Trouble's Daughter : The Story of Susanna Hutchinson, Indian Captive

Reader reviewed by Kittygirl

Anne Hutchison was famous throughout the American colonies for her freethinking religious opinions and her visions. Eventually she flees to the wild lands of the colonies with her family, to live on the frontier where the Dutch and Native Americans are currently at war. Susanna Hutchison was nine when the Lenape Indians come and raid her home. In a few short moments, her house is burning, her family is murdered before her eyes, and she is taken captive by the Lenape tribe.

At first she resists her place in her new home. She refused their food and their language, and even attempts to escape back to the colonies. Slowly, Susanna adjusts to her new life and discovers that she can no longer hate the people who killed her family.

This is an excellent historical novel. Anne Hutchison is a fairly popular character in American history, but the life of her daughter is not very widely known. (Susanna Hutchison was really captured by Indians after the massacre of her family) The book is a fairly easy read, making it appropriate for younger readers as well. Rich detail of Native American life is provided as Susanna becomes a member of the tribe, providing a neat look into the life of the Lenape. Wonderful historical reading!