Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears

by Cornelia Cornelissen

It all begins when Soft Rain's teacher reads a letter stating that as of May 23, 1838, all Cherokee people are to leave their land and move to what many Cherokees called "the land of darkness". . .the west. Soft Rain is confident that her family will not have to move, because they have just planted corn for the next harvest but soon thereafter, soldiers arrive to take nine-year-old, Soft Rain, and her mother to walk the Trail of Tears, leaving the rest of her family behind. 
 
Because Soft Rain knows some of the white man's language, she soon learns that they must travel across rivers, valleys, and mountains. On the journey, she is forced to eat the white man's food and sees many of her people die. Her courage and hope are restored when she is reunited with her father, a leader on the Trail, chosen to bring her people safely to their new land.
 
Praise for Soft Rain: 
 
"An eye-opening introduction to this painful period of American history."-- Publisher's Weekly 
 
"The characters themselves transform a sorrowful story of adversity into a tale of human resilience."-- Kirkus Reviews 
 
"This gentle child's-eye view will move readers enormously."-- Jane Yolen  

 

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Native American, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Historical, Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 8, 1998

Reviews

[Jenny - Book Sojourner · Rating 3 out of 5]

We chose this book for our Native American history co-op, grade range 3rd to 8th. It was an easy read and more appropriate for the younger grades. The older kids could have used more details. But overall a good historical fiction story that touches all the major point of the Trail of Tears. The kids felt connected with the characters and the tragic story. And as an adult I connected with them as well.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a good book and showed kids how hard it was being forced out of your home. The Cherokee people faced alot of hard ships as they were being moved west and Soft Rain is a good character to show young girls that you have to be strong in hard times. I would recommend this book for a 12 maybe 13 year old girl to read.

[Lovescaleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good little book. Wish my son had enjoyed it as much as I did.

[Beth Medlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the history of the Cherokee Nation, this is the story of Soft Rain and her family as they are forced to leave their home and walk to their new home. The walk begins in western North Carolina and ends in Oklahoma through the brutal winter of 1838. I liked reading this historical fiction novel and imagining how hard it must of been for those who were forced to leave their homes.

[Gabriella Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just say I'm happy I live in the 21st century. I wouldn't like to be Cherokee, because of the sad and long trail of tears, or American because I would feel awful doing such a bad thing to Indians...well, I wouldn't have left England in the first place. LOL

[Amanda Northrup · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story felt really real, if simplified for a younger audience.

[Bristhely Mayo Perulero]

I liked this book but it was sad Soft rain had to leave her father and Grandma behind.I would recommend this book because it tells you how the Cherokee used to live and fell.I would read this book i f i was you this is a great book but don't get sad .This book tells you a lot about the Cherokee.

[Sheyla Ramirez Asencio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love soft rain because its inspiring and it helps me learn that people are going though hard stuff and you can´t judge them people if you don´t know what is happening at there home or anywhere because they can go though are stuff

[Elizabeth (NC) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book and all of my students really enjoyed it--even the ones who don't like reading. I wish that she had written more books because they were definitely primed for a sequel.

[Tanya Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Book 1 in our Oklahoma homeschool history curriculum, "Pioneer Spirit" by Elisabeth Ensor. My 8- and 10- year old boys loved this book. We all grew very attached to the characters and learned so much. I believe all of us were in tears at some point during the book. It left me wanting to learn more about the Cherokee relocation and how life took shape for the Cherokees after they reached Oklahoma Territory.

[Heidi Finger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad story of the trail of tears

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soft Rain, a story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears by Cornelissen_ Cornelia
Tragic story of the life of a young child as she and her mother are taken from the tribe and are told to move with others.
They do not take her blind grandmother.
Loved hearing how they are reunited and that the white children helped clothe and feed them along the trail to their new home.
Resourced are noted at the end.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

[Vanessa Maeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Main Characters: Soft Rain and her Mother
Setting: farmland in North Carolina
POV: 1st- Soft Rain

Summary:

In this book, a nine year old Cherokee Indian girl learns that there will be no more school for Cherokke children in her north Carolina community. Tribal members have signed a treaty with the white men that includes the tribes movement into new lands in the West. Soft Rain had high hopes that her family would not have to move because they had just planted corn for the next harvest. Unfortunately, soldiers arrive and take her and her mother away, leaving the rest of the family behind only to walk the trail of tears. On their journey, Soft Rain and her mother traveled across rivers, valleys, and mountains. They remained hungry, exhausted and often times very ill due to the white man’s disease that contributed to four thousand deaths during the migration. Even though a majority of this story is sad, later on, Soft Rain is reunited with her father, a leader on the Trail that has been chosen to guide his people safely to their new land, and the rest of her family.

This historical fiction is very moving and would be a great book to teach visualizing, intolerance of another culture’s domination, and the Trail of Tears.

[Eden Silverfox · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day soldiers arrive and take Soft Rain and her Mother away. She doesn't learn until later they going west, but Soft Rain doesn't want to leave her home. Or her Grandmother. Or Pet. And where was her Father and brother, Hawk Boy? Would she ever see them again?

