Daughter of Winter

by Pat Lowery Collins Narrated by Kate Rudd

Overview

It's 1849, and twelve-year-old Addie lives in the shipbuilding town of Essex, Massachusetts. Her father has left the family to seek gold on the West Coast, and tragically the flux has ended the lives of her mother and baby brother, leaving Addie all alone. Fearful of being taken in as a servant, Addie flees from her house into the snowy woods, where she endures hunger and bitter cold until Nokummus, an elderly Wampanoag woman, coaxes Addie to her dwelling.

Now living under the care of the mercurial old woman, Addie slowly recognizes the truth of her past. Through an intense ancient ceremony and by force of her own wits and will, Addie must come to grips with the facts of her newfound identity-and find the courage to build a future unlike any she could ever have imagined.

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 5–8—Addie has a secret: her mother and brother have recently died of the flux. With her father on his way to California to pan for gold, the 13-year-old is determined to survive on her own until he returns. Fearful that the townswomen of Essex, MA, will find out that she is living alone, she concocts a plan to live in the wilderness as her father taught her. But it is the dead of winter, and Addie soon finds that survival is more difficult than she could have imagined. When Nokummus, a local Wampanoag woman who lives nearby, comes to help her, Addie discovers that this woman knows more about her and her past than she could have imagined, changing her life forever. This is a beautifully written story with deep characters and a strong sense of place. While the author sometimes panders to stereotypes—Nokummus is viewed as a wise woman, fearful of what will happen to her relationship with Addie when the girl's father returns—she is mostly spot-on with characters and the setting. However, Addie's relationship with a local boy feels strained and makes the girl seem older than she is. For the most part, though, this quiet, haunting book will appeal to fans of historical fiction.—Necia Blundy, Marlborough Public Library, MA

Kirkus Reviews

Twelve-year-old Addie has a lot to deal with after her father leaves for the 1849 gold rush and then her mother and younger brother die of fever. She is both convinced her Massachusetts neighbors will not allow her to run the family farm alone and determined not to be boarded out to another family. In the middle of winter she flees, constructs a shelter and gamely lives off the land, awaiting her father's return. An elderly Wampanoag woman, Nokummus, provides much-needed aid and, eventually, shelter and companionship, as well as gradually revealing the secrets of Addie's past and the astonishing reason that she bore so little resemblance to her mother. While the setting is vividly portrayed, a surprising historical anachronism sneaks in: the appearance of a photograph printed on card stock (as opposed to a daguerreotype) taken before 1837—predating its invention by years. The narrative is at its strongest while Addie manages alone; her experiences with Nokummus sometimes push credibility and seem out of character for such an amazingly determined and strong-willed child. Still, history lovers will enjoy her adventures. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169701623
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	10/12/2010
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

Videos