Katherine Kirkpatrick

Trouble's Daughter is everything a book for young readers should be, but I enjoyed reading it as well.

It is interesting that we seem to have very few historical biographies, particularly of women, that are written on an adult level and fewer still as well researched and well written as this book. Although most of the story is fiction, this probably reflects the fact that families and individuals were often made to feel ashamed of their captivity and admonished not to speak or write of it show more again if they ever wanted to find suitable husbands. Although I found a few historical inaccuracies, Katherine Kirkpatrick takes full responsibility for "liberties taken ...and any errors". I was greatly impressed by her Historical Notes, Lenape Words (mini dictionary), Bibliography, as well as the fact that she not only lived nearby, she also kayaked around the area to get a feel for the land.

A large percentage of the thousands of travellers who drive on the Hutchinson Parkway each day probably have no idea who it was named after and might assume it was some rich politician. Although she had a full life after her captivity, Susanna's more famous (or infamous ) mother Anne is better known. Certainly Anne Hutchinson gave her daughter the strength and determination, through genetics or example, to survive the incredible and brutal first fifteen years of Susanna's life and perhaps more challenges later that did not make it into the record books.
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A great biography of Peary's daughter Marie Ahnighito Peary- born on expedition in Greenland, she spent much of her earliest childhood with her polar explorer father and mother. Her experiences with the Inuit and in the far north made her a life-long advocate for the Inuit. Kids who think "they can't" will be inspired by the experiences and adventures of Marie.

The narrative is riveting and accessible and serves as a fine introduction to archaeology and the challenges and ethics involved in this area. The illustrations are suitable in the absence of photographs (by request of Native American tribes). Unfortunately, I found the graphic design overall not very dynamic or attractive, and as a result many of the pages are text-heavy although the book itself isn't that long.

Based on a true story, Trouble’s Daughter by Katherine Kirkpatrick tells the story of Susanna Hutchinson whose family farm was attacked by Delaware Indians in 1643. Her family were massacred and Susanna, who was nine at the time, was taken captive. She had caught the attention of Delaware, Wam-Pak by the color of her red hair and he took her to replace a daughter that had died from smallpox.

Susanna lived with the Delaware for almost 6 years, when due to the terms of a Peace Treaty, she was show more traded back to the Dutch at New Amsterdam. She was reunited with an elder brother and moved to Boston where she eventually married and many famous Americans such as US Presidents James Garfield, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and both Presidents Bush are among her descendants.

Covering the years of her captivity, this YA story allows the reader to work through all the emotions that Susanna feels, from terror, sadness, anger to eventual acceptance. Of course, as she came to finally embrace the Delaware as her family, she had to face the ultimate betrayal of seeing them trade her back to the white people. A well researched and interesting historical fiction story. show less