Journey's End

Gr 4–6—Hawkins's latest middle grade novel is a spooky tale of friendship and adventure set on the gloomy and fog-shrouded coast of Scotland. Nolie Stanhope isn't looking forward to spending her summer in a remote village in Scotland, until she learns about the Boundary, the mysterious fog bank lurking just off the coast of the village of Journey's End. While her scientist father searches to unearth the secrets of the Boundary, most of the residents of Journey's End seem content with fearful coexistence. When a strange boy appears on the beach and the Boundary starts moving closer to the shore, Nolie and her new friend Bel must search for the truth and find a way to stop the Boundary before it's too late. The story is well paced and suspenseful, and readers are sure to relate to the doubts and thrills as Nolie and Bel overcome their apprehension and become great friends. The family relationships are especially poignant, and several secondary characters help to progress the plot and provide tension. The dreary Scottish weather and a liberal sprinkling of Scottish slang and jargon add to the atmosphere; however, there isn't much depth to the myths and mysteries that create the Boundary, which makes the easily accomplished ending feel somewhat unsatisfying.