Adaline Falling Star

by Mary Pope Osborne

When Adaline Falling Star goes in search of her missing father, scout Kit Carson, she ends up on a challenging wilderness adventure that causes her to learn a great deal about herself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Fiction, Adventure, Native American, Childrens

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2000

About the author

Mary Pope Osborne is an American author of children's books and audiobook narrator. She is best known as the author of the Magic Tree House series, which as of 2017 sold more than 134 million copies worldwide. Both the series and Osborne have won awards, including for Osborne's charitable efforts at promoting children's literacy. One of four children, Osborne moved around in her childhood before attending the University of North Carolina. Following college, Osborne traveled before moving to New York City. She somewhat spontaneously began to write, and her first book was published in 1982. She went on to write a variety of other children's and young adult books before starting the Magic Tree House series in 1992. Osborne's sister Natalie Pope Boyce has written several compendium books to the Magic Tree House series, sometimes with Osborne's husband Will Osborne.

Reviews

[Ensiform · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adaline, daughter of Kit Carson and an Arapaho woman, is sent to live with Carson's relatives in St. Louis while he goes exploring. Scorned as an illiterate savage, although she can read, she is denied school and made to work, so she runs away herself into the wilderness. Silent and stoic, she relies on her Arapaho survival skills and her Western knowledge of science. But when she rescues an abandoned dog and brings it on the trail, she faces some hard decisions about her own loyalty and independence.

Based on scanty historical fact, this touching tale of love, loyalty, and redemption is well researched and beautifully told. The prejudice of the Carson family is, sadly, all too real, which makes Adaline’s determination to strike out on her own more appealing. Her dream visions of her mother and grandmother offer a brighter future, which kids and adults alike can appreciate. Poetic, moving, and exciting in turns, this out of print book is leagues ahead of the cookie cutter Tree House books that made Osborne rich and famous.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuing my author study for Mary Pope Osborne... I believe this one predates The Magic Tree House Series.

I wasn't a fan of this one. I was bored through most of it and it took me much longer to read. The prose was dry and boring, which is not what I expect from MPO. While the book felt well-researched, it was not a compelling read, and I think young kids would feel the same way.

[Andrea Villasenor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you like books with adventure, action, and survival? The book Adaline Falling Star is the one your looking for. It's a historical fiction book, filled with lots of adventure. To be honest this book is one of my favorite. Find out what happens to Adaline Falling Star and her dangerous adventures.
This story takes place in a house, and at the forest. The story is about a girl named Adaline Falling Star and her adventures of surviving. Adaline's mom has passed away, but her spirit still talks to her. Adaline said that her mom called her Falling Star and that her dad calls her Adaline. Adaline was half white and half Indian. During the spring time Adaline's Pa needed to go on an expedition, so he left her with his cousin Silas and his family. There family was disgusted by her because of her race. They treated her bad and made her as a servant. The maid there was the only person who was nice to her and didn't care if she was half Indian. After a while of staying with them she got so tired of staying there, and planed to escape. And she did. When she escapes she finds a ugly dog for company. Adaline and the dog are finding the way back to her dad and for days of surviving she is getting wounds and she's hurting. This starts to show that the conflict is person v.s nature. As Adaline is trying to survive she realizes that the dog is protecting her and loves her. She starts to get the same feelings of love for the dog too. As she is walking in the forest with the dog she sees a boat full of guys and they see her. The thing is that they think she's a boy because of her short cut hair. When they stop to talk they hire her to work and will let her get to go back where her father is. But they said to leave the dog. She decides to choose a very hard choice and leaves the dog to go with them. When Adaline is in the boat she sees the dog and decides to go back for him and jumps of the boat. When she gets back from a lot of swimming going to the dog she passes out....Then her father finds her and the dog and decide to keep the dog. And in end the father, Adaline, and the dog are planing a trip to New Mexico.
My favorite part of the book was when Adaline started to feel feelings of love for the ugly dog. I liked this because it teaches that you should treat other with love and respect no matter how they look. The main character changed in the story for the love of the dog. She changed because at first she thought the dog was pointless thing and ugly. Then she realizes the love the dog shows, and starts to feel the same.
An interesting thing I learned from this book was to not judge a person or a thing by it looks.
Just as Adaline learned to love the ugly dog. I thought the ending of the book was a good ending. I thought this because Adaline and the dog got to be safe in the end.
In conclusion I rated this book 5 stars. I rated this 5 stars because it's an interesting book with lots of adventure and it makes you feel like you want to keep on reading. So I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and action of survival. Read the book to enter a world of adventure....

