symbolizes Alec’s offering of friendship to Kent, and Kent’s enjoyment of the book mends his bullying ways toward Alec.

Books serve as a catalyst for friendship between Alec and many other characters as well. At the beginning of the novel, Alec meets Nina because he sees her reading a book. After a short conversation, they realize they both share a love for reading in general. Alec’s friendship—and romantic interest—in Nina begins with their love of books, and their conversations about books serve as the building blocks for their friendship.