Celebrate America’s 250th with this true story of a young teen’s fight for his country 1776-1782 An amazing real-life story of a young sailor during the American Revolution For readers ages 8-14 The Revolutionary War is raging, and 12-year-old Christopher Hawkins runs away to follow his dream of being a sailor and a patriot. During his sea adventure on an American privateer, the British capture his ship. Quick-witted Christopher escapes at his first opportunity. At 17, Christopher joins another American privateer but is soon captured by the British. This time, he is delivered to the notorious British ship HMS Jersey, the war’s deadliest prison. Armed with only courage, intelligence, and a sense of humor, Christopher Hawkins will face death unless he can escape from his British captors twice more. "This novelization is at turns harrowing and funny as its cycles of capture-and-escape gets twistier and ever-more surprising." — Publishers Weekly , BookLife Editor's Pick “A rare book that brings history alive in the most exciting way—full of memorable characters and real-life, harrowing adventures!” —Carol Cujec, award-winning author of REAL For grades 4–9 , Christopher’s tale of survival and patriotism will resonate with young readers who love adventure, history, and stories of resilience. Christopher's thrilling escape leads him through New York City, Long Island, and Rhode Island. This tale of survival is adapted and expanded from the author’s great-great-great-great-grandfather’s oft-quoted memoir, The Adventures of Christopher Hawkins. Christopher Hawkins and His Daring Escapes is a story of grit, determination, courage, and the indomitable will to survive. Jeanne Brownlee Becijos draws upon the experiences of her great-great-great-great grandfather to tell an absorbing tale about a young man's quest to fight for his country's freedom. Readers' Favorite 5-star Review This novelization is at turns harrowing and funny as its cycle of capture-and-escape gets twistier and ever-more surprising. Escape and adventure in the age of sail, drawn from personal history. Publishers Weekly , BookLife Reviews--Editor's Pick The dialogue is particularly exciting-all of the interactions feel authentic, as if Becijos was actually on the ship, engaging in these conversations that she re-creates. Fans of adventure and historical fiction will want to secure themselves a copy of this riveting tale. Kirkus Review A rare book that brings history alive in the most exciting way-full of memorable characters and real-life, harrowing adventures! Carol Cujec , award-winning author of REAL Fans of war novels depicting young patriots will gravitate toward this novel. It will mostly be appreciated by young readers, but adults won't want to miss out. Strong and determined characters are the strength of this novel, and readers will root for their success. BookLIfe Prize As a fan of family history, Jeanne Brownlee Becijos has enjoyed digging into the story of her ancestor Christopher Hawkins and traveling to New York City, Long Island, Connecticut and Rhode Island to explore the roads Christopher traveled during his escapes. Jeanne has taught K-12 and college students and has written educational textbooks and award-winning plays. She lives in San Diego with her husband. Her thanks go to Christopher and all the brave men and women who founded this nation.