Kaya's Escape (American Girl: Kaya #2) by Janet Beeler Shaw

 

Summary (from the publisher): In the fall of 1764, after Kaya and her sister are kidnapped from their Nez Perce village by enemy horse raiders, she tries to find a way to escape back home.

Review: What a dramatic story! Kaya and her adoptive sister, who is also blind, are kidnapped from their village by enemy horse raiders. Knowing that winter is fast encroaching, Kaya decides to try to escape and make it home on foot. 

There's been a running theme through book one and two that Kaya doesn't listen to instructions and puts her own wishes above the needs of others. In this book, when enemy warriors come into her village, Kaya tries to protect her horse from being stolen, despite having been told to escape to the woods with her sister. Kaya has a lot of regret and guilt for her choice. 

I didn't read Kaya's stories growing up, but it's been fun to reading them as an adult with my children. They all enjoyed this book more than book one, largely because their was a lot more action and suspense. We were all worried for Kaya's safety and hoping for her safe return to her family. 

One of my favorite parts about the American Girl books is the way they include the peek into the past section at the end of the book to provide some historical context for the story. This one was great as always and very informative, but I do wish it had talked a bit about the practice of different villages taking captives, since that is what the whole plot of this book was about. 

Stars: 4

Related Titles: 



Comments