Crooked River

Written by Shelley Pearsall

Narrated by Sandy Rustin and Shaun Taylor-Corbett

it is the time when the leaves
are small on the trees
too small
for hiding
—Indian John

The year is 1812. A white trapper is murdered. And a young Chippewa Indian stands accused.
Captured and shackled in leg irons and chains, Indian John awaits his trial in a settler’s loft.
All the while, thirteen-year-old Rebecca Carver sleeps and cooks and cleans below, terrified by the
captive Indian right in her home.

In a world of crude frontier justice where evidence is often overlooked in favor of vengeance,
Indian John struggles to make sense of the white man’s court. His young lawyer faces the wrath
of a settlement determined to see the Indian hang. And Rebecca must decide for herself what—and
who—is right. At stake is a life.

From the award-winning author of Trouble Don’t Last comes a fast-paced drama told in the
alternating voices of Indian John and Rebecca Carver. Crooked River offers a probing look at prejudice,
early American justice, and the true meaning of courage.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9781980056560

Shelley Pearsall

A former teacher and museum historian, Shelley Pearsall is now a full-time author. Her first novel, Trouble Don’t Last, won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Her other books include Jump into the Sky, Crooked River, All of the Above, and All Shook Up.

Reviews for Crooked River

[robertalea-223265 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book. The young lady in the story learned to judge and trust on her own intuition. It took great courage to go against her father and his beliefs, but she did. The book is based on the true life trial of Native American, John O'Mic, in Cleveland, Ohio.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Life on the Ohio frontier is rough. Rebecca Carver and her sister have to run the household for their controlling Pa. After a trapper is found dead near Crooked River, Pa and some men round up some of the Chippewa Indian's who are accused of the murder. After killing one of the men, Indian John is brought in shackles to the Carver house and held in the attic until the trial. Indian John doesn't have much chance of a fair trial judging by the attitudes and treatment he gets. But Rebecca connects with the man and shows him some kindnesses. Told through Rebecca and Amik's eyes, issues of discrimination and freedom are explored.

[sheiladeeth_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dreaming of seeing my own books in bookstores one day, I find myself consciously wondering sometimes, what makes me pick a book up from the shelf? What makes me look at the blurb on the back? And then what makes me buy? Unfortunately what makes me buy is all too often influenced by whether the book is cheap, and some of my most treasured finds have been remaindered hardbacks. Crooked River was a hardback remainder with a beautiful cover. Purple clouds (I like purple) loom in a black-lit sky and jagged lightning stabs at a woven earth-toned patterned thread. That’s why I picked it up. The back blurb lists the awards received for Shelley Pearsall’s previous book, Trouble Don’t Last, convincing me she must be a good writer who tells a good tale. And the inside flap reveals the voice of Indian John in prose poetry, coupled with this introduction, “The year is 1812. A white trapper is murdered. And a young Chippewa Indian stands accused.” I was hooked.The story is told in two voices, that of Indian John with flowing words likes streams of living meaning, and that of Rebecca Carver, a thirteen-year-old slowly learning just how wrong the world can be. Her halting steps, from obedient acceptance of everything she’s told, to human concern and thankfulness and thought, are beautifully told. Her words reflect the language of the time—the author says she mined old documents and diaries for authentic turns of phrase. The passages grow to reveal the mind of a genuine girl with a thirteen-year-old’s passion for truth and joy under the burden of a settler’s needs.I learned how justice was conducted on the frontier, how judges travelled from town to town, how decisions were made and lives ended with the aid of a jury of somebody’s peers. I learned of human frailty, of good people believing falsehood and closing their ears to truth, and also of hope. I longed for the right ending to the book, though I couldn’t see how it would come. And then I read an ending that was righter than right and delighted me.I hope I might read Trouble Don’t Last one day. But for now, Crooked River was a wonderful introduction to an author whose research astounds and convinces, and whose writing voices inspire.

[mrshillreads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like historical fiction, so I enjoyed this book. I especially enjoyed the family dynamics portrayed. I don't think students will like this book; but faculty members probably will.

[bluejclub · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rebecca's dad has captured an Indian and is keeping him in his attic until it is time for the Indian's trial. Alot of things happen between the time of the trial and when Rebecca's dad captures the Indian. Peter Kelley comes and becomes Indian John's lawer(and alot more). It is a very suspenseful book that will keep you on your toes.

[abbylibrarian_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rebecca is appalled when her Pa brings home an Indian and locks him up in the attic. She's terrified of Indians in general and her Pa says that this Indian is a murderer. But when she screws up her courage to bring the Indian some food, she begins to realize that maybe he's not as terrifying as she thought. Then a young lawyer comes to their cabin claiming to be friends with the Indian. He's going to defend "Indian John" at his trial. Rebecca knows that there is no chance Indian John will be found innocent, but maybe, just maybe, something spectacular will happen that could save his life. I found it a little hard to get into this book because the action starts pretty much right away and you don't get a lot of background about the characters. Short chapters narrated by Rebecca alternate with poems that show "Indian John" (Amik)'s point of view. As the novel went on, I found myself rooting for the characters and Pearsall includes a fabulous author's note and selected bibliography.