This book is based on the true story of a young girl captured by Indians in the spring of 1758. After her home was invaded, Mary Jemison and her family were captured they led off into the wilderness by Indians who were careful to cover their trail. After a few days of relentless walking and hunger, the family is separated when Mary is given a pair of moccasins and lead away from her parents, sister, and baby brother. Unbeknown to Mary, her family will soon suffer an unfortunate death by the hand of the Indians. Mary’s new life is not easy. She misses her family while having a hard time adjusting to the Seneca ways. Now know as Corn Tassel, Mary tries with no success to run away for the Indians. She knows she would never make it on her own if she ran away. Throughout the year, Mary begins to learn many things from the kind Indian family who has adopted her as their own. Mary eventually learns the truth of her birth family’s demise. When she has the opportunity to return to the “white faces”, Mary must weigh her options. Will she stay with the Indians or return to a world she was once accustomed to.

This book was a joy to read. By reading this story, I learned a few details of the early Indian culture. This chapter book provides black and white pictures throughout the story. Literature circle questions and other activities are presented at the end of the book. While reading this story, I put myself in Mary’s shoes so to speak. I could feel the pain of this frighten young girl. Because of her strong will, I was driven to read in order it find out how Mary would overcome the obstacles she faced. This book will defiantly be passed along to my daughter who is ten years of age.

While reading this story, students can create a line graph to illustrate Mary’s first year living with the Seneca’s. Students could create a dictionary by illustrate and label tools and gear Mary was introduce to while living with the Seneca’s. Students could have a class discussion comparing Mary’s life before and after her capture. I would have Students to write an essay explaining their views about the end of the story. Did she make the right choice by staying with the Indians? Why or why not?

Well-written telling of the true story of a white girl captured by Native Americans. Lenski is sympathetic to the girl, but also doesn't demonize the Natives. I reread this many times growing up. ( )

Mary Jemison is pulled away from her family and adopted by a tribe of Seneca Native Americans. She rebells against her captivity and dreams for years of returning to her family. She slowly begins to make friends among the tribe and to think of them as her family, and when she finds out that her original family is long dead, she feels like she has no choice. Later, however, a choice is offered to her to be raised as a white girl and return to the ways of her childhood, or to stay with the new family she has come to care for. ( )

This story is a fictionalized account of Mary Jemison, who was kidnapped and then adopted into the Seneca tribe in Ohio in the mid 1700s. The story paints a picture of her childhood with the tribe. Mary or Corn Tassel, is described and fleshed out in great detail. The author helps children understand the characters/time setting by using things such as clothing and good. A change in cutlure can be seen through the change in clothing and food, from a blue jean dress to buckskin clothing and corn prone to corn cakes. The plot is believable, Corn Tassel reacts as a period child would when faced with this situation. The book is based on true accounts of children that were kidnapped (including Mary Jemison). The theme reflects Mary's changing attitude toward her captors and how she starts to become family, as a replacement for a dead son. Many historical fiction books for children do not portray Native Americans in a good light, but Lenski seems to try to stay away from the trend. She shows that there are good and bad people among them, just as there are among "Englishmen". I feel that this is a good historical fiction book for a older elementary school student. ( )

Lois Lenski was one of my favorite authors when I was a child. At our neighborhood reading group when a teacher recommended this book as a good one for readers of all ages, I felt like I'd just run into an old friend after a long absence. Mary Jemison, the sole survivor of her family, was adopted by Seneca Indians and treated as a tribe and family member . Her story is compelling, and less fictionaized accounts of her life can be found on the internet (Google Mary Jemison), including a book written in 1824 from interviews with her when she was in her 80s. . ( )

Author and illustrator Lois Lenski has been a favorite of mine since my grade school years long ago. She wrote and illustrated many charming picture books in the early 1940s that featured the Small Family, most of which are still in print. She illustrated the beloved Betsy-Tacy series as well as the 1946 Newbery Award winner Strawberry Girl, that she also wrote.

