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Daughters of the Faith #8
The Captive Princess: A Story Based on the Life of Young Pocahontas
Daughters of the Faith: ordinary girls who did extraordinary things for God.
On the eastern shores of the North American wilderness lives an Algonquin princess named Pocahontas, a curious 10-year-old who loves exploring the tidewater lands of her people. One day she encounters strangers, a group of people who look different from her own. She befriends them, and when her people come into conflict with these new settlers, Pocahontas courageously attempts to save a life by offering her own. Based on the true story of Pocahontas’ early life.
On the eastern shores of the North American wilderness lives an Algonquin princess named Pocahontas, a curious 10-year-old who loves exploring the tidewater lands of her people. One day she encounters strangers, a group of people who look different from her own. She befriends them, and when her people come into conflict with these new settlers, Pocahontas courageously attempts to save a life by offering her own. Based on the true story of Pocahontas’ early life.
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2008
4 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Lawton
24 books28 followersWendy Lawton, award-winning writer, sculptor, and doll designer, founded the Lawton Doll Company in 1979.
Lawton is a long-time lover of classic Christian literature. She has written eight books in her young adult Daughters of the Faith series. These books were followed by a series of four teen books and a nonfiction adult book. She won the 1999 Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. She also won the famous Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest for the intentional worst first line of a novel in the Children’s Literature category.
Lawton received an honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters degree on January 18, 2004, from Wilmington College, located in New Castle, Delaware.
She and Keith, her husband of 30 years, are the parents of three. They reside in Hilmar, California, where they farm 30 acres of almonds and care for two dogs, an aged goose, and five elderly cats.
Lawton is the Vice President of Books and Such Literary Management. See their website here.
Lawton is a long-time lover of classic Christian literature. She has written eight books in her young adult Daughters of the Faith series. These books were followed by a series of four teen books and a nonfiction adult book. She won the 1999 Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. She also won the famous Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest for the intentional worst first line of a novel in the Children’s Literature category.
Lawton received an honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters degree on January 18, 2004, from Wilmington College, located in New Castle, Delaware.
She and Keith, her husband of 30 years, are the parents of three. They reside in Hilmar, California, where they farm 30 acres of almonds and care for two dogs, an aged goose, and five elderly cats.
Lawton is the Vice President of Books and Such Literary Management. See their website here.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 11, 2019
This was a little more childish, like the Tinkers Daughter. So it wasn't my favorite
March 29, 2017
While this story was probably written for girls younger than me, I greatly enjoyed it. I wasn't sure what I would find, but the story, instead of being dry like so many new biographies are, it was alive. I felt like I was there with Pocahontas. The few added Indian words gave an added interest and I think I learned more about this legendary princess then I had known before.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
May 16, 2021
3⭐️
This definitely reads as an elementary required reading for school.
It is good, but also a bit boring.
This definitely reads as an elementary required reading for school.
It is good, but also a bit boring.
July 19, 2024
I loved Pocahontas as a child. Reading this novel gave more insight to the true story of this princess and how she even came to Christ!
January 15, 2026
I knew of Pocahontas growing up mainly through the Disney portrayal, so it was neat to read about her life in this short historical fiction biography. Written as a story based on the true events of Pocahontas’s life, this tale reflects bravery and courage. One surprising aspect for me was learning that Pocahontas became a Christian, something entirely left out of the movie. I appreciated learning more about her faith and how she heard the gospel through the English settlers. Her bravery in saving John Smith and helping the settlers was inspiring.
The faith element of the story does not really come into focus until the very end. Most of the book centers on Pocahontas’s life before she comes to know God. One part of the book that I found somewhat alarming was the way her first encounter with God is described, particularly the implication that God spoke to her directly. Early in the story, the author writes:
“As sleep began to wrap around her like a warm mantle, a whisper drifted into her dream, ‘Amonute, I have given you a heart to know Me. Search your heart.’”
I am not aware of any historical record of Pocahontas claiming to hear God speak directly to her, yet this is subtly presented in the book. Later, toward the end of the story, Pocahontas meets an English minister who teaches her from Scripture. She reads the Bible, becomes convicted of her sin, and recognizes her need for forgiveness. A brief but clear gospel presentation is included.
While I appreciated the ending, I was concerned by the earlier sections that portray her hearing God’s voice directly, apart from Scripture. This is something I would definitely want to address and discuss with my children while reading the book.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.