[Sarah Maull · Rating 4 out of 5]

i would reccomend this book for someone else because the main character shows alot of courage when time are very hard, the thing keeping her going in this book is the taste of freedom. This book is for people who like to hear about the racial struggles people have, and how they make it to a better. this title fits the book because the main character, Adiline, was born on a night filled with falling stars. I love the main character, she is alot like me. Adiline has a fiesty spirit, and is not afraid to speak her mind, but just like me, this could get her in alot of trouble. she is a fighter, and she is very smart and quick-witted. Another character i like is Adilines dad. Adiline's dad ia a man who lives off the land. He is rough, but has a soft spot for adiline. I alos like Adilines uncle's house keeper. She is srong and very wise, and she takes good care of adiline while she is staying with her uncle. the plot of this book is very thrilling, there where times where i couldn't put down the book, or i was so into it because i wanted to know what happens. the part of the book that had me on my toes was when Adiline ran away from he uncles house after she heard they were going to put her in an orphanage. Adiline cut off her hair so that she looked like a boy. When she was walking on the bank of a river 2 dunk men thought she was a boy who had killed his family and shot at her. The ending of this book was great i personally loved it. if you want to know what happens to Adiline you will have to read the book "Adiline Falling Star".

[S10_Helena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: historical fiction
Format: non-print audio
Grade level: middle school

This story follows the adventures of 11 year-old Adaline Falling Star Carson, daughter of famous scout Kit Carson and an Arapaho Native American. After the death of her mother Adaline goes to live with her father’s relatives who treat her harshly because of her half-Native American heritage. While there she pretends to be a mute and only befriends the family’s female slave.

Adaline eventually runs away when she believes her father is never going to come back for her. The novel takes a turn as Adaline leans heavily on both her Native American customs and her Christian spirituality to help her on her journey. She eventually meets a companion who surprisingly saves her life.

This story was very well told and is full of imagery. The tone is dark yet hopeful and the narrator of the audio version captures this essence beautifully. The author takes the true elements of a piece of history and transforms it into a gripping tale of what possibly could have been.
This story would work well for middle school students. It contains themes, of racism, slavery, agriculture, spirituality, etc. Readers of this book may be interested in learning more about Kit Carson since the book centers on his real-life daughter. There are many biographies published about his life such as Kit Carson: Mountain Man by Tracey Boraas.

[Melissa Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read as a young child and reread as an adult. Still an enjoyable short story. Authored by Mary Pope Osborne. One of her first middle-grade novels, a gripping girl survival story(obsessed with survival stories rn). Is said to be reminiscent of such classics as *Island of the Blue Dolphins* and *Julie of the Wolves*.
Adaline is a fiery independent child--an irrepressible spirit, a combination of her white explorer father Kit Carson and her Arapaho mother. When Ma dies and Pa sets off on an expedition out West, Adaline finds herself living in St. Louis with racist white relatives who call her a savage and work her like a slave. When Adaline realizes she may have been abandoned, she decides to find her own way back to her mother's people, where she is sure her father will find her. With the company of a stray dog, Adaline sets out on a journey that will either save her life--or end it.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful children's book. I can imagine reading it between Hatchet and the book about Opal and the dog she finds in the Piggly Wiggly. What is that dog's name? Oh, it's not the Piggly Wiggly, it's the Winn Dixie. "Because of Winn Dixie." One of the best read aloud books ever. It captures the survival elements of Hatchet, and the girl and beloved dog aspects of Winn Dixie. What an amazing Native American Indian story. Read with the other two books, it would drive home all the ways in which we are the same. Longing for family, longing for a way to belong, loving animals, surviving in the wilderness, connections with fathers...A great book.

[Calli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, fun read. It was also a nostalgic buzz for me as years ago I did mountain men research for Fred Gowans' Yellowstone lectures. Names like Bent's Fork, Green River Rendezvous and Black Harris meant something to me. I also liked the dialogue being denoted with long dashes rather than quotes. Somehow it added to the effect of her refusing to speak for eight months or so when her father, Kit Carson, left her with relatives while he went on the Fremont expedition. Everyone mistakenly thought she was a mute and resented her because she was half Arapaho.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is INCREDIBLY racist. From the jump, the native characters speak broken English and show a primitive understanding of science/the natural world. This book is why it is so important to regularly comb through our classroom libraries to make sure that the old stand-bys aren’t available to clutter our students’ minds with racist bullshit.

