The long days on the trail were filled with excitement for adventurous Carrie Talbot. And at the end of the trail waited more adventure--she was going to start a brand new life at the Indian mission established by her uncle. Then a sudden encounter with an Indian raiding party left Carrie with more excitement than she wanted. As she rode off helplessly with her captors, frantic thoughts raced through Carrie's mind.Why was one of the Indians so interested in the family Bible she had managed to save? How could she escape? Even if she did, how could she ever find the wagon train again?The raiding party took Carrie deep into the wilderness to a Cheyenne camp on the banks of a distant river. There Carrie met the Indian called the Keeper and began a life far different from any she had ever imagined.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Written for early elementary kids to read on their own, but would be an enjoyable read-aloud too. Lots of adventure for Carrie, with being on a wagon train and getting captured by Indians. I appreciated the spiritual lessons in the book - woven into the book naturally and without being "preachy." Even good reminders for an adult.
Some of my favorite quotes -
"Don't mind him......Mom says he is growing too fast. It addles his mind." :-D
"I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies ....Ashamed, she realized that she had not once prayed."
"Make the most of the time and place God gives you.............for His hand is in it."
I won't give away the story, but it is a worthwhile book, with a wholesome, interesting plot.
A young girl is lost from her wagon train and captured by the Cheyenne. For a year she lives out bravery and faith in the midst of a culture she fears at first but learns to love. One of my favorite books when I was in about third grade. Reread it over and over for several years, loved the characters so much; and the "storing up treasure in heaven" message stuck with me, lived out in these pages by a girl who has lost everything in her life except her Bible. A great discussion book for kids on how one person can impact many lives.
December was supposed the month to read from my own shelves, and I haven't done very well so far. To jumpstart it, I grabbed a couple children's books that I owned but had (that I remember) never read. I definitely won't be keeping this one. The writing, themes, and messages were all below par. Children's books can be so much more than poorly written, misguided morality tales.
I just finished reading this with Podling 4. My biggest complaints are that the little girl doesn't act her age and that the barriers of language and culture are overcome much too quickly. The book is quite didactic, but I expect that from this publisher, so that didn't bother me. It should be said that Podling 4 liked the read and only had to have a few of the intuitive leaps explained to her, so that should count in the book's favor.