When I recently came across a paperback edition of her 1941 children's book, Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison I was torn between my desire to read yet another book by a favorite children's author and my fear that the depiction of the Seneca Indians would be stereotypical and inaccurate. The illustration on the book's cover, 1995 cover art by Joanie Schwartz, depicting a young girl looking more like a Seventeen Magazine model than a frontier youngster/Indian captive, didn't help.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that in this wonderful book, Lois Lenski has outdone herself in her illustrations, her story telling, and her research into her subject. A Newbery Honor book in 1942, it tells the true story of a young frontier girl who lived in a tiny settlement near what is current day Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Set during the French and Indian War, it is the fictionalized version of the Life of Mary Jemison, who in 1758 at the age of 15 was abducted by the Shawnee Indians along with her parents, two sisters, two younger brothers and a neighbor family. After a grueling forced march to Fort Duquesne, current day Pittsburg, Mary's family is killed and she is sold to two sisters of the Seneca tribe and adopted into the Seneca tribe as one of their own. It was the way of the Seneca to take captives to fill the places of their own loved ones who had been killed by enemies. The details of their practices are not sugar-coated, neither are they exaggerated.

Ms. Lenski really did her homework in preparing for this book and has faithfully captured in her art and words the lifestyle of the Seneca and of the larger Hodenosaunee or Iroquois Confederation. She has told the moving story of Mary Jemison with sympathy and yet she has not mired us down in tragedy but has helped us see the strength and beauty that came into Mary's life as she adjusted to her new family. Lenski's illustrations are primitive folk style art, in black and white, rich with detail and evocative.

The real life Mary Jemison stayed with her adopted family, living as a true Seneca until the end of her days at 91. Ms. Lenski spoke with descendants of Mary who still reside on reservations in New York and Ontario. She faithfully researched museums and historical libraries and leads us into the daily routine of the Senecas. Sharing myths and folk stories, accurate drawings of implements, utensils, garments, and ceremony, she captures the Indian way of looking at things and conveys nuances of attitude and philosophy with honesty and clarity.

Intended for the 9-12 year old readership, the story flows with simplicity, but is exciting and interesting enough for older readers as well. Living in Oneida country as I do, I was glad to have such an abundance of information on the Seneca who along with the Oneidas, the Cayugas, the Mohawks and the Onondagas, the tribes of the Hodenosaunee, were a part of the first Democracy to ever flourish upon this land, hundreds of years before white men ever set foot here.

Mary became known as The Two Falling Voices and her story is both tragic and triumphant. I found it very enriching, emotionally and intellectually stimulating, even as a children's book, so vividly is the tale conveyed.

Several non-fictional accounts have been published of the life of Mary Jemison, including one that she dictated to a doctor when she was in her 80s. This book serves as a wonderful introduction to her life's story and also to the stories of other white captives whose little known tales give us splendid insight into the frontier hardships of everyday people and of the indigenous people who struggled to maintain their own ways of life.

I recommend this book to any young reader who wishes to push beyond the confines of a text book into the hearts and minds of history. There is enough here, also, to intrigue most adults with a mind to go beyond the stereotypes. ( )

This is one of my favorite books, yet I didn't read it until I was in my 30's. I read it aloud to my children at bed time, and we couldn't wait until the next night to hear the rest of the story. I was touched by the tragedy of Mary Jemison, and the way she fought to stay true to herself and her own culture when taken from her family. The entire story is moving, and I recommend it often when a child has to read a biography or study Native American culture. ( )

A true story about Mary Jemison who was taken by native Americans from Adams County, PA. She grew up in PA, and eventually married and moved to New York. She never trusted whites after living with Native Americans her whole life. Adults may want to read the book "The White". ( )

This is a fictionalized account of the story of Mary Jemison, a young teenager who was kidnapped by the Seneca Indians in the year 1758. Back then, the custom among the Seneca was to kill or kidnap a white settler for every one of their own people who were killed by the invading pioneers. Indian Captive tells the tale of Mary's capture and her subsequent adjustment to life among the Seneca. I found it to be a fascinating tale, as Mary moves from terror to sorrow to finally finding a place in her new community. To my thinking, the whole concept of an "indian captive" is barbaric, yet the practice does contain an element of justice. The whole book reflects the tension well. The Seneca endeavor to make Mary feel loved and welcome, yet that can't erase the harm they caused by killing her family and kidnapping her in the first place. That Mary finally is able to accept her new people despite their transgressions is an accurate reflection of what it means to live with the flaws of one's family, friends and neighbors. I will definitely look to find a copy of Mary Jemison's actual memoirs once I get back to the States. Until then, I'll just have to make sure this book stays on my shelf.
--J. ( )

This is a classic tale of Mary Jemison who was captured by the Seneca tribe of Ohio during the French and Indian War. Lenski presents a fairly accurate and non-biased account of traditional Iroqois culture at least for the era in which this book was writted. I would reccomend this book for both old and young readers. ( )