Ghost Hawk in Mock Newbery 2026

Sep 29, 2014 Carol Royce Owen rated it liked it

I've had this on my TBR pile for some time and finally got to it this week. I had in mind a few students I thought would be interested in it - they love adventure stories, but after reading it, I don't think it will work for them now. The first section was perfect. A young Pokanoket boy Little Hawk, is sent off to spend three months alone in the woods to find his Manitou and become a man. Of course there are perils and difficulties, which the author uses to propel the reader forward, but before I've had this on my TBR pile for some time and finally got to it this week. I had in mind a few students I thought would be interested in it - they love adventure stories, but after reading it, I don't think it will work for them now. The first section was perfect. A young Pokanoket boy Little Hawk, is sent off to spend three months alone in the woods to find his Manitou and become a man. Of course there are perils and difficulties, which the author uses to propel the reader forward, but before you know it, the quest is done, and Young Hawk is headed back home. But wait a minute, you are only 67 pages into a 320 page book, what is left. That's when you discover that there is a historic aspect to this book, that of the first settlers coming to the Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bay areas, and of course that would include the first settlers in Plymouth.

Now the story gets into the turmoils of their arrival as the colonists take from the Native Americans, and many of them consider them hostile savages lead by the devil himself. The author portrays many of the colonists harshly, but there are some that seem sympathetic to the tribes, and appreciate the help they receive from them. The book includes the famous, Squanto, who first introduces the colonists to the tribes, but is met with distrust, and well-known colonists such as William Bradford and Miles Standish, and Roger Williams. As the colonists became more established and Little Hawk grew, the story began to lose my interest. There was a lot of bashing of the colonists, which I do not fault, because we all know that the Native Americans were cheated out of a lot, but the book became heavy handed with the religious beliefs and tribal life. But then something huge happened...something that I was not expecting..and the author had me back.

The rest of the book is about a special friendship between Little Hawk and one of the colonists, a boy named John Wakeley who becomes an apprentice to a cooper. Turmoil continues to unfold between the nations, and the reader is left expecting at every page turn that something is going to happen, but it's a long time coming - 50 years. I think I'll be able to interest some students in this, but definitely an older student than I had in mind. ...more

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Sep 08, 2013 Julie Williams rated it liked it

This is going to be a tough review to write because I have differing views on the book. This book was actually recommended to me and then I received it from the publisher for consideration for the Maine Student Book Award. I was excited and intrigued about the book.

The book is about Little Hawk and John Wakeley who officially meet 2 times. Little Hawk is a member of the Pokanoket tribe and in the beginning of the book he is going through his proving time. When he returns home he finds his villa

This is going to be a tough review to write because I have differing views on the book. This book was actually recommended to me and then I received it from the publisher for consideration for the Maine Student Book Award. I was excited and intrigued about the book.

The book is about Little Hawk and John Wakeley who officially meet 2 times. Little Hawk is a member of the Pokanoket tribe and in the beginning of the book he is going through his proving time. When he returns home he finds his village has been ravished by a disease brought by the white men who have been arriving in the area. We continue to follow Little Hawk as he meets John Wakely the first time with his father, another man, and Squanto as they watch the Pokanoket's fish. It is many years later, and amid rising tensions between the Native Americans and Englishmen that John and Little Hawk meet again. There has been an accident and Little Hawk is trying to help rescue John's father who is under a tree. Two other Englishmen misinterpret what they see and shoot Little Hawk. Little Hawk dies and the end of part 1. The rest of the story follows John as he struggles with the growing tensions. He actually is able to see Little Hawk as a ghost and is able to learn the Pokanoket language from him. Eventually John moves to Rhode Island which is more tolerant of differing religious views and the treatment of the Native Americans.

Here's the tough part. I did like the book. Susan Cooper is a good writer. The storyline was unique with the ghost of Little Hawk conversing with John. When I finished it early this morning I wondered though what does Debbie Reese think? Debbie Reese has a blog at http://americanindiansinchildrenslite...

and evaluates the portrayal of American Indians in Children's Literature. She was not impressed with the book. Her review can be found here http://americanindiansinchildrenslite...

So what to do? I know that I can get offended when stereotypes are made of some of the groups I associate myself with. I can't even imagine how American Indians feel when they are yet again portrayed incorrectly. I feel I need to respect their feelings.

What is the solution to this dilemma? I guess I would encourage authors who decide to write about any group...who want to portray them accurately and not stereotypically to have as part of their research process a consultant from that group.

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Nov 05, 2013 Karen Arendt rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, middle-grade

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

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Sep 05, 2015 clare o'c rated it really liked it

Shelves: middle-grades, historical-fiction, middle-school, afterlife, native-americans, survival, massachusetts

I would not ordinarily pick up a book about colonists and Native Peoples, but this is a CYRM nominee, so I did. To my surprise I was fully engaged in the parallel stories of Little Hawk and John Wakeley as they experience their times in very different ways. Little Hawk must survive alone in the woods for three months to become a man. John Wakeley must face the consequences of holding true to his beliefs, political and religious. The historical setting and facts are compelling and the pace and la ...more

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Jun 18, 2013 Rachel Seigel rated it it was amazing

Susan Cooper proves once again why she is a master writer with this engaging story narrated by a young aboriginal boy. The nuances of this complicated era are captured in a sensitive and informative way without being preachy or boring. A must-read and wonderful support to any Aboriginal studies- American or Canadian.

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