On May 11th, 1759, the morning of her twelfth birthday, Mary Campbell gets angry with her mother and storms out of the cabin. It is a beautiful spring morning and Mary resents being stuck indoors all day doing women's work. As she picks wild strawberries and plans her apology to her mother, Mary is captured by Delaware Indians and plunged into a life that is fearsome, strenuous, and vastly different from the one she knows, beginning with the journey on foot from Pennsylvania to the Delawares' new home in Ohio Territory. Mrs. Stewart, who is Mary's neighbor was also taken captive. In a private conversation on page 38, (read excerpt) Mary tries to plan an escape with Mrs. Stewart. What do the Indians want with her? Will she ever get back to her home? Did the Indians harm her family before they took her? She knows her cabin was set on fire!
Over time, Mary becomes less resistant to the routines, traditions, and beliefs of her captors, and discovers within herself reserves of strength she hadn't known were hers. Mary's adaption to the people and the culture eventually cause Mary to wonder who she really is and where she fits best in early American life. The life of the real Mary Campbell is the basis for this short 175 page story. Most of the characters in this story were real and the afterword provides historical details of what happened to Mary and the Delaware Indians in later years. The fact that this dramatic and frightening story is based on real events will make this story more memorable than most - I promise!
Recommended for grades 5-8.
Recommended Book-a-likes: The Sign of the Beaver - Elizabeth George Speare, The Journal of Augustus Pelletier: The Lewis & Clark Expedition - Kathryn Lasky, The Arrow over the Door - Joseph Bruchac, The Defenders (biography collection) - Ann McGovern.
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