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Richie Partington
May 26, 2013 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: fiction
GHOST HAWK by Susan Cooper, Margaret K. McElderry/Simon & Schuster, August 2013, 336p., ISBN: 978-1-4424-8141-1

"But when one little cross
Leads to shots, grit your teeth"
-- The Fixx, "One Thing Leads to Another"

"PHOENIX -- A federal judge ruled Friday that the office of America's self-proclaimed toughest sheriff systematically singled out Latinos in its trademark immigration patrols, marking a first finding by a court that the agency racially profiles people...
"[The plaintiffs] also accused th
...more
Karen Arendt
Nov 05, 2013 rated it it was amazing
A beautiful story of the Native Americans and the pilgrims as told from Litttle Hawk's view. His view is not biased, though, and I found it interesting how he told hi story from John Wakely's view. An excellent story for 4th and 5th grade social studies curriculum.

The story begins with Little Hawk venturing into the wilderness at age 12 for three months. If he survives the 3 months of winter on his own and finds his Manitou, spirit guide, he will become a man. When he returns to the village he
...more
Christina
Aug 23, 2014 rated it liked it
3.5 stars -- I liked this book more than I thought I would. I am often wary of books written by white authors about Native Americans, but this one captured my attention immediately as I eagerly read part I about Little Hawk's journey to manhood. Unfortunately, when the book veers toward more mystical storytelling and begins to focus on another character in part II, it lost some momentum. I have read that there is a difference of opinion on the accuracy of Susan Cooper's research -- and I certain ...more
Laurel
Sep 12, 2013 rated it really liked it
This book going to cause a heated debate, politically. I don't know enough about the tribes in question to discuss the accuracy issues. I found it to be perfect prose. I mean-- breathtaking in places. And the structure is flawless. I'd have given a 5, but the end lost me a bit. I like slow books, but there's a sort of triple ending, as Cooper seeks to connect the story to the present, and to actual events in the colonies, beyond the scope of the relationship at the heart of the book. I'd have pr ...more
Tamsyn
Susan Cooper has been one of my favorite authors since the '70s, and her newest book pulled me in from the first page and held me till the end. It's set in 17th century Massachusetts, and it follows two boys. The first, Little Hawk, embarks on the Native American coming-of-age ritual that sends him out into the wilderness to find his spirit guide and survive for 3 months by himself in the winter with nothing but a few tools. After completing this rite, he reurns to unexpected changed circumstanc ...more
Wendy
Jun 03, 2013 rated it liked it
Looking at this purely as entertainment, I was more engaged in the first half than I expected to be at all, and I enjoyed Little Hawk's character and both the Puritan and the Pokanoket settings. The writing is good, of course. But I thought everything began to fall apart about halfway through John's apprenticeship, when the book doesn't have any more children or adolescents in it. The plot got less intriguing, the background information more prosaic, and I lost sight of exactly where the book wa ...more
Mary
Historical fiction that feels episodic. At multiple times throughout the book I had to ask myself "What ending is this working towards?" While I like Susan Cooper's Dark Is Rising series and wish a movie with similar landscape and time feel to Lord of the Rings would be made, I can't seem to get into her historical fiction. This was okay, but nowhere near the top of my list for this year. ...more
Ann
Jul 31, 2013 rated it it was amazing
This is another very special book from Susan Cooper. Destined for Core Reading lists, it has everything
you could hope for in an historical novel.
Great heart, wisdom, and story ...with memorable characters you are sad to leave.
Karen Gibson
This is the BEST book I have read in a very long time. If you enjoy Historical Fiction, please read this book. It deserves to win the Newbery Medal.
Benji Martin
Oct 31, 2013 rated it liked it
This book was pretty good. The ghost thing was interesting, but the rest of it has been done over and over again.
Mrs. Chatel
Jun 07, 2013 rated it liked it
Donalyn
Jun 23, 2013 marked it as to-read
Jane
Jun 23, 2013 marked it as to-read
Kris Springer
Jul 23, 2013 rated it really liked it
June
Sep 09, 2013 marked it as to-read
Brandy
Sep 10, 2013 marked it as to-read
Shawn
Sep 26, 2013 rated it it was ok
Amanda
Oct 01, 2013 rated it really liked it
Rachel
Oct 24, 2013 marked it as to-read
Jenny
Oct 27, 2013 marked it as to-read
Bekah
Oct 29, 2013 marked it as to-read
Julie
Nov 14, 2013 rated it liked it
Maria Caplin
Jan 01, 2014 marked it as to-read
Sheila
Jan 09, 2014 marked it as to-read
Cori  Grady
Jan 13, 2014 marked it as to-read
Laurie
Jan 28, 2014 rated it liked it
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