The Way Back — Tom Pawlik

Something ravenous lurks in a Mississippi swamp. When twelve-year-old Jake Kelly sees his father attacked by a rogue alligator, he becomes obsessed with hunting the beast down. To help in his quest, Jake enlists the aid of his friend, Buck Miller, and a reclusive outcast named Abe Garner. But Jake soon learns there's more to the old hermit than anyone knows. And once trapped in the swamp, the boys discover the creature they seek isn't the monster they thought it was... It's something much worse. When hope is lost, faith will find the way back.