Tracy Leininger Craven

NOT AN ACCELERATED READING (AR) BOOK.

Alone Yet Not Alone is a historical novel written for ages 8 and based on the true story of two preteen girls, Barbara and Regina Leininger, taken captive during the October 16, 1755 Penn’s Creek Massacre in Central Pennsylvania by the Native Americans, the Lenape of the Delaware Tribe, who had sided with the French. This was the first massacre among many that were to follow due to settlers encroaching upon their land. Barbara and Regina’s father and one brother were killed along with the 14 others in this particular village along the Susquehanna River, 11 were taken captive. This story was retold to the author by the her grandmother. The girls were reunited with their families about nine years later, when a peace treaty was reached and captives released.

I felt the story was missing a lot. Even though a good solid Christian story, and all their faith was on God, it sure didn’t capture at all how scared the girls really were. It was a bit too mushy and perfect. Is that because I’m a rotten adult? I wonder how an 8-year-old little girl would read this? Well, I do have a 10-year-old granddaughter. Maybe I can get her to read this book this summer to get a better perspective on the rating of this book. If so, I’ll come back and change my ratings. Otherwise, this is the way I feel about the story….3-stars...take it or leave it.… (mehr)