The faith element of the story does not really come into focus until the very end. Most of the book centers on Pocahontas’s life before she comes to know God. One part of the book that I found somewhat alarming was the way her first encounter with God is described, particularly the implication that God spoke to her directly. Early in the story, the author writes:
“As sleep began to wrap around her like a warm mantle, a whisper drifted into her dream, ‘Amonute, I have given you a heart to know Me. Search your heart.’”
I am not aware of any historical record of Pocahontas claiming to hear God speak directly to her, yet this is subtly presented in the book. Later, toward the end of the story, Pocahontas meets an English minister who teaches her from Scripture. She reads the Bible, becomes convicted of her sin, and recognizes her need for forgiveness. A brief but clear gospel presentation is included.
While I appreciated the ending, I was concerned by the earlier sections that portray her hearing God’s voice directly, apart from Scripture. This is something I would definitely want to address and discuss with my children while reading the book.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.
April 2, 2020
Based on the true life story of a young American Indian princess, The Captive Princess: A Story Based on the Life of Young Pocahontas by Wendy Lawton, it was written generally as if from her viewpoint. It covers her early years growing up in the community of the Tribe and makes a point of her natural curiosity about everything around her. When strangers land nearby she and her brother began watching them from behind trees and bushes thinking they would eventually leave the area. But they observed them building structures and planting seeds to raise crops and realized this indicated a much longer term venture. Eventually she meets them and begins to learn English to communicate with them and a shaky friendship developed between the strangers and her trib including her father, the chief. The author includes some little-known details to supplement the generally recognized facts about her life. This was written for a younger audience and is a fast but interesting read even for adults.
October 12, 2022
I read a lot of my children's books since they are homeschoolers and I like to know what they are learning. This was one of the books my daughter needed to read this year. It is a quick read and does not go into her whole life. But it is a very excellent read and keeps your attention very well. It helps children to see what it might have been like to grow up living in a Native American village. It tells of their customs and how strange the English's customs must have seemed to them. It tells how friendships were formed between each other and how tensions strained those friendships. This is a very good story where lots of questions could be asked and used to farther kids understanding of this time period.
October 12, 2018
Pocahontas is a curious girl exploring everywhere possible. After new settlers come to her land she becomes friends with one named John Smith. She even risks her life to save his. The settlers befriend her people, but suddenly John Smith must leave for England. After he leaves, they're friendship is broken. At the age of fifteen, she is captured and an impossible ransom is demanded. During her time in captivity, she meets Jesus.
April 20, 2020
It was way better than the other two that I read.
This one had more things going on, and for me, was more enjoyable.
Like The Tinker's Daughter, I still read it sometimes. Sometimes I offer to let my sister read it (and the other ones I own), as it is more suitable to her age.
Recommended for ages 7-10.
This one had more things going on, and for me, was more enjoyable.
Like The Tinker's Daughter, I still read it sometimes. Sometimes I offer to let my sister read it (and the other ones I own), as it is more suitable to her age.
Recommended for ages 7-10.
January 14, 2023
My 10yr old daughter loves this series.
September 4, 2012
Author, Wendy Lawton, has written a detailed, informative biographical novel of the historical person, Pocahontas, from the early settlement period of American History. It is written for the young 8-12 year old reader or reluctant reader and will engage them in the activities and conversations of the characters as well as the subtle historical facts that they will surely glean from a reading of this tale.
This particular rendering of the tale of Pocahontas does not sensationalize nor create a "fairy tale" of sorts out of the life of a young daughter of Chief Powhatan, a "Princess" in real life. The story shows her living a life respected as the chief's daughter and as one who receives special attention and favor by all.
Her interest in the English ship and it's inhabitants who begin living on the shore develops into a concern for and friendship with them and in particular with John Smith whose life she saves. Carefully researched by Wendy Lawton, the historical information is reliable and interesting. There is a glossary of Powhatan words as well as a listing of names and places which are helpful in enabling the reader to fully understand about which person and which place they are currently reading.
The Captive Princess is only one of the eight books in Wendy Lawton's Daughter of the Faith series. This is my second book in the series to review. I highly recommend the series for the young or reluctant reader. These are historically accurate and well written books.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of "The Captive Princess" by Wendy Lawton from Moody Publishers in exchange for my honest review. There was no requirement for a positive review.
This particular rendering of the tale of Pocahontas does not sensationalize nor create a "fairy tale" of sorts out of the life of a young daughter of Chief Powhatan, a "Princess" in real life. The story shows her living a life respected as the chief's daughter and as one who receives special attention and favor by all.
