Customer Reviews

Trouble's Daughter

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3 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Trouble's Daughter is the best book I've read about an Indian captive! It tells the story of Susannah Hutchinson, a girl who lives with her family in 1600's America. One day Indians raid her farm and massacre her family. However, for some reason Susannah is spared and she is taken to live with the Indian tribe. At first she is angry and upset, and she tries to run away, but after a while she begins to open up to the tribe and she learns their language and ways. Will she stay with the Indians forever, or will she return to civilization?

This book was written well, and it was very interesting! I'd recommend for ages 11 and up. If you like books on captives and American Indians, I'd also recommend: Standing in the Light; I am Regina; Sweetgrass; and Dawn Rider.

This book follows a familar plotline: an Indian attack on an isolated frontier cabin, family members brutally slain, a child spared by the attackers, the numbing march into captivity, the hostility and strangeness of the Indian village, the despair of the captive, the dreams of escape or ransom, the kindness of a few individual Indians which eases the captive's loneliness and pain, the gradual acceptance of the new life and family, becoming a full-fledged member of the tribe in spirit as well as body, and the eventual return to the whites which is met with reluctance or refusal. This story has been told before, and very well too, by Lois Lenski in "Indian Captive" and Sally Keehn in "I am Regina." Yet "Trouble's Daughter" is as good as any other Indian captive story.

No, the story is not unique; but how the characters are developed within that story is very well-done. The book is very well-written, and is a fast-paced read which makes for a real page turner. The reader will have a tough time putting this one down. Excellent historical fiction.

TROUBLE'S DAUGHTER is one of the most satisfying and wise pieces of historical fiction around. In terms of promoting a compassionate understanding of Native American people and their customs and views for non-Native Americans, this book is tops. In addition to providing an accurate as possible historical setting, the book provides sustenance for its young readers - and our children do need this nourishment. Whether Som-Quay is offering words of wisdom on love or peace, or whether the young heroine is agonizing or growing, this book takes kids gently by the heart and helps them to develop the ability to look at the world with a more open-minded attitude. The study of history is changing from the memorizing of names and dates to the understanding of people and culture and forces; Katherine Kirkpatrick is an accomplished author, researcher, and historian, and her book ought to be a part of every middle school curriculum regarding America's colonial days.

I just read this book and it is very good! I loved it! It is about a girl who is taken captive by Indians. At first she hates it, but over the years she grows to love the Indians. Then she gets a chance to go live with long-lost family. She must decide between her two worlds. I thought it was very inspiring and I definitely reccomend it to anyone!

Kirkpatrick has written an entertaining and informative novel. The storyline moves quickly along and her characters are vividly portrayed. While you are very sympathetic to the capitve Susanna, you soon learn that her captors have their side of the story too. This is a journey of a young girls growing up, but it is also the story of two different kinds of people learning, under the most difficult of circumstance, to love and accept one another. Teens will enjoy this as an adventure (based on true story) and as the story of an exceptional young woman.

I addmit it toke me only 4 or 5 hours to read this book even though I did other things between reading it. I love this book and I would read it over 1000 times!! It was a great book and I loved the fact that it talked about Indian's in it!! It talks all about when the Lenape's toke her captive,how she survived,how she found a lost Lenape child with her visions,how she came to love her Lenape Indian family and what she learned. I love this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nine year old Susanna's mother is Anne Hutchinson, who is known throughout the colonies for her free thinking. Mother's views have forced the Hutchinsons to move from Boston first to Naragansett, and now to New Netherland, where the Dutch and the local Lenape Indians are fighting a fierce conflict. And one fall morning, Indians attack the cabin, kill Mrs. Hutchinson and the rest of the family living there (two sisters and a brother live elsewhere) and take Susanna captive. At first Susanna is desperate to escape, but as time goes by, her hopes of rescue fade and she begins to accept her fate. Then she begins to have visions, the same kind of visions that forced her family from her home and brought such sorrow and trouble to them. Can Susanna escape her visions or are they her destiny?

This little book tells the compelling story very loosely based on a true story of a young girl taken from her family and forced to live among a local American Indian tribe. While it does not give vivid details of everyday life it does provide a feeling for how the Indians lived in the New York area. It also shows that the Indian could be compassionate to captives. It would be a better book if more details of live and the struggles of a white captive to hold on to their faith and sanity. Susanna Hutchinson goes on to become a significant character in American history, especially New York history.

I thought this was a very good book in that it was very real in every way. The author even had Lenape words and the pronunciations. It showed with emotion and feeling how she over came obstacles in her Lenape tribe and also her adjustment back to her English life.

I really enjoyed reading about Susanna Hutchinsinson(daughter of Ann Hutchinson). When all of her brothers and sisters are killed,Susanna is captured by Lenepe indians.Susanna is lonley for her family,but after a while she adjusts to her new life.