Return to Hawk's Hill (Incident at Hawk's Hill, Book 2)
Grade 5-7ASet in northern Canada in the 1870s, this sequel to Incident at Hawk's Hill (Little, Brown, 1995) tells the story of seven-year-old Ben, who's known for his uncanny way with wild animals. When he sees a local trapper threaten his older brother and sister, he takes refuge in his father's old rowboat, but soon discovers a new dangerAhe's adrift on the river with no way of returning home. He is eventually rescued by a Metis youth. At the same time, his parents have embarked on a desperate search for Ben, and their stories alternate with his until they all meet at the Metis camp. The previous story is neatly summed up in a prologue that also sets the scene for this one, which takes place a year later. The author has obviously put a lot of effort into research, and his love of natural history is equally evident. Metis life is meticulously detailed and the natural setting is almost palpable. However, the sense of time and place is better developed than the characters, who tend to be one-dimensional. The villain is something of a stock character, and many others, especially the Metis chief, give long, preachy speeches that make this novel more like a morality lesson than a story. The occasional moments of gripping adventure are overwhelmed by the stiff dialogue and characters. Fans of the first book will enjoy this one because it does resolve some leftover plot points, but it may be difficult to expand the readership to those unfamiliar with that work.AArwen Marshall, New York Public LibraryCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.