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

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 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 show more (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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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 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 show more 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

One of the best young adult books that I have ever read! Constant plot that had me hooked from page one, and so much detail that I felt like I was in Susanna's moccasins. Have recommended it to several people over the years and they say the same. With there was another volume that talked about her going home.

I may be biased b/c I'm related but I thought it was an excellent book with lots of thoughtful insight into a culture from which there was so little known by the author.

Trouble's Daughter begins right off the bat, heading right into the thick of the story. The book rarely slows down and supplies issues after issues which keeps the book interesting and never flat.