Allan W Eckert

Allan W. Eckert, a naturalist and writer, authored "Incident at Hawk's Hill," a 1971 novel initially presented as adult fiction but later recognized as a children's book. The story, purportedly based on a true event, recounts the experience of a six-year-old boy lost on the Canadian prairies who survives for two months with the help of a mother badger. The book garnered significant recognition, including being named an American Library Association Notable book and a Newbery Honor recipient. Despite its accolades, some critical reviews, like one from Kirkus Reviews, described it as "overblown and curiously old-fashioned."

The narrative is set in 1870 near Winnipeg, Manitoba, and follows Ben, a mute boy who finds solace with animals. When Ben becomes lost, he encounters an injured badger whose own offspring have perished. The badger begins to care for Ben, bringing him food, and he adapts to her nocturnal habits. Ben's eventual rescue after a two-month search sees him initially react with wild behavior. The story culminates with the badger's accidental injury by a neighbor, George Burton, leading to a confrontation that ultimately unifies Ben with his father. The tale has been interpreted by different cultural groups as a parable of divine care and a story of honor.

Allan W. Eckert's "Incident at Hawk's Hill" is presented by the author as a "slightly fictionalized version of an incident which actually occurred at the time and place noted." However, Eckert did not provide specific documentation to support this claim. Scholar Kenneth Kidd, who researches stories of feral children, suggests that Eckert might have drawn inspiration from local folklore. While Kidd has found no further evidence to corroborate Eckert's assertion, an article from the Manitoba Historical Society's "Manitoba Pageant" in 1960, titled "The Boy Who Lived in a Badger Hole," details an 1873 incident of a boy found after ten days living in a badger's den. This account is considered a potential basis for Eckert's novel, though the degree of factual accuracy remains a subject of discussion due to Eckert's use of the qualifier "slightly."

Upon its release, "Incident at Hawk's Hill" received considerable acclaim. It was honored as a Newbery Honor book in 1972 and was recognized by the Austrian Juvenile Book of the Year Award, in addition to being named an American Library Association Notable Book. The book was also a Reader's Digest selection. Conversely, Kirkus Reviews offered a less favorable assessment, characterizing the novel as an "overblown and curiously old-fashioned tale." The book was initially published as an adult novel and later adapted for television by Disney as "The Boy who Talked to Badgers" in 1975. This film was later re-marketed to schools under the book's title, reflecting its established status as a children's novel.