This is a well-written historical fiction about a family on the Trail of Tears. I couldn't help at parts to start tearing up. And when Soft Rain and her Mother were taken, I felt shocked at how sudden it was and I felt. . . . I'm not even sure how to explain it. I can't imagine what it was like for my Cherokee ancestors, but I imagine it was hard having to leave their homes. And hard to have to hid and lose your heritage like what happened with my grandmother and her family.

This book is quite sad, but a good way to introduce some history about the Trail of Tears to children. I liked the book, the story was good and I thought Soft Rain was a great character.

[Jaimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book but I thought it was a little vague. It does give a good feeling about what was happening during the trail of tears and the effect it has on the people. Soft Rain, the main character, is taken with her mother out of her home by government officials. They are taken while her father and brother were working on the field. She is then sent on a journey to the west but never gives up looking for her family.

This book would be great for 3rd graders learning about this historical event. If does tell about the deaths that occurred but it does it in a way that allows a 3rd grader or up to get an idea of how terrible it was without it being too much.

[Trinity Baumann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written through the eyes of Soft Rain, a young girl forced to grow and mature beyond her years due to unfortunate circumstances. This book is a quick read with a powerful impact. Short structured sentences make the novel easy to follow along with. Vocabulary in her native tongue is italicized and most often easily guessed. However, if context clues do not help, there is a glossary in the back. Some of the content is very similar to that of the Holocaust (ripped from home, no food or water), so beware of maturity level of readers. This would be a great book to use in a classroom, maybe pair it with a 5th grade unit of similar content.

[Lori Shook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very easy to read and would use it in the fourth and fifth grade classroom. The story is about a nine-year old girl, Soft Rain, and her family who are forced to move from North Carolina to Oklahoma traveling the Trail of Tears. The story does not gloss over sickness and death that occurred along the journey, but is respectful toward a young audience. I suspect many other atrocities were intentionally left out. A bibliography is included which is nice for additional resources and books to compare.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this book to design a "multi-text" unit for a fourth grade class. I believe that Soft Rain will allow students to learn about the Trail of Tears from a personal perspective, instead of from a factual perspective. I am in the process of implementing the unit in my internship classroom. We will begin reading the actual book tomorrow, Nov. 8, and I could not be more excited or more nervous!!!

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad for kids' historical fiction-it gives a good account of the Trail of Tears from a kid's perspective. There's definitely sad parts and harsh realities, but there's some happy moments too. The kids didn't want to read it though, maybe after reading too much upsetting stuff in Bound for Oregon, and this was similar, but worse, because they were forced into it and treated poorly by the soldiers. It's a pretty short read, good for elementary aged kids.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soft Rain is a sad, moving story about a young Indian girl whose life is torn from her by jealous white men. I knew about the Trail of Tears, but this story made it real. She was only 10, and her life changed forever because of greed. It was awful. Still, Soft Rain is a strong character and she was believable. I really liked her! This was a quick read, but I won't forget the Cherokee's story soon.

[Charity Dušíková · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was curious how the author would present the story of the Trail of Tears to young readers, and I think she did a tremendous job. There is no way this book could go into depth about everything, but I think it's a good starting point for children. Jane Yolen aptly calls it a "gentle child's-eye view," for while deaths, unpreparedness for harsh weather, insufficient food/clothing, illness, and the physical demands are addressed, it isn't beaten into the reader.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son had to read this book for a book report in school. In order to help him I decided I would read it...it was a short book, but not short on detail. Very touching and sad story. Recommend reading, and definitely sharing with your kids. My son is currently 9 and read it with no problem, he typically reads on a 6th grade level.

[Lana Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soft Rain, Age 9, and her family are forced from their home in North Carolina and travel on the Trail of Tears. Hardships endured are presented in child-appropriate language. Cherokee words are introduced and explained. Although Soft Rain and her family did not choose to move, the book ended on a hopeful note with no bitterness or resentment.

[mrhertershawks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting book about how a girl (9 years old ) and her family having to move west and walk miles and miles weeks and weeks and how they survived. it is a sad and interesting book in the beginning but in the end it is happy.
It feels like you are living in the moment. it is the best book I have ever read !!!!

I hope you like this book.

[Megan Billick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story of Soft Rain and her family being forced to leave their home and their land and travel the "Trail of Tears" to find new land. It does a great job at showing how people can overcome any obstacles thrown their way and how resilient children can be. I loved this book, thought it was very heartwarming.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 7/15 for 2017-2018 EBoB: This was a quick read, but also an informative one. Soft Rain is a very sympathetic main character, and seeing the journey on the Trail of Tears through her eyes illuminated many of the injustices the Cherokee had to endure. Though short, this is an important book in order to get an overview as to what happened to the Cherokee on their harrowing journey.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theme: Intolerance of another culture
Summary: The story of a young Cherokee Native American and the hardships her, her family, and her people underwent when the white European settlers force them off their land in what is know as "The Trail of Tears"

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book for Battle of the Books. I really liked this one, especially since this is a part of my own heritage. It was well written for elementary school kids to understand what was going on during that time.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tells about a young girl on the Cherokee Trail of Tears. We read it for a family read out loud. The kids liked the story and it had a somewhat happy ending considering all the trials they had to go through.

[Mary Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short chapter book does a great job of introducing students to the forced migration of the Tsalagi (Cherokee), to the West. Sad, but not so horrific that a 4th or 5th grader can't handle it. This is a great book to spark further research into this tragic time of America's past.