Escape to the Everglades - Edwina Raffa

Running Boy of the Snake Clan of the Seminoles has lived with his uncle in the Everglades since his mother, a Seminole, and his father, a white man, were taken by the Breath Maker.

Now he is fourteen and has received his adult name, Will Cypress, at the annual Green Corn Dance. In the eyes of his tribe Will is now a man, and he is eager to prove his courage as a warrior against the U.S. Army in the Second Seminole War. Will's manhood is accepted by all the Seminoles except Tiger, a bully who has always hated Will because of his white blood and superior running and hunting skills. Hoping to convince Tiger of his loyalty to the Snake Clan, Will sets out to join Osceola's band of warriors who are fighting to remain in Florida. On his way to the war chief's camp, Will stumbles upon a family secret that makes the battle for his homeland a personal one.

He never loses his will to overcome, even when the whites break their truce and capture the Seminoles and imprison them in the fort in St. Augustine. Will faces the daunting challenge of honoring his heritage while desperately struggling to hold on to his dream.

Valuable lessons about friendship, perseverance, and the power of the truth.