Hawk Medicine

Christina Pike is a member of the Evaluation Division, Department of
Education, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Teenager Connor Smith is a loner who is desperately trying to establish
roots. He has grown up with only his mother as family, and they’ve had
to move around a great deal. Lately, he has been experiencing recurring
nightmares about a hawk. The hawk seems to be alerting him to some kind
of danger, but Connor has no idea what that might be. With only his
dreams to guide him, Connor sets out to find some answers. What he
learns is more disturbing than his nightmares—it’s the truth about
his family.

Through his characters, Lewis shows the importance of family clearly,
while simultaneously empathizing with a teenager’s struggle to find
his own place in the world. The nightmares add a surreal quality to
Connor’s plight, but are effective in establishing a link between him
and his grandfather. Recommended.