Customer Reviews

Kaya's Escape (American Girl)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was surprised that Pleasent Company had finally broken their traditional format for the Kaya series, but now I understand why, it is to show that the Indians, including Kaya's Nez Perce tribe have a very special place in our nation's past, present, and future.

Kaya's Escape is the 2nd book in the Kaya series and this time Kaya is faced with tremendous challenges as a neighboring tribe attacks while the warriors are away. Told to hide in the forest with her blind sister Speaking Rain, Kaya disobeys because she is worried for the safety of her horse, Steps High, and her one instinctive decision gets both her and her sister captured. Kaya feels very responsible as they are taken away, as slaves, from their homeland and does everything she can to help with the daily chores of her blind sister, to somehow make up for what she did, all the while hoping her father and the rest of the tribe will come and rescue them. When she learns that the people who captured them will soon be moving for the winter Kaya finally realizes she must escape with her sister or they are done for good and will never be able to return home. She befriends anther Indian slave boy and enlists his help in escaping. However, Kaya knows she must make a big decision, can she leave Speaking Rain behind, and go for help, for their is no way a blind girl could make such a journey? This story about Kaya was another success. I recommend all to read it, for it gives a unique experience on Indian life, during the period when the whites had not interfered with their culture.

In "Kaya's Escape" (Book 2 in the series), Kaya's tribe is raided by a neighboring tribe while the men are away from the camp. Kaya is told to lead her blind sister, Speaking Rain, to a hiding place in the forest. When Kaya sees the raiders approaching the horses, she becomes more interested in saving her own beloved horse then in finding safety for herself and Speaking Rain. Then, Kaya and Speaking Rain are taken captive, to be slaves. The raiding tribe also steals their herd of horses as well. They are all taken many days away from their home camp. Kaya has to find the courage and strength to make many difficult decisions in order to insure her future.

This book is filled with action and adventure, but it could also be difficult to follow. During her journey, there are many changes in setting and actions that are described too quickly or unclearly. The ending is not resolved as neatly as it is in many children's books, but this book provides valuable information for understanding the later books in the series. I got through the book rereading sentences as necessary, but enjoyed the story overall. I liked that the difficulties and dangers of other tribes were presented. This book is also a key book in understanding how Kaya develops the character traits that lead her to more maturity and better choices in the future.

I like this book alot bcause it has good drawings and cool characters the book also gets better when you get to the next capter. What I don't like is when the characters get hurt or get sick. What iI think they should of addedd was how her mom and dad felt when she came home with out her sister.She also should of said why kaya felt bad for the little boy who was there too.

This book is definitely more exciting then the first book, and two new characters are introduced, Two Hawks and Swan Circling. Two Hawks is a Salish boy who becomes Kaya's friend, despite his bossy attitude. Swan Circling is a brave woman who is a main character in the third book. This book is the book where Kaya realizes her lack of responsibility, after making a huge mistake that could keep her from seeing her family, and her beautiful horse, Steps High, ever again. My only problem with this book is the "spirit" that Kaya comes across near the end of the book. I don't believe in "spirits" or "ghosts", and I found that part to be very unrealistic. But other than that, I would say this is a good book about struggle, and finding your way home.

I would recommend it to people who read the first Kaya book. If you haven't read the first book, then I suggest that you read it before this one, because it will make this one a little bit more enjoyable.

This story brings many emotions, especially love, and not taking the ones you love for granted.

When Kaya and her blind sister are kidnapped by enemy raiders, and taken to one of their camps, Kaya has no choice but to leave her visually disabled sister behind, and try to find her way back home so that they can return for her. But many things stand in Kaya's way, and part of her is wondering if she'll ever see Toe-ta and Eetsa (Her mother and father) again.

This book definately makes up for the excitement the first book lacked. I enjoyed reading it, as I have all the other Kaya books. My only problem with the series is that they believe in spirits, and some things that happen in the books couldn't happen in real life. But if you look past that, this series is great!

Say you were back in the 1764 in an Indian Tribe and you got stolen by a raider. How would you get away? Well, this is a story about a girl named Kaya and her friend in an Indian Tribe called Nimiipuu. They got stolen by raiders.

When I started reading this book, I thought it would be boring, but when I got to the part when Kaya and Speaking Rain got stolen I just wanted to keep reading.

Kaya and Speaking Rain had to be a slave, at the raiders tribe there was a boy who was a slave too, his name is Two Hawks. Kaya had to escape without Speaking Rain because she is blind. Two Hawks is going to escape with Kaya. At first Kaya didn¡¦t like Two Hawks and fights because Two Hawks wanted to be a leader.

This gives me a connection because I have trouble with my friend sometimes. Then when they were going up to the mountain and then trouble came, Two Hawks broke his ankle.

I felt sad before I read the ending. I ask to my self, what will happen? Will they stay alive? If you like exploring, then you should read this book. This is a great book for second or third graders.


ºVivienneº

Say you were back in the 1764 in an Indian Tribe and you got stolen by a raider. How would you get away? Well, this is a story about a girl named Kaya and her friend in an Indian Tribe called Nimiipuu. They got stolen by raiders.

When I started reading this book, I thought it would be boring, but when I got to the part when Kaya and Speaking Rain got stolen I just wanted to keep reading.

Kaya and Speaking Rain had to be a slave, at the raiders tribe there was a boy who was a slave too, his name is Two Hawks. Kaya had to escape without Speaking Rain because she is blind. Two Hawks is going to escape with Kaya. At first Kaya didn¡¦t like Two Hawks,and they fight because Two Hawks wanted to be the leader.

This gives me a connection because I have trouble with my friend sometimes at school. Then when they were going up to the mountain and then trouble came, Two Hawks broke his ankle.

I felt sad before I read the ending. I ask to my self, what will happen? Will they stay alive? If you like exploring, then you should read this book. This is a great book for second or third graders.


ºVivienneº

This is another in the American Girls series about Kaya'aton'my', a nine-year-old Native-American girl growing up among the Nez Perce people in 1764. In this book, when Kaya and her adopted sister Speaking Rain are captured by another tribe during a raid on their village, they face a life of slavery among a people whose language they don't understand. Kaya is determined to avoid this fate, but escape during the beginning of winter holds many dangers.

This is another excellent American Girls book (even better than the first Kaya story). My daughter loves Kaya, and greatly enjoyed this story. I liked the story and the illustrations, but loved the lessons that the book taught. Also, I must say that I was surprised at how alive is Kaya's faith in her religion. Religion is something surprisingly absent from most of the American Girls stories (the only other girl with a noticeable faith is Josefina). My daughter loved this story and so do I. We both recommend this book to you.