The Way Lies North.

Gregory Bryan is a member of the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

After the deaths of her three brothers who fought with the Loyalists, 15-year-old Charlotte Hooper and her parents are forced to flee their home in what is now the state of New York. As they trek north to Fort Haldimand on the shores of Lake Ontario, they face violence and persecution from the “Sons of Liberty.”

Baxter’s novel is set during the late 1770s, when colonists were embroiled in the American Revolution. Her well-written story centres on a romance between the young Charlotte and Nick, an American patriot who refuses to take up arms. Charlotte feels torn between her devotion to her parents and her love for Nick.

Baxter’s characters are generally well developed, although there are occasions where she is guilty of historical presentism (i.e., inserting modern thinking into historical settings). Nevertheless, her story includes several exciting episodes of drama and danger, and she manages to find the right balance between providing enough detail to inform the reader and pacing the story fast enough to keep readers interested.

Preteen readers with an interest in early Canadian and American history will likely find this tale of romance set amidst war and persecution both an entertaining and educational read. Recommended.