Her interest in the English ship and it's inhabitants who begin living on the shore develops into a concern for and friendship with them and in particular with John Smith whose life she saves. Carefully researched by Wendy Lawton, the historical information is reliable and interesting. There is a glossary of Powhatan words as well as a listing of names and places which are helpful in enabling the reader to fully understand about which person and which place they are currently reading.
The Captive Princess is only one of the eight books in Wendy Lawton's Daughter of the Faith series. This is my second book in the series to review. I highly recommend the series for the young or reluctant reader. These are historically accurate and well written books.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of "The Captive Princess" by Wendy Lawton from Moody Publishers in exchange for my honest review. There was no requirement for a positive review.
May 8, 2016
Addition of friends (or rather family, as Powhatan apparently had many children by many different wives, a fact I didn't know before), the daily lives and routines of the Indian village, and Pocahontas' finding faith in Jesus, were all nice added details in this book on the Indian princess. Pocahontas being in truth only about 12, unlike the wacky Disney version, her relationship with John Smith is really a fascination with the white men's ways and a desire to learn about and help them survive. This love for the new and adventurous I share, and can relate to. Pocahontas' conversion was also a part of the story I really liked. The Great Spirit the Native Americans worshipped is indeed the God of all creation, and it was wonderful to see someone turn from the false gods of nature to the One True God.
The "captivity" aspect is actually a smaller part of the story, coming in after she saves Smith's life. She takes food to Jamestown to save the naive gold-obsessed settlers, as the greedy white leaders and suspicious Indian leaders slowly come to a head. Formerly her father's favorite daughter, Pocahontas' attachment to the English baffles him and drives them apart. After warning the settlers of a pending Indian attack, she's taken for ransom by the English and her father abandons her. She's ok and travels to England and gets married, as history witnesses. But devastated as she is over the loss of the relationship with her father, she finds true comfort in her Heavenly Father.
The "captivity" aspect is actually a smaller part of the story, coming in after she saves Smith's life. She takes food to Jamestown to save the naive gold-obsessed settlers, as the greedy white leaders and suspicious Indian leaders slowly come to a head. Formerly her father's favorite daughter, Pocahontas' attachment to the English baffles him and drives them apart. After warning the settlers of a pending Indian attack, she's taken for ransom by the English and her father abandons her. She's ok and travels to England and gets married, as history witnesses. But devastated as she is over the loss of the relationship with her father, she finds true comfort in her Heavenly Father.
December 11, 2014
This book is the closest description of "okay" you can get. Sure, it's an interesting topic; sure, it has plenty of action, and sure as you can be, this book is okay.
There's no real way to describe how you can make one hundred pages feel like more because of lack of interest, but this book made sure to do so. Every single reader must have thought this monotonous book was double its length. I felt as if each page was slathered in molasses. That's how slow this book's pace was. Very, very, slow. When I say the book had plenty of action, only a five year old huff once or twice. I thought I'd enjoy something like this from the Indian's perspective, but I couldn't really, because they threw in a few native words in the book every now and then like tossing jello on a pizza and calling it a masterpiece. The story is now sugary and "exotic" but can you enjoy your pizza anymore?
Though, the only redeeming quality of this book and why it ISN'T one star is because it's only 100 pages.
There's no real way to describe how you can make one hundred pages feel like more because of lack of interest, but this book made sure to do so. Every single reader must have thought this monotonous book was double its length. I felt as if each page was slathered in molasses. That's how slow this book's pace was. Very, very, slow. When I say the book had plenty of action, only a five year old huff once or twice. I thought I'd enjoy something like this from the Indian's perspective, but I couldn't really, because they threw in a few native words in the book every now and then like tossing jello on a pizza and calling it a masterpiece. The story is now sugary and "exotic" but can you enjoy your pizza anymore?
Though, the only redeeming quality of this book and why it ISN'T one star is because it's only 100 pages.
December 9, 2011
The Captive Princess: A Story Based on the Life of Young Pocahontas is a story told from the perspective of ten-year-old Pocahontas. While based on the actual events, certain liberties and points of view are fictional. This book has an emphasis on Pocahontas' relationship with the God of Christianity, which to be honest I am not sure is historical or not. This book was ok for me. It is more geared towards women I feel ultimately and was kind of a slow read.
January 12, 2017
These daughters of faith books are short but powerful. Really like this one, I enjoy reading about native americans. Pocahontas is a very brave girl and someone to look up to.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews