DAUGHTER OF WINTER

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)