Brenda Chapman. Hiding in Hawk's Creek
Napoleon Publishers  $9.95  ISBN  1-894917-24-3 128 pg.
Reviewed by Hayley, Age 14

Barely passing high school Jennifer Bannon is dreading spending another summer at home in Springhills with her dysfunctional family. The fourteen-year-old teen lives with her mom and younger sister and hardly ever gets to see her dad who split. Mr. Putterman, her mom’s boring boyfriend destroys the sisters’ dream to reunite their scrambled family. When her mom and Mr. Putterman announce their engagement its all Jennifer can take, although she forces a plastered grin. She manages to persuade her mother to allow her to go to Hawk's Creek, to spend time with her kindly grandmother - it sounds like a perfect, relaxing trouble free summer retreat (the perfect hide out). To her surprise, she finds something more. Caught up in a whirlwind of events surrounding a suspicious native family in the neighbourhood, Jennifer's summer turns out a lot different than she expected.

Brenda Chapman, the author of Hiding in Hawk's Creek has written one other teen novel - Running Scared, also a junior fiction paperback novel, suitable for ages ten and up. Running Scared is also an amazing children's book, with deep meaning and vivid characters worth reading.

I thought that Hiding in Hawk's Creek was a great novel that tied in perfectly with its prequel, Running Scared. Again, Brenda Chapman had captured the life of a troubled teenaged girl in perfect image - an alluring story that draws you into the characters mind. When you finish, you are fully satisfied, but yet hungry to devour another of Brenda Chapman's books.

I give Hiding in Hawk's Creek five stars.