The Kids at Gator Lake

By Leonard Dawson

This is the story of three girls and two boys with very different personalities, ranging in age from six to twelve who confront their fears, both real and imagined, like the squatter who befriends them, the killer who threatens them, and the monster alligator in the swamp.

Leigh, whose idea of fun is taking a leaky old rowboat out on the gator-infested swamp near her home in central Florida, persuades them to go on a series of reckless adventures. Her dogged determination to solve the murder of her uncle leads to the kidnapping of her six-year-old sister, Mattie.

Leigh, by far the bravest of the five, is constantly getting them into mischief. Her younger sister Mattie, whose only fear is being left behind when her siblings go on an adventure, re-imagines her experiences as part of a fairy-tale. Her younger brother, Tripp, is both Mattie's devoted caretaker and a reluctant accomplice to Leigh's reckless exploits.

The narrator, her cousin Leonard, struggles with insecurities and his first crush. As well as being the oldest, Leonard's sister Sarah, is an introverted, incurable bookworm who is struggling with the transition from adolescence to adulthood. She also struggles with an unexpected crush, even as she tries to help Leonard with his own.

I hope you enjoy the squabbling and camaraderie between five kids with very different personalities, who manage to accomplish what grown-ups cannot. And if you enjoy coming-of-age stories, I hope you'll try my other book, "Outcasts, Lies, and a Legend."

Please leave a rating, and or review. It would be very much appreciated. I did appreciate the note from one of my readers about the error in my manuscript, and I have fixed it.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0CJLCZTJ5
• ISBN13: 9798989120833
• Release Date: September 2023
• Publisher: Leonard Dawson
• Length: 198 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"