[Cricket Muse · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very loosely based supposition on Adaline Carson, daughter of explorer Kit Carson and his Arapaho wife. This story is based on the prejudice people had against mixed cultures and eleven year old Adaline has a rough time living with her father’s cousin’s father. When Adaline believes her father has abandoned her she takes off down the Mississippi River in hopes of rejoining her mother’s tribe.
While some readers may find fault with how Adaline was treated, the story is a reflection of the era’s attitudes.
Unfortunately, this story takes liberty with the few facts known about Adaline’s life to create a tale of adventure.

[Claire Leith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a child and somehow the story has stuck with me to this day. I’m 27 now and the story of Adeline Falling date and her dog still sticks in my mind.

This was one of the first books I read as a child as it was an advancement in the scholastic learn to read books maybe that is why it’s so prominent in. My mind.

I would recommend this book for children who are ready for there first ‘Novel’ as it is a quite simple read but he story is very engaging.

[Betty Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good historical fiction book. The narrator’s voice was really distinct and compelling, and I loved her relationship with the dog. Even though it was historically accurate, it was still very hard to read how Adeline’s adopted family treated her and spoke about her. I know the author did a ton of research, but there’s still a part of me that wishes it was written by a Native American instead of a white lady. However, that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

While nobody is entirely sure what happened to the real Adaline Falling Star, the history of the time, cultures, and places is spot on. This book is worth reading just for the insight into how Native Americans - and anyone with obvious Native heritage - were treated. If I had a middle grade daughter, I would hand her this book.

[Sherry Scheline · Rating 5 out of 5]

The name calling and racial injustice indigenous persons had to endure was horrific. This book was painful to read. Painful enough that several times I nearly stopped. It was a reminder me.
Also I loved the visual picture I was able to create of the dog. I loved the storyline between her and the dog.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historic fic in which Adaline Falling Star, the daughter of Kit Carson and an Arapahoe quaw, is delivered to relatives after her mother's death and regarded with prejudice and treated unjustly. She is a tenacious girl, willing to risk and brave and survive. She meets up with a dog who becomes a treasured companion and pivotal to the story.

[Natalia Canegitta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember loving this book as a child after reading it-so much so that I did a school project on it. Reading it as an adult, it was okay…not as exciting as I remember it but a good and easy read none the less. I’ve been honoring the younger versions of myself by reading old books I use to enjoy or wanted to read in my youth so it was therapeutic for me reading this one in my 30s.

[Patrice Doten · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 staes. Lots of unrealized potential in this novel. I didn't find Adaline very relatable and had a hard time staying interested in her story, which drags in places. Additionally, many of the other characters are painted with such broad brush strokes they come across as little more than stereotypes, and prejudice is presented without a larger context that would help readers comprehend it.

[Your Common House Bat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very quick read for me. It was very enjoyable with pretty imagery. I really liked the dog, he was sweet. Overall I enjoyed taking the journey with Adaline, she was a very intriguing and spunky narrator.

[Jennifer Cain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I initially chose ADALINE FALLING STAR because of the Kit Carson connection. I was disappointed this connection was not as featured as I expected. Adaline's story is interesting. Osborne's familiar style shows through.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting story. It had some uncomfortable references to her being "a half breed", but it felt authentic to the time period. I feel like the characters, not the book itself, were racist. All in all, a good read if you are interested in the old west times.

[emmi grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this in a psychiatric hospital when i was 14. i loved this story and since i had so much free time in the loonybin i read it in a day. i recommend! very fast read, good example of how things were for native americans and other ethnicities. very educational! i learned a lot honestly.

[Angie Gentile-Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was exciting, heart-wrenching, authentic, informative, plus there was a dog!

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast moving, engaging historical fiction, story of Kit Carson's daughter. Full of adventure, humor and a creative story line.

[Kristin A Book Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked it the side characters I didn't like as much

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, made better by the very believable voice of the first person narrator. Nice choice for a middle schooler.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three words: tender, moving, heartwrenching

[Barbara Cryer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It doesn't sound like there is much truth in it, but a decent story with a spunky young female hero.

[Katie]

I loved this book so much. For years it was my favorite book, something about the main character was very compelling to me.

[Sami Leung · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it’s a quick read and clearly a children’s book, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the main character. She’s tough and you can see how badly she wants to find her home.