Calico Captive

Written by Elizabeth George Speare

Narrated by C.M. Hebert

Early one morning in 1754, the stillness of Charlestown, New Hampshire, is shattered by shrill war whoops and the terror of an Indian raid. Young Miriam Willard, on a day which had promised new happiness, finds herself instead a captive on a forest trail, caught up in the ebb and flow of the French and Indian War.

She endures a harrowing march north to what she imagines may be a life of slavery. But when they reach Montreal, a sudden twist of fortune brings Miriam to the acquaintance of the prominent Du Quesne family. The Du Quesnes introduce her to a life of luxury that she never could have imagined, and compel her to the most important decision of her life. Based on the actual narrative diary published in 1907, Calico Captive skillfully re-enacts an absorbing facet of history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blackstone Audio
• Release date: Oct 14, 2009
• ISBN: 9780786121069

Elizabeth George Speare

"I was born in Melrose, Massachusetts, on November 21, 1908. I have lived all my life in New England, and though I love to travel I can't imagine ever calling any other place on earth home. Since I can't remember a time when I didn't intend to write, it is hard to explain why I took so long getting around to it in earnest. But the years seemed to go by very quickly. In 1936 I married Alden Speare and came to Connecticut. Not till both children were in junior high did I find time at last to sit down quietly with a pencil and paper. I turned naturally to the things which had filled my days and thoughts and began to write magazine articles about family living. Then one day I stumbled on a true story from New England history with a character who seemed to me an ideal heroine. Though I had my first historical novel almost by accident it soon proved to be an absorbing hobby." Elizabeth George Speare (1908-1994) won the 1959 Newbery Medal for THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND, and the 1962 Newbery Medal for THE BRONZE BOW. She also received a Newbery Honor Award in 1983, and in 1989 she was presented with the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for her substantial and enduring contribution to children’s literature.

Reviews for Calico Captive

[ncwillow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Okay, i REALLY enjoyed this book! My friend told me to read it and i'm glad she did cause this book was wonderful! recommend to everyone!

[ma_washigeri · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Like many other readers I had this book over and over from the library when I was growing up. Some 40 years later I got myself a copy (ex library to my delight) from abebooks and re-read it. Oddly my memories of the book have hardly been touched by the later reading - I can still remember how I felt about it 40 years ago (identifying deeply with quite a few of the characters, not just the main girl) but hardly remember how I felt a few months ago reading it again.

[mephistia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those books (like Johnny Tremain) that I read as a kid, and while I never did own a copy, I checked it out from the library so often it was at my house more often than at the library.

It follows the story of Miriam, a young English colonial, who is captured by Indians during the French and Indian war. She's sold as a slave to some French Quebecoise, where she begins to make a name for herself as a seamstress.

However, Miriam was not the only one captured -- her sister, nieces and nephew were also captured and enslaved. Miriam and her sister are faced with many hard choices as they try to pay their slave debts (if I recall, it's been a while since I read it) in Quebec, bring their family back together and eventually make their way home.

As Miriam's seamstress business becomes more successful, she's courted by a handsome French soldier -- a moral dilemma, as he's allied with the same Indians who attacked her colony, and he fights and kills the British colonials she loves. At the same time, he helps her track down her scattered nieces and nephew, and assists Miriam in widening her clientele base.

I've always loved this book, though I have to admit I rooted for the French solider. I always wanted Miriam to marry him and leave her stodgy English roots. Apparently the book is based on the diary of a real-life Miriam who actually experienced these events (I guess they left out all the rape-iness), so extra points for bringing history alive.

[satyridae · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is not my usual fare, not by a long shot. It somehow ended up on my To-Be-Read shelves, probably a leftover from one of the book exchanges. I was pleasantly surprised to find it a well-written and deeply engaging story. The romance was... well, romancey enough, but easy to ignore. The portrayal of the Natives who captured the English family of the protagonist was fairly one-sided and prejudicial- but rang quite true from their point of view. I wish they'd been captured longer because that was the most interesting part of the story for me. On the other hand, the portrait of Montreal was also very interesting, if less fraught with peril. The quiet fortitude of the older sister was admirable, and the bootstrap-yanking younger sister struck me as having that quintessentially American 'pioneer spirit' we US citizens learn about in school.

[dixie_darlin_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Okay, i REALLY enjoyed this book! My friend told me to read it and i'm glad she did cause this book was wonderful! recommend to everyone!

[fuzzi_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As I had just read another 'captive' book, I decided to try this one.As with "Indian Captive", this is based upon a true story as told by a woman who was taken prisoner by Indians in the early colonial days of the United States. However, this book is definitely geared more toward a youth audience, and not as interesting to me as other more 'adult' books of this genre.Still, it was entertaining, and worth at least one read, especially if the subject interests you.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare recounts the true story of the James Johnson family who, in August of 1754, were taken by Indians from their home in New Hampshire. Captain Johnson, along with his wife, Susanna, and their children were forced marched north to Montreal and held for ransom. Along with them was a younger sister of Susanna’s, Miriam Willard. When Susanna was seventy years old, she wrote an account of this event, and this account was used by the author to create this story of Miriam’s adventures.Although terrified by their ordeal, this family were lucky that they were kept alive. In later days of the French and Indian War, often prisoners were killed and scalped. These scalps were then purchased by the French. Before arriving at Montreal the family were separated, with Susanna, her new born baby and her young son being kept by the Indians. The father, Miriam and two younger girls went on to Montreal. The little girls were farmed out and taken into families, Miriam put to work as a maid for a wealthy family and Captain Johnson put in prison. How this family tried to reunite and return to America made for a very interesting story.As this book is meant for the younger YA audience, I found it a bit simplified, but nevertheless, it’s a vivid account of how this war affected one family. A convincing historical fiction story that kept the pages turning. Elizabeth George Speare, is best known as the author of Newberry Medal winners, The Witch of Blackbird Pond and The Bronze Bow.

[bryndahlquis · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

You read through it really fast and mildly enjoy the ride, but when you close the book, you realize that absolutely nothing happened. At all.

[kace_12 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book. Its written for the younger crowd and based on a true story of a family captured by Native Americans and sold into slavery to the British. Before I read this book, I didn't have a clue that this was apart of the history. It's incredible, the lack of my knowledge, I know. A family of white settlers survives the Indians capture, sold into British slavery, half are thrown in the stockades, and then their journey home. It held my attention several reads through, and its one I'll recommend to my own kids when they're older.