Osborne, Mary Pope. Adaline Falling Star. Scholastic, 2000. ISBN 0-439-05947-X. ISBN 0-439-05947-X. $16.95. 169 pp. A 4+ FI Reviewed by Vicky M. Turner Adaline is her father’s name for her; Falling Star is what her mother calls her because she was born on the night of a meteor shower. Her mother, an Arapaho Indian, dies, and her father, Kit Carson, must take her to St. Louis to live with his cousin, Silas. Her father thinks she is going to continue her education, but Silas treats her like a slave and a mute. Life is hard for Adaline, but she endures because she knows that one day her father will come back. Caddie, one of Silas’ slaves, befriends her and is the only one in the household who treats her with kindness. When it appears that her father has abandoned her, she takes off to find the life she knows best in the Colorado wilderness. Her only friend appears to be a mongrel dog that adopts her. This wonderful, fast-paced adventure accurately portrays life on the frontier in the 1840s. Adaline faces many of the challenges children face today--particularly children who have mixed ethnic backgrounds. Adaline is a strong female character who leads the reader through many adventures.
