Last Child

by Michael Spooner

A mixed-race girl must grow up quickly when danger threatens her world

Rosalie’s biggest problem used to be her own divided feelings. The constant tug-of-war between her white half and her Native American half is hard. She even has two Rosalie when she’s at the fort with her father and Last Child when she’s in the village with her mother.

But now a steamboat has carried smallpox into Rosalie’s world—and the Mandans have no resistance to the disease. Suddenly the name Last Child is all too real.

Set during the smallpox epidemic of 1837, this is the powerful story of a mixed-race girl fighting her way into adulthood against all odds.

Genres: Historical Fiction

230 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Michael Spooner is the author of several books for teens, including Entr@pment, Daniel's Walk, and Last Child. He lives in Logan, Utah.

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish. It's not exceptionally bad, I just wasn't interested. Rosalie isn't very likable and the story dragged. And for a book that supposedly about the smallpox epidemic, you'd think they'd actually start talking about it within the first 100 pages.

[Raeanne Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an interesting and heartwarming story. I really enjoy how it is a fictional telling of true history.

[Eden Silverfox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rosalie, also called Last Child, has struggled with being half white and half Native American. Which is she? Rosalie feels she doesn't belong to either side. But soon there are more problems in Rosalie's life than just struggling with being half white and half Native American.

A smallpox epidemic breaks out and Rosalie has to leave her childhood behind. She has to be brave and become a woman.

I dentified with Rosalie. Being mixed myself, I struggled like she did. Hating my whiteness; my white skin. Being completely ashamed of myself. I think the author did a great job with the character of Rosalie and her struggled with being mixed.

Although some of the characters say that Rosalie is selfish and thinks too highly of herself. I didn't really see that though. She was very outspoken and she could be argumentative, but so were the adults that accused her of being so.

I found the adults contradicted themselves sometimes, just the things they would say to Rosalie.

I really did like the character of Rosalie and with this book you learn some history as well.

I think one of the things that can be taken from this book is that be proud of your heritages, be proud if you're mixed and don't be ashamed. I know the struggle all too well. The feeling you belong to neither side. Just learn about your heritage and you will learn about yourself. In doing so, you will find your place and people who accept you.

That being said, this is a good book. I liked it.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second half of this book is better than the first. It has the plot in it, a bit of adventure, survival, and coming-of-age. The first half, unfortunately, meanders and rambles, making it somewhat interesting but not engaging.

There are interesting points in which the narrator discusses the differences between her two families and two cultures, but rather than working them into the story, the author includes these as random, anchorless chapters.

The book's greatest strength is the culture clash, particularly when personified through characters from two different worlds. It has weaknesses but highlights, too. My favorite part was the narrator's attempt to explain the devil in Mandan terms.

[Mo]

What a different world we would now live in if not for smallpox and the inability of Native American tribes to fight it off. Using primary sources the author depicts the smallpox epidemic of 1837 along the Missouri River. I love historical fiction.

[Nikie Elwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this for my on-line literature class. It's about a 1/2 white 1/2 Indian girl on the Datkota plains during the 1830's. It was written by an author from Logan. It was pretty good.