Adaline Falling Star Booktalk

Adaline Falling Star by Mary Pope Osbourne

Summary:

This story follows the adventures of 11 year-old Adaline Falling Star Carson, daughter of famous scout Kit Carson and an Arapaho Native American. After the death of her mother, Adaline goes to live with her father’s relatives who treat her harshly because of her half-Native American heritage. While there she pretends to be a mute and only befriends the family’s female slave.

Adaline eventually runs away when she believes her father is never going to come back for her. The novel takes a turn as Adaline leans heavily on both her Native American customs and her Christian spirituality to help her on her journey. She eventually meets a companion who surprisingly saves her life.

My Opinion:

This story was very well told and is full of imagery. The tone is dark yet hopeful. The author takes the true elements of a piece of history and transforms it into a gripping tale of what possibly could have been.

This story would work well for middle school students. It contains themes of racism, slavery, agriculture, spirituality, etc. Readers of this book may be interested in learning more about Kit Carson, a famous scout in the Old West, since the book centers on his real-life daughter.

The book can be discussed with students to show what life was like in those times for Indians like the Arapaho, and for white settlers in the area. Students might want to research the Arapaho to find out more about how they lived and what they believed.

I would recommend this book to be used while teaching these areas of Social Studies: Native Americans, Determination and Perseverance, Discovery and Learning, Runaways, Westward Expansion, Families and